Jeep: Tell us a little about your background and your day-to-day responsibilities for the Jeep® brand.
JM: As Director of Product Marketing for the Jeep Brand, I’m fortunate to work closely with a great team of people that is responsible for the present and future sales and marketing of the Jeep brand’s vehicles, building demand for our vehicles, and protecting the brand. We are also responsible for the portfolio of future Jeep products.
Jeep: Can you tell us about the planning process that went into the launch of the 2011 Grand Cherokee and Compass?
JM: Our teams design a communications and marketing strategy that will resonate with our customers based on the lifestyle and demographics of each vehicle. Based on our research, we develop a plan for the primary demographic of the respective nameplate. However we are also aware of the fact that there may be customers attracted to the vehicle outside of the primary demographic. Whether they are business people who travel – for example, a Grand Cherokee buyer – or a younger customer who is more comfortable operating in the digital space – a Compass buyer, our mission is to communicate the Jeep brand story to them in a way that will relate to that specific audience.
Jeep: How did focus groups and consumer research determine the direction of the communication initiatives for the launch of the 2011 Grand Cherokee and Compass? How important to the success of future product launches will they be?
JM: Listening to what our customers have to say is very important to the Jeep brand. We are fortunate to have a very vocal community with more than one million fans on Facebook. One of the Jeep brand’s biggest advantages is our ongoing communications and dialogue with our passionate customers through social media platforms – we are always reading your comments!. We utilize the information we gain from these platforms, as well as the information we gather with focus groups to build our communication strategy and spur future product innovation.
Jeep: After the initial launch of the new Grand Cherokee, what is the strategy to keep the momentum going to keep this vehicle front and center in minds of consumers that are in the market for an SUV?
JM: First and foremost, the Grand Cherokee is a very important vehicle for our company – it was the first new vehicle launched under the new Chrysler Group LLC. It’s a vehicle continues to receive a great deal of attention from consumers along with the automotive media. It’s such a big segment, as 10% of the U.S. auto market is full-size SUV’s, and therefore it’s a very important segment to American consumers. It’s important that we continue to keep momentum going to get more of these vehicles in showrooms and on the road in the hands of the customers who are falling in love with them. These folks are telling their friends, family, co-workers, etc. about how much they enjoy the Grand Cherokee and are our best advocates. Next, we continue to win awards with the Grand Cherokee, which by the way is the most awarded SUV vehicle ever, and this helps to keep the discussion about the product in the marketplace. Lastly, our Overland and Overland Summit models have exceeded our expectations in regards to sales as more customers want more premium content and features on an SUV – knowing that you’ve got the best product always attracts new customers!
Jeep: The new Jeep Compass design is inspired by the new Grand Cherokee. Can you tell us more about that?
JM: Sure. As you know, the new design is inspired by the 2011 Grand Cherokee. The headlights and front end pull queues from the Grand Cherokee, and we upgraded the suspension which improved both on-road and off-road smoothness. For 2011, the Compass is Trail Rated® with Freedom Drive®, skid plates and tow hooks and is very capable in an off-road environment. As a matter of fact, it’s the most capable vehicle in its class by far and definitely blows drivers’ minds. Our engineers like to exceed our customer’s expectations.
Jeep: How important is the Jeep brand’s history in marketing vehicles like the Grand Cherokee and Compass? Do the brand’s historical roots still resonate with the target consumers?
JM: 2011 marks the 70Th anniversary of the Jeep brand and we are very proud of our history. And, it’s important that we always stay true to our roots – this is what differentiates us from other brands. We are the number one vehicle out there in terms of capability. Even as we continue to adapt and improve the fuel economy and ride capability, Jeep vehicles will always have a rugged look and feel with its seven-slotted grill, trapezoidal wheel openings.
Jeep: How different is your approach in communicating the key product attributes of the Compass versus the Patriot?
JM: One of the things that we have been successful at the Jeep brand is that we communicate separately to these customers. We separated the two models with specific price points and content, and it has proven successful – we’ve grown both sales and awareness for both nameplates this past year. The Jeep Compass is the more sophisticated, well equipped story, and the Patriot is the more affordable, capable, off-road product.
Jeep: Finally, what’s the coolest part of your job?
JM: I actually think I have the coolest job at the company. I’ve had 25 Jeep vehicles in my life, and I currently drive a 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8® and my wife drives a Wrangler. One thing that is super cool is seeing the new vehicles and introducing them to the media and new customers and watching them get so excited. Another rewarding part of my job is knowing that consumers are happy and have a little bit of the Jeep 4×4 mindset of having fun and that they are now a part of the Jeep brand family. Many people were very impressed and stunned with the 2011 Grand Cherokee, and the numerous awards made it worth all the late nights and travel across the country to spread the word.
Jeep Enthusiast Questions
- When marketing the Grand Cherokee, how do you split the messaging between luxury and off-road capability?
We are the only American brand that doesn’t have to split it and we proudly demonstrate both. We can show the luxurious vehicle in a wooded background, or showcase the Overland Summit’s award-winning interior and then showcase the vehicle four-wheeling through a sandy beach.
- Do you intend to develop and market the true off-road prowess of the JK, similar to the Grand Cherokee commercials that highlighted various capabilities?
Yes. That’s one of the coolest things about Wrangler, it’s the coolest and most capable production 4×4 on the planet. We make a point of showcasing that capability and we’re even highlighting it in the current Jeep Celebration Event ads that are running right now.