Chrysler is coming down hard on some of their Jeep dealers. The Monroe Dodge Superstore in Monroe, MI, just down the road from Toledo, wanted to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Jeep. The first Willys-Overland Jeep was built 1941 at their plant in Toledo. The good folks at the Monroe Dodge Superstore thought hard about a good catchphrase. Then, the lightbulb went off. Presto, 600 T-shirts were printed, emblazoned with “Imported from Toledo.” They immediately heard from Chrysler. Not in a good way.
So did the Toledo area dealers Wrangler Unlimited from Grogan’s Towne and Charlie’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. They drove a Jeep on the ice during intermissions at the Toledo Walleye ice hockey games last weekend with “Imported from Toledo” written on the doors. Chrysler told them they are skating on thin ice.
Monroe Dodge owner Ralph Mahalak, Jr. told the Toledo Blade that all he wanted was to sell Jeeps. The shirts were offered for just $19.41 (get it) a piece, with the proceeds going to three local charities. Chrysler said no. A nasty “imported from” pricewar was averted. Chrysler’s “IMPORTED FROM DETROIT” Tees go for 10 bucks MSRP more.
Mahalak resolved the spat by giving away the T-shirts to customers who test-drove a Chrysler.
This matter comes on the heels of Chrysler suing Pure Detroit for selling “Imported from Detroit” T-shirts.
Chrysler spokesman Michael Palese told The Blade that Chrysler doesn’t have the “Imported from Toledo” mark (yet), but opined that using it to sell Jeeps is misguided. “We appreciate the enthusiasm and support of our dealers, but we do not want to dilute the Chrysler Brand’s ‘Imported from Detroit’ tagline,” said Palese.
With the dealers, Chrysler has it a bit easier to assert their imaginary trademark claims. If the dealers don’t play ball, who knows, suddenly there will be problems with car deliveries, denied warranty claims and other unfortunate coincidences.
I’m sure the Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton law firm that handles Chrysler’s trademark litigation must be hiring. There are more than 20 million hits for “imported from” on Google. Solar power imported from Sahara. Islamophobia imported from Europe. Sex imported from Africa. Dangerous dental implants imported from China. Whoopee! So much to do!
I’d ask Chrysler to demonstrate “Imported from Toledo” first use in commerce and tell them to piss off until they can. Then, if I heard back from Chrysler in any shape form or fashion, I’d call the local media outlets and get the whole town’s opinion on my side and raise a stink over it. Chrysler, hoping to avoid a media circus as well as national resentment, would go away.
If you are a Chrysler dealer?
Chrysler would instead demonstrate how to turn a Jeep dealer into a used car dealer.
Does this include Imported from Canada or Imported from Mexico, places Chryslers are actually imported from?
Yes, except when they are not, such as
Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango – imported from Detroit (real Detroit, not a suburb)
Jeep Wrangler – imported from Toledo
Jeep Liberty, Dodge Nitro – imported from Toledo
Ram, Dakota (formerly Dodge) – imported from Warren, MI
Chrysler 200, Dodge Avenger – imported from Sterling Heights, MI
Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot – imported from Belvideere, IL
Dodge Viper – imported from Detroit (probably out of production now)
And let’s not forget the component factories:
transmissions – imported for Kokomo, IN
engines – imported from Trenton, MI and Detroit and Kenosha, WI
Steering columns, torque converters – imported from Toledo
Stampings – imported from Twinsburg, OH and Sterling Heights, MI and Warren, MI
But other than that they are all foreign made, every last one of them. As a matter of fact they are foreign owned. That’s right, the biggest owner of Chrysler is another country, called the UAW, at 50%. Some little company called FIAT owns just 25% or so. Oh I forgot, the faraway foreign country of Canada owns about 2%. The even more faraway foreign country of Washington DC (I’m NOT being sarcastic about them being even more foreign and faraway than Canada from America) owns 8%.
I can’t tell if you realize that cars aren’t imported if they’re from Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, or Illinois from your post. Cars sold in the US that are made in Canada or Mexico are actually imported. See?
CJ….
WHOOSH
They’re going to make a fortune off of Walmart Everything they sell has that phrase on it.
Actually, I just figured out how to pay for the kid’s college education. I’m going to register “Made in China.” Then again, Chrysler might come after me because it’s too similar to “Imported from.”
“Come on guys, this is an Italian company.” Concrete overshoes, anybody? I’m sure they’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse! Seriously though, Chrysler indeed could be doing the wrong thing. They have got a catchy advertising gimmick and you would think that when their dealers jump on this bandwagon to sell more cars and raise brand awareness, shouldn’t the home office be thrilled? Or, as corporate stuff goes, did Chrysler miss the boat on not publishing to their employees proper usage rules for the phrase? Companies appear to do stupid things, sometimes, but perhaps the dealers are out of line, too. (EDIT): Sorry, I meant to reply to the thread below! Too early.
How bout; “Importado de Detroit.” Or “Hecho en Toledo.”
“Mal construidas en Sterling Heights”
+1
I think Hecho en Toledo is a keeper…
Come on guys, this is an Italian company.
Prodotto di Toledo
Honestly, I think going after the dealers is pretty lame on Chrysler’s part.
Chrysler spokesman Michael Palese told The Blade that Chrysler doesn’t have the “Imported from Toledo” mark (yet), but opined that using it to sell Jeeps is misguided.
And for Mr Palese to say that using the tag-line to sell Jeeps is “misguided”. This guy should be fired. Isn’t it the dealers job to sell? Nothing illegal was done here. Sergio should confiscate Palese’s Blackberry and Import him to Siberia.
Im sure keeping dealers happy and actually selling their shit cars doesnt matter.
Would they prefer “Deported from Toledo” instead? Oh wow.
Deported from Ontario. Deported from Mexico.
win.
If they keep this up, things are going viral. And not in a good way. I can see this turning into an internet meme about five seconds after going mainstream.
Hypocrisy, greed and ignorance exported from Auburn Hills
Chrysler; imported from Harvard law school.
Chrysler’s Lawyers: Exported from Stupid.
I can see them bossing around their own dealers where they have leverage, but good luck enforcing a trademark claim anywhere else.
The next time this outfit goes belly up they can do marketing for others and make T-shirts. It seems to be something they do well, make a profit at and do better than the automatic transmissions in the minivans.
I thought I had clicked on The Onion by mistake!
I still don’t get this ruckus from Chrysler — those kind of marketing campaign tag lines have a limited shelf life and Chrysler should be happy as punch to see it naturally spread around of its own accord without them having to spend a penny. I think it’s a clever concept, even though it has built-in limitations due to the realities noted above such as PT Cruisers made Mexico etc. If they were smart they’d simply ride the “imported from” (or maybe “teleported in from?”) idea until its natural demise then move on. The public surely will soon enough.
I wonder if Chrysler is just as enthusiastic about “Imported from Mexico” or “Imported from Italy”? Which are exactly the places that many of their products are imported from or will be imported from.
Instead of Imported from Detroit
they should use say
Rescued by Washington DC.
Not as catchy but clearly more relevant. Any guess on the imported parts content of their cars, not including the full on import from Canada.
So what do you do when your dealership is actually in Detroit?
I maintain wholeheartedly that if Chrysler doesn’t want Jeep dealers to use a variant of the “Imported from Detroit” tagline, it should give them a better tagline to use.
Isn’t their official tagline “i am. i live. i ride. Jeep” or something to that effect?
I live, I ride, I am imported from Detroit and my tank is full!
Six hundred shirts x $19.41 each = $11,646. Chrysler could buy all the shirts, plus add a little extra, and say they are donating $20,000 to local charities in Toledo, e.g. museums/schools/parks. Then at the big press conference announcing the donation with local media present, hand out free “Imported from Detroit” T-shirts to everyone. Or, of course, Chrysler could spend many times that amount to hire lawyers and turn a business opportunity into yet more bad publicity.
This is just like Chrysler–on the rare occasion they have something good, they manage to screw it up. The “Imported from Detroit” tagline got a lot of attention and stoked some hometown pride, and now that a dealer who is within spitting distance of the Jeep plant wants to do the same for Toledo (and maybe drum up a few extra sales in the process), Chrysler sics their lawyers on them? You would think an automaker that has been bailed out by the taxpayers twice in 30 years would take all the goodwill it can get. Instead, it destroys any goodwill it might have amassed… unbelievable.
Very clever idea from the dealers, sure to catch on with the Jeep fraternity…I hope a couple corporate lawyers are out on their asses by week’s end for mismanaging this about as spectacularly as possible. Or are we learning something else: doesn’t Sergio like Jeep? Personally, I thought that was the franchise.
http://www.cafepress.com/importedfromtoledo
Chrysler doesn’t own the “Imported From Toledo” trademark. And they don’t own the image of the WWII era Willys MB jeep.
The plot thickens…
Ronnie is correct. They just had “influence” over their dealers. Anybody can sell an item with “imported from” on it and not worry about a lawsuit, unless it’s a car, then I don’t know. Not a smart move by Chrysler but this is their business (literally as well as figuratively).
This is just stupid. I know that Chrysler has to protect their trademark, but impeding their dealers’ marketing is counter productive. If they’re concerned about losing their trademark, they should just license it to their dealers for a token amount (e.g. $1) and be done with it.
I think this is more about not diminishing the impact of the corporate “Imported From Detroit” tag line. FWIW, a salesman at another Toledo area Chrysler dealer, this one in Adrian, MI, has the rights to ImportedFromToledo.com.
Chrysis never ceases to amaze. Whatever I think about the other two, I know I would never imagine those guys could shoot themselves in the foot in such unique and obtuse fashion…well…maybe GM.
Look, it’s unpleasant, but Chrysler has to do this or else they risk losing the trademark entirely. Even if they lose this particular case, it’s the precedent of actively protecting your trademark (and probing where that trademark’s limits are) that counts.
If you don’t like it, you’re probably not alone: Chrysler itself probably doesn’t like having to engage in pro forma legal sabre-rattling, but it’s a necessary evil.
Chrysler has to do this or else they risk losing the trademark
They could grant them permission to use the mark without charge. That would be adequate to defend the mark. Chrysler should be careful. Not long ago USPTO was soliciting for information about cases of trademark abuse. There may be a crackdown coming.
Sad.
Of noses and cutting them off to spite faces, etc.
With a corporate attitude like this, one thing that won’t be happening anytime soon: Chrysler won’t be “importing” any dollars from my wallet.
I might be in the minority but I absolutely hate this entire ad campaign. I think it only reminds people that many “American” cars aren’t even made in America anymore. I also find it insulting that a company like Chrysler who’s business decicisons have in part destroyed the Detroit economy would seek to climb on the back of the people that it has exploited all these years. The whole “Imported from…” has already jumped the shark.
+1
Actually, if anyone comes out with a T-shirt that has “Imported from Detroit” overlaid with a red circle and a line through it, I’ll be first in line to buy one.
I thought the point of all of CHrysler’s flag-waving marketing was to remind us of their American heritage. What does that more than saying a product has been made in Ohio for 70 years? Maybe you can fix a Jeep but you can’t fix stupid.
John
This is such a non-story. I work at a large university, if I tried modding any logos or trademarks–or slogans– without marketing’s approval, they’d fall on me like a ton of bricks. A friend of mine was VP of marketing for a large real estate company, part of her job was going after brokers who were marketing inappropriately. Hell, my wife runs the local office for a national non-profit, and even they have very strict rules about how she can market their program. Marketers don’t want anybody messing with their messaging, and they’re much stricter when it comes to in-house entities, because they have plenty of leverage available without going through the expense of calling in the lawyers.
That hardly makes me an expert, of course, perhaps fast and loose is the rule in the world of marketing and the marketing execs I know swing far to the control-freak end of the scale. But I doubt it, I think control-freak is in the job description, and what Chrysler did would be standard operating procedure for just about any large organization.
What makes this non-story a story is that Chrysler is fighting for their very existence, and, in spite of all the help they got over the last two years, financial and otherwise, they’re failing. The dealers wanted to help Chrysler sell more iron but the idea did not come from Chrysler HQ, so down the rat-hole it goes. I bet if Chrysler had thought of this idea first there would have been no problem with the T-shirts and slogan at all. Like I said, if Chrysler is this proud of their slogan, why don’t they advertise their other products as Imported from Mexico or Imported from Italy?
Renault may have some interest in all this. Check out the tagline on this old Renault Alliance ad:
http://www.arcticboy.com/media/renault/renaultreview.jpg
“Sure it’s imported. From Kenosha, Wisconsin.”