Chrysler
Group Announces Sponsorship Agreement With Select Group of
HBCU Schools and Conferences
Official Automotive Status Includes On-Campus Recruiting
and Seminars - Branded Ads to Run During Televised SWAC,
MEAC and SIAC Conference Football and Basketball Games
November 5, 2003
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Chrysler Group has announced a sponsorship
agreement with 32 Historically Black Colleges and Universities
that includes advertising and marketing initiatives centered
largely around athletics, as well as academic programs.
Under the multi-year agreement, Chrysler Group will leverage
its Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge brands across the many media
platforms that make up the sponsorship. The partnership includes
branded advertising in over 80 football and basketball games
televised on the Major Broadcast Cable Network (MBC), as well
as in-venue signage, dealer hospitality and inclusion in a
wide variety of print and web-based media outlets.
The 32 institutions are from the Southwestern Athletic Conference
(SWAC), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
"This relationship is a tremendous opportunity for our
Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands and our dealers," said
George Murphy, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Marketing,
DaimlerChrysler. "We consider this relationship to be
a nucleus of what we anticipate will become more than a traditional
television and athletic sponsorship. Clearly, we now have access
to family and alumni audiences from these three conferences
that are great prospects for our products. We also have the
opportunity to directly support the universities themselves
with dollars being utilized for academic and on-campus programs."
"The SWAC is excited to partner with the Chrysler Group," said
SWAC Commissioner, Robert Vowels. "This is the first time
a partnership of this scope has been created between the three
conferences, allowing for greater impact and leverage among
the 32 schools."
"This is an exciting time for the SIAC," says SIAC
Commissioner, Dr. William Lide. "This new agreement will
benefit our proud and distinguished schools for years to come.
It will give significant new dollars to SIAC programs and services
that will propel us to the national prominence we desire."
"The partnership with the Chrysler Group allows for a
unique opportunity in the world of corporate partnerships," says
MEAC Commissioner, Dr. Dennis Thomas. "I am pleased that
Chrysler Group understands the value of the MEAC and its 11
outstanding academic institutions. We consider this a good
investment by the Chrysler Group. Furthermore, this partnership
confirms Chrysler Group's commitment to diversity marketing."
Chrysler Group will have Official Automotive status with the
SWAC, MEAC and the SIAC, and be the title sponsor of the SWAC
and the SIAC football championships. (MEAC does not have a
football championship.) Additionally, Chrysler Group will be
the title sponsor for all three conference basketball championships.
The automotive company also will have logo rights to all 32
colleges as well as for the three conferences.
Outside the athletic arena, the sponsorship gives Chrysler
Group the opportunity to hold seminars at all of the championship
venues; have an on-campus presence for student recruitment;
and interact with students and alumni through database mailings
and e-commerce communications.
Facilitating the agreement between Chrysler Group and the
Historically Black Colleges and Universities was New Vision
Sports Properties of Oakland, Calif. New Vision is a full-service
sports marketing company that specializes in selling, executing
and servicing major corporate sponsorships.
The agreement was reached through PHD, which handles media
planning and buying for DaimlerChrysler in the U.S. GlobalHue,
the Chrysler Group's multicultural agency, played an integral
role in developing the agreement. GlobalHue will manage the
activation of the agreement through New Vision and will oversee
the growth of the partnership.
