In yet another show of why brand management is so important and content is key, Chrysler has fired its agency, New Media Strategies, due to an errant tweet sent yesterday. The tweet, meant to be sent from the strategists personal account but mistakenly sent from the @ChryslerAutos handle, read “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to fucking drive.”
Chrysler immediately jumped into action and sacked the agency, issuing this statement on their blog today, “So why were we so sensitive? That commercial featuring the Chrysler 200, Eminem and the City of Detroit wasn’t just an act of salesmanship. This company is committed to promoting Detroit and its hard-working people. The reaction to that commercial, the catchphrase ‘imported from Detroit,’ and the overall positive messages it sent has been volcanic.”
Good for Chrysler for jumping into action after narrowly avoiding a serious brand mistake.
Lesson of the day? Ensure the people around you and working for you believe strongly in your brand and what it represents. Everybody needs to take up the call when it comes to your messaging and identity.
How many people at your dealer have access to tweet on behalf of your dealerships twitter account?