Chrysler Just Pissed Me Off

Chrysler got $4 billion in emergency aid from the U.S. government and has said it will seek another $3 billion in government loans. And yesterday it agreed to form an alliance with Italy’s Fiat as it looks for the road out of the woods. (The Fiat deal fine print reportedly makes it conditional on Chrysler’s getting that extra U.S. loan).

Now, Chrysler plans to help underwrite the fourth installment of the “Terminator” movie series, “Terminator Salvation,” where it will place its vehicles in cameo roles. The film is scheduled for release later this year. Financial terms of the sponsorship deal were not disclosed.

“This spring, Terminator 4 comes out and we will be one of the sponsors,” Chrysler director of media Susan Thomson said in a presentation at the Automotive News World Congress. “We have a following with the Terminator movies and we are going to continue with that.”

So, Chrysler= timeless battle between humans and machines? Is the goal here to convince consumers that a Chrysler minivan will help you and your family escape evil drones from putting the human race in the books under extinction?

I'm sorry; I'm in advertising and I think it must continue in order for our economy to stabilize and reinvigorate consumer confidence. But is this really the best way? How about advertising deals that bring savings to beleaguered Americans looking for an opportunity to save money on what could be a realistic necessity? I believe in continued spending and non- slashed marketing budgets. Especially for the automakers who are the spine of our economy, but this seems a brash spending play when a more strategic long term plan could do wonders.