Dodge Advertising Campaign Summary

With emerging foreign markets, especially in the automotive industry, the domestic rate of consumer activity has dropped immensely. In the 2008, America was in one of the worse economic destructions since anyone could remember. The economy almost crashed completely, and along with it dragged the automotive industry, specially the domestic company Chrysler, which included Dodge vehicles. It was a necessity that Dodge needed to figure out how to best reach out to consumers to lift their business back up, and so they did. They envisioned a patriotic appeal to drive the customers to their doors, literally. Through the implementation of historical references including the British Revolutionary War and our first President George Washington, Dodge

purposefully inserts jabs at the foreign companies to make their company superior.
We can all agree that nationalism is one of the strongest tools when developing a powerful and thriving country. Nationalism is the quality of having patriotic beliefs, principles, and efforts. When citizens has a strong advocacy for their country, it can influence the future success and efforts to progress the country. An iconic example of nationalism, is Uncle Sam, a common national personification of the American government, which came into use during the War of 1812. Uncle Sam was displayed on propaganda posters in every corner of America to recruit men for the U.S. Army all while wearing in red, white, and blue, with his finger pointing straight at whoever was looking at it. In doing this, Uncle Sam was displaying an extreme sense of nationalism, and made people think, “If I do not join, am I really a true American?” No one would say no to Uncle Sam. Dodge plays off the sense of nationalism to emphasize the importance of buying domestic, powerful cars.
Through injecting fear, confidence, and patriotism in its commercial, Dodge influences consumers to buy their cars and thus, equate American military power and pride to that of their muscle car - the Dodge Challenger.

The commercial takes place during the British Revolutionary War, setting the audience back in time, an allusion into the past. It makes the audience feel like we worked hard to get where we are today in this country, and that without the brave soldiers fighting hard against the redcoats, we would be nowhere. The redcoats flee in fear when George Washington and others drive Dodge vehicles straight towards them. Consequently, leaving the audience in awe. Dodge uses George Washington as the main character in their commercial for more more reasons that you can count. For one, they use it because he was the first President of the United States of America, so in fact he is considerably credible. He also embodies true patriotism; a proud general, man, and leader of this amazing country. The commercial depicts that when George Washington drives courageous through the meadows charging towards the redcoats, he has no fear because he has the roar of the Dodge engine to scare them away. In doing this, the audience is able to connect with George Washington’s power and strength to make them feel proud to be an American, driving an American Dodge Vehicle. Throughout the commercial, ironically a calm violin is being played while all the fighting and cars are viciously trudging

through the fields. It makes the audience’s emotion hit home, as they see our country fighting for our freedom. Nevertheless, we came out on the top and at the end the music is uplifted, so the audience too can feel the sense of excitement and proudness that we share for our country and it’s new born freedom.
Some may believe that foreign cars are better developed and manufactured than domestic vehicles, but that is not the case.

Rather, Dodge was trying to establish that by buying domestic vehicles you are “buying American.” If you buy American, you are the proud, patriotic citizen you are expected to be. Evidence - its a muscle car

To sincerely understand and comprehend what Dodge’s commercial stands for, one must be educated about the history and all that occurred during the economical downfall in 2008 and succeeding years. To a further extent, they need to understand and relate to such references of the British Revolutionary War, George Washington, and understand the impacts emotion has on an audience. In essence, they will be unable to dig deeper into the true meaning and they will only hit the surface of this

commercial.