2010 July-August

MAGAZINE LEADERS IN THE SALE OF QUALITY

PARTS

July - August 2010

Mopar Masters Guild Executive Committee Meets with Mopar at Denver Mile High Nationals Pages 6-7 Winning Over the Ladies Pages 10-11

Also In This Issue

A Message from President Dan Hutton Make a Difference One More Use for a Piece of Rope Measure Twice - Cut Once Aftermarket Parts Supplier Roulette Ford: Aftermarket Parts Don’t Stack Up And the Survey Says….

Supporting Vendors OEConnection Rousseau Storage UPS DME Automotive ADP Tracy Industries Fender Bender Reynolds & Reynolds Consumer Issues Discussed Chrysler Prepping New TV Campaign 2010 Mopar Masters Guild Committees

Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 8-9 Page 9 Page 11 Page 12-13 Page 14-15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18-19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 30

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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A Message from the desk of Dan Hutton Tom O’Brien CDJ Mopar Masters Guild President With the global parts down, market share down and as the car parc continues to decline we need to look elsewhere for more business. Mopar has now put together a program called the Wholesale Mechanical Parts program (WMP) which is designed to help your dealership capitalize on your local market. As many of you know RepairLink with MORE is an online parts ordering and fulfillment solution designed to help you capture part orders from independent repair facilities. This week in my market (Indianapolis) we will be starting beta testing RepairLink with MORE system. I think that with the Mopar (WMP) Program, Snap-on, and OEConnection RepairLink with MORE we can be ahead of the declining car parc.

The membership committee is having someone contact all of you in the next couple of weeks to get some information from your company to update our databases. We are using the databases to stay in contact with everybody by email on a regular basis.

By the time that everybody reads this, the executive board will be returning from the Mopar Mile- High Nationals in Denver. We will be meeting with Mopar executives on Friday to discuss the Conquest Program, Retail Sales, WMP program and other topics.

In closing, I would like to remind everyone to please sign up on Dealer Connect for Performance Group that is coming up on August 26 and 27 in St. Louis at the Hampton at The Gateway Arch. This will be a great opportunity to share ideas.

Dan Hutton

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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Make a Difference It has been just over a year since the auto industry was shaken with the announcements of bankruptcy by Chrysler and General Motors. While our economy has begun to show signs of strengthening, entire business segments continue to struggle. One such segment, that is not immune to the effects of the economy, includes nonprofit organizations. A study recently performed by the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy indicates that charitable donations fell 5% in 2009. This equates to about 11.2 billion dollars in fewer donations in 2009.

It is not just money that is in short supply. Used items are often donated to nonprofit organizations such as Goodwill. Increased unemployment has families seeking out such second hand nonprofit stores for their shopping needs. This increase in demand, as well as fewer donations has created a shortage for items offered at nonprofit shops. One Goodwill store in Cumberland Maryland reported shortages of many household items leaving bare shelves throughout the store.

There are very few people that have not been affected or know someone that has been affected by the economic events of the past few years. As reports show continuing need for money, merchandise and donated time, we are all now in a position to make a difference. Here are just a few ideas as well as some sources that may inspire you and the teams within your organizations to make a difference.

 Offer your store as a drop sight for household goods and clothing. You can partner with a nonprofit company such as Goodwill and communicate your program with your customers  Offer a volunteering program for your employees. Consider allowing employees to volunteer for a day without the loss of pay.  Utilize your business partnerships to help families with automotive related needs.  Take time as a family to participate in a community volunteer project.

Reputable volunteer sites and organizations: www.americanredcross.org www.goodwill.org www.volunteermatch.org Look at the events of the past years as inconveniences and continue to focus on the opportunities that are in front of us. Ask each of your associates if they have an idea or way your company can give back. Most importantly, chose today to make a difference and help a business segment that is relying on all of us!

Submitted by Steve Hofer

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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One More Use For A Piece of Rope

By Stephen Hofer

When is the last time you were able to take a walk through your service or parts department?

Very little differs in a shop from one business or manufacturer to another. Maintaining a clean environment is always a challenge. Finding extra space can be difficult due to increased business or because mechanics tool boxes have grown to the size of small cars. Alignment racks, tire machines, computers forklifts, and an assortment of air-conditioning and coolant machines, making up what could have been a sizable robot army in a science fiction movie, all fight for room.

These are all tools that help our employees complete their jobs but often times there is still a tool missing. A tool that can help perform tasks like no other tool in any business can. A piece of rope for instance has many uses. Could there be just one more use that may have been overlooked. No, it is not advised to tie up an exhaust system or tie down a large load of parts but rather use a piece of rope as a reminder. A Reminder of what could be the most important things we can do as people. Recognize Other People Everyday “ROPE”.

It’s completely natural to focus on what we think is most important; thus missing sight of truly important things. With the many challenges and opportunities facing each of us today, it can be difficult to shift behaviors and focus on those that are the backbone of our organizations. Try using a piece of rope as a reminder. Not only do people enjoy praise they often love to share their life experiences. Challenge yourself to learn more about those you spend most of your professional time with. You may find out you have a former baseball player, financial analyst, or engineer working for you just as I did. Rope is cheap, available and effective leaving little reason not to try it.

Thank you E.R. for recently handing me my first piece of rope!

And I quote!

"It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions." - Jim Rohn “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.” Willie Nelson quote “Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are” - author unknown

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

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Measure Twice – Cut Once Autobody Consulting Group (ACG) is a management and marketing consultancy serving auto body repair businesses and vendor companies to the autobody industry By: Chris Sheehy Autobody Consulting Group

Every once in a while I get a rather firm push-back from a client about making a specific change, or in implementing a specific process for their business. Being respectful of their decisions but being one to always want to know “why” I ask the perilous questions that must be asked and in response often hear answers like “I’ve tried that, it didn’t work”, or “that won’t work for me”.

Nothing bothers me more than to see someone shut-down to a suggestion without giving it duediligence. Somehow the need to know “why” overwhelms me, so I push further because I know that I have been here before too and contrary to their experience for the majority of times it does work and it could work for them too. In my experience most process changes fail largely because of one of these two reasons.

1. They saw the change as an element and not a process – a spoke without a rim & hub.

2. They did not consider the human element.

You see, all too often change decisions are based on what somebody else has done – something someone might have told you about at an industry gathering, or something you might have read in a magazine; and all too often the time it takes to plan and carry out this change doesn’t come close to the effort needed to succeed.

While these things may certainly be working for someone else; that person doesn’t have your facility, your clientage, your staff headcount, your staff skill sets, your finances, or your knowledge of the change process. It worked for them because they made it work inclusive (knowingly or not) of all these things, and the time it took to get it all working might have taken months or years to get right.

So here’s what I suggest. When faced with the opportunity to make change in your business, (and change is an opportunity!) look at the big picture, think of how it could succeed and fail (that’s important, always have a back-door plan), consider how you will need to get the commitment from your staff, ask your staff for their advice (sometimes they have the best ideas on how you can make their jobs easier!), measure where you are today and know what the metric of success looks like, and plan to do a dry-run when possible. Write things down, make sketches of process flow and talk to people you trust outside your business about these changes. Often we set our own limitations based on our experience and knowledge – getting someone from the outside could bring a whole different perspective to your strategy. Consider hiring a consultant who has the experience in the change you seek, they may add a whole different perspective on the big picture.

Careful change-planning specific to the unique demands (both positive and negative) of your business will go a long way to ensure a successful change implementation for your business. As they say, measure twice – cut once. from → Auto Body Repair News, BeyondParts, Collision Hub, Twitter

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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Mopar Masters Guild Executive Committee meets with Mopar at Mile High Nationals!

Greetings from Golden, Colorado! We were here at “Thunder Valley” in Denver, Colorado for the 31st annual Mopar Mile High Nationals. In attendance were: Dan Hutton, Mike Mulkins, Steve Hofer, Rick Cutaia, Alan Yancey, Paul Allred, Marvin Windham, Brent Hoge, Rick Monteiro, and Gerry Oakes.

A big thank you goes out to the many Mopar executives that came out to meet with the Guild Executive Committee. These meetings have been more than beneficial for both sides as we work together to build a more profitable dealer body, as well as a stronger Mopar Corporation.

The gathering got under way with the Race to Read Golf Tournament at Fossil Race Golf Course on Thursday morning. This is a great event that raises money for a worthwhile cause. There were a wide range of players- from race teams to an abundance of Mopar contingents. I think 17 under won, and no it was not Gerry and Marvin’s team. The evening continued with the Mopar block party, held in Golden. There were certainly plenty of Mopar muscle and enthusiasts on display in the streets.

On Friday, we got down to business. The meeting was long, but very insightful. Jeff Sloan spoke first by giving us the good word on Mopar’s best month, posted well before the bankruptcy. It was also noted that the dealer profitability was at 78%- up from 48% in 2008. Jim Sassorossi spoke next about the upcoming product updates of the new vehicle launch. The enthusiasm was clearly evident as he spoke excitedly about the vehicles coming down the pipeline- the new Charger, Durango, and Avenger/Sebring. Jim wants to pass the word that all dealership employees should be encouraged to participate in the Ride and Drive events sponsored by Chrysler. Jerry Quail was up next to update us on the supply chain. We all know of the issues we are experiencing here, but I can assure you that Jerry and his team is working hard on this issue and their hard work should be paying off soon. Packaging was next on the agenda.

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The good news is that three new packaging engineers have been hired by Mopar to help with this issue. We can all assist with this. When we answer a D2D, don’t just slap a UPS label on and ship a part, we should make sure that what we ship will be damage free. This will help both shipper and receiver. Skip Olsen spoke next on the Match the Estimate program. We are working hard to make this a more profitable answer for both sides. It is safe to say that there is a lot more of gameing going on, so changes are forthcoming. Brian Rogos spoke on the next segment and was very excited to show us some of the new things going on with accessories. One of the new products will be a new Mopar EVTS, which is Mopar’s answer to the lo-jack. This is a very cool new product and price competitive. Last, but certainly not least, our leader- Pietro Gorlier took time out of his very demanding schedule to talk to us and pump us up on the improvements he has in store for all of us. He encouraged all of us to take it to the next level.

After a long day of meetings, and actually meeting through lunch, it was off to “Thunder Valley”. As a first timer, all I can say is “WOW”.

I’m still trying to get my hearing back. It is such a beautiful track- laid out on the Colorado Mountains. It truly is a sight to see and a sight everyone should be able to experience.

We would like to thank Mopar for being such a wonderful host to the Mopar Masters executive team. Nothing beats the smell of rubber and fuel from the track and the awesome Mopar power that was on display was amazing.

I believe that the ideas and proposals that were discussed in Golden will make a better partnership between the dealer body and Mopar as we work to make us all a more healthy entity to keep going and keep getting stronger.

Until next time, “keep it real, keep it Mopar”.

Rick Cutaia MMG Secretary

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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Aftermarket Parts Supplier Roulette Why Make It A Game Of Chance?

By Ed Kovalchick

When Net Profit installs The Garage® concept in a dealership (a significant service expansion to other makes and models, as well as second and third owner vehicles), a key success component is the selection of the “Hot Shot” Aftermarket supplier. This essential entity will be supplying unique parts for the “other” customer vehicles not in the current franchise fold. Since these vehicles need love too, it’s important that a suitable supplier be chosen, which will provide the same quality and selection as the OE is providing for the current franchise vehicles.

The good news is that the same suppliers which build OE parts also build Aftermarket parts to the same specs, using the exact same processes. Essentially, much of the available Aftermarket parts are in fact OE parts with a different label. Understand that auto manufacturers source their parts to other companies, and that they are for the most part, only assemblers of vehicles. These same suppliers in turn pedal the same parts to the Aftermarket, which applies a private label, then pushes them through jobbers to retail.

Who Dat? I learned this lesson many years ago when I was invited to the Champion Spark Plug plant in Ohio, where I witnessed many different branded spark plugs (including OE) being produced by Champion.

When I asked the plant manager about this he simply said, “How many spark plug plants do you think there are in the U.S.?”

Recently, I spent part of my weekend at an Aftermarket parts supplier conference, where I visited with parts suppliers from around the world. Interestingly, most made it a point to brag about their relationship with various new car and truck manufacturers, including listing them for all to see. The lesson was that OE is the best, and everyone can participate. Those who did not produce for OE made it a point to demonstrate that their quality was as good as, or superior to OE, denoting OE as the “standard.”

Who Dis? So, I am installing The Garage® in a good-sized GM dealership (formerly large), and I begin the process of finding the best parts supplier for our other makes and models. I interviewed the dealership parts counter people, techs, writers, and the management team. The more I dug into their situation, the more I found that there was not much of a relationship with any one supplier, and employees were actually picking supplier “favorites”, primarily based on relationships. Little price testing had been done, and there was no formal understanding with any supplier taking advantage of all the “extra” services and discounts various suppliers offered.

It’s essential to target just one Aftermarket parts supplier, so that the dealership can take advantage of significant price breaks, discounts, free training, quick delivery commitments, and tracking the same part numbers, to be able to determine which parts should be stocked. By establishing a commitment to one supplier, the dealership accrues distinct advantages it would not receive any other way, especially in the pricing arena.

Check Dat Before I contacted various Aftermarket supplier personnel to begin the interviewing process, I developed an “Aftermarket Parts Interview Worksheet”, including a thorough series of subjects so that I (Continued on page 9)

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could identify and document a distinct comparison of each supplier. I included such items as available software for parts ordering, on-line training, local warranties, nationwide warranties, pricing, discounts, delivery commitments, warehouse locations, financing programs, machine shop capability, incentive programs, on line repair assistance, and more.

When I completed the interview process with all the prospective suppliers, the dealer management team was shocked to see how sophisticated the Aftermarket was. The best part was that I bargained for and got an additional end of month 7% discount from the supplier we ultimately selected – something we would not have achieved any other way. There was something motivating about letting everyone know that I was conducting a comparison survey!

TaDa Ok, just for you. If you want a copy of my parts interview worksheet, containing the many areas to compare before selecting a supplier, just send an E-mail to Ed@Dealer-Magazine.com and put “Supplier Interview Worksheet” on the subject line. It’s in the Excel format and easy to utilize. I placed the supplier results side by side for easy comparison. I know you will be amazed and pleased at the results of your interviews – and I expect you to make additional gross too! Whatta country!

Ed Kovalchick is the CEO and founder of Net Profit Inc., Alabaster, AL, an international fixed operation consulting and training firm located in Alabaster AL. Mr. Kovalchick and his firm have assisted hundreds of dealers and manufacturers, and conducted workshops for thousands of students since 1979. He has written columns for Dealer Magazine since its inception. Reach him at ekovalchick@dealer-magazine.com.

Call Out: The best part was that I bargained for and got an additional end of month 7% discount from the supplier we ultimately selected.

Ford: Aftermarket parts don’t stack up to automaker parts Caitlin Burgess

July 22, 2010—A comparison study conducted by Ford Motor Co. found that aftermarket parts are often inferior to those made by automakers. The study was reported in a USA Today article.

Ford compared copy radiator supports and bumper beams, isolators and brackets made for 2004 to 2007 F-150 trucks and 2005 to 2009 Mustangs. Typically, replacement parts are made of steel or magnesium; however, Ford found many were made of plastic. These are structural parts of the vehicle, and that makes the concern elevated," said Paul Masse, Ford powertrain and collision product marketing manager.

For example, air bag censors are also attached to these parts, he said. The difference in materials could cause air bags to deploy too slowly or unnecessarily. Another issue is that consumers are often not told when nonstandard parts are used in a repair, according to Richard Steffen, district director for Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif. "People need to know," he said. "When it comes to safety-oriented parts, we believe they should be told they've got nonfactory parts."

Steffen added that this doesn’t mean only factory parts should be used for repairs, but that standards need to be put in place going forward.

Ford said it will push for some type of standardization and review of aftermarket parts, as well as consumer warnings when nonstandard parts are used during a repair, according to the article.

The findings were presented by Ford representatives Wednesday at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Chicago.

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

July - August 2010

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Winning Over the Ladies It’ll take more than flattery from your best bodyman to make women feel welcome. A female-friendly certification and smart communication make the difference.

ELYSE LUCAS

A few months ago, Mark Kim was looking for a way to improve customer service at his collision repair center. While watching a television interview featuring a nearby automotive business, the body shop manager of J’s Auto Body in Seabrook, Md., learned about a new training certification: AskPatty Certified Female Friendly status.

As a small shop—spanning 3,600 square feet and employing six people—J’s Auto Body relies heavily on referrals and word of mouth to generate business. Kim quickly realized that being Certified Female Friendly would help him better serve—and serve more—female customers.

An AskPatty.com certified auto body shop creates an inviting and comfortable environment where women feel welcome, striving to ensure that the process of repairing a vehicle is a pleasant one. To get certified, employees study the expectations of female customers, and learn how to meet those expectations in a way that women find appealing. Even within the first two months of completing the AskPatty.com training, the staff at J’s Auto Body was seeing an uptick in the number of female clients.

REACHING WOMEN Jody DeVere, president and chief executive officer of AskPatty.com Inc., was inspired to create the female friendly website and certification program during her tenure as president of the Women’s Automotive Association in 2004 and 2005. She saw that women often experienced anxiety over their automotive needs. A hassle-free environment where information was easy to come by and questions were easily asked—and answered—seemed to be missing from the automotive experience for women.

Most practically, DeVere noted that women comprise 60 percent of car buyers and influence 85 percent of all consumer purchases. “You’re losing market share if you’re not addressing women,” she says. Effective communication with women begins as soon as you make contact. Taking the time to listen—really listen—to what she’s saying is critical. “What happens when she calls or visits your [shop] and interacts with [employees]?”

DeVere asks. “Women love to talk, and we’re big storytellers. If we’ve had a fender bender, we’re going to tell the story of what happened and every other story that led up to that.” To best serve the female customer, a collision repair professional needs to let a woman tell her story and ask her questions. “It makes her feel safe and more comfortable,” DeVere says. “Understanding that creates a customer for life and increases referral business.” So far, 50 collision repair shops across the nation have become AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly.

REVAMPING BUSINESS At J’s Auto Body, the customer service lesson that made the biggest impression was one about minding the details that seem to capture the attention of many a woman. Kim says training helped him focus on the small, yet significant, things that matter to women. One of the most overlooked? Good eye contact. “Things like that we had never considered before,” he says. “Going through AskPatty [helped us] realize the deficiencies in our customer service.”

Now that Kim and his staff have a greater appreciation for and understanding of their female customers, he’s planning “major changes” to make the waiting area of the shop more inviting. Kim wants to knock out one of the shop’s walls to allow a clear view of the office. He’ll also spruce up the waiting area by rearranging chairs and (Continued on page 11)

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adding plants to create a more inviting, open atmosphere. Also on the agenda? To maintain the shop’s cleanliness and keep stifling auto body shop smells at bay.

J’s website (jsautobodyshop.com) also received an overhaul to better serve female customers. “It was a little outdated, so I streamlined the layout,” Kim says. The site now boasts the AskPatty logo, which clicks through to ladies-only discounts and reviews of the body shop. The shop’s current discounts for women include $100 off her deductible for every $1,000 of repairs, $20 for referring a friend, coupons for military wives and a free car wash and light interior detailing.

Kim says one of the most valuable things he learned during training was how to have the right mindset when approaching female customers. “We’re not just a body shop; we’re trying to relate to [women].” He picked up valuable tips for how to connect with women online, as well. AskPatty introduced him to Internet marketing and the social networking world of Twitter and Facebook. “[AskPatty] is just a phone call away. I’ve talked to Jody herself several times. They’re great about helping.”

BETTER CONNECTIONS To continue the trend of improving customer service for women, J’s plans to co-host community events with AskPatty. “We’re trying to work with AskPatty and our local Girl Scouts to do an automobile care clinic,” Kim says.

Women-friendly and women-focused events, Kim hopes, will increase word-of-mouth referrals. And when he sees those female customers coming through the door, he’ll be ready with female friendly customer service. “[This new approach] is still fresh, but we do get a lot more women customers now, and we’re more sensitive to their needs.” Odds are, that’ll keep the ladies happy.

And the Survey Says……

We recently ran a survey concerning the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine. We sent out 267 emails and received 148 back with their answers.

We asked:

When I receive the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine: 1. I read it immediately

55% Response Rate

2. I wait several days before reading it 3. I print it and read it when I have time 4. Sorry. I don’t read it at all Results: 1.

2.

3.

4.

101 16 31 0

68% 11% 21% 0%

Read it immediately Wait several Days Print and read it later Don’t read it at all (WHEW!)

Thank you for participating!

Look for more surveys on our new website coming soon!

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Our Supporting Vendors Support those who support you

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Our Supporting Vendors Support those who support you

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Consumer Issues Discussed at New York Association Meeting Nearly 100 attendees met to review Insurance Dept report on steering, legislation and assignment of proceeds.

The Westchester-Putnam-Rockland Auto Body Association (WPRABA) held a Special Vendor meeting on June 17 at the Casaletto Restaurant in Elmsford, NY. Frank Ferraro, executive advisor of WPRABA, welcomed the nearly 100 attendees to the meeting that included table top displays from some of the sponsors of the meeting.

Guest speakers included representatives from DuPont, SEM Products, AutoData VIN Labels and I-CAR. Ed Kizenberger, executive director of the New York State Auto Collision Technicans, also spoke and provided an industry update for attendees. Kizenberger started his presentation with a review of the investigation the New York State Insurance Department conducted into steering and the ongoing work of NYSACT in this area.

As part of the Insurance Department's report on steering issued in early 2009, the Department defined four basic consumer rights for auto insurance consumers. The rights include: 1. While an insurance company may discuss the benefits of its direct repair program, it cannot make you choose its auto repair shop. That choice is yours.

2. Except for window glass repair, an insurance company cannot recommend a particular shop unless you ask for a recommendation.

3. An insurance company cannot tell you to go to its shop to get your damaged car inspected. The insurer must meet you at some place and time reasonably convenient to you.

4. An insurance company cannot tell you that you have to repair your vehicle in order to get paid. If you have damage, the insurer must pay the cost of repairing that damage, whether or not you choose to repair the vehicle.

Kizenberger urged attendees to memorize these rights and post the handout provided for attendees prominently in their repair facilities to help inform customers. According to Kizenberger, "The amount of work it took to get the Insurance Department to actually recognize what the consumer's rights are in New York State was way more than we expected. We gave [the NYS Insurance Dept.] over 250 pages of documentation including complaints from consumers who had taken the time to document their own experiences." Kizenberger also reviewed the Anti-Steering bill (HB527) introduced in Ohio in May. (See related article below) This bill expressly prevents insurers from recommending repair facilities unless expressly asked to do so by a consumer.

Kizenberger then reviewed the recent judicial ruling in NY finding that insurance companies cannot prohibit an insured from transferring the authority to collect the proceeds of a claim to a repair facility using an "Assignment of Proceeds".

"This is really changing the face of claims in New York State," said Kizenberger. "Insureds can assign the proceeds of their claim so that any shortfall in the claim, between what the insurer pays and what you charge, can be dealt with by you instead of creating a hassle for your customer if they had to go to small claims court to recoup the cost."

Kizenberger stressed that this should only be used as a last resort when the repair facility is unable to secure an equitable agreed price with the insurer for the cost of repair.

"Nobody really wants to go down this road," said Kizenberger. "There are so many issues facing the industry today but you always have to look at the issue of getting paid properly for the repairs. Why should one of your customers subsidize another whose insurance company does not pay an adequate amount for repairs?"

Kizenberger explained that the types of regulatory and judicial work he reviewed during the WPRABA meeting is an important part of all associations' work. "Every shop is different, but when we need to come together we must do so to get important issues addressed. It's not easy to accomplish, and there are all sorts of side issues, but we have to work together on these issues for the industry to move forward," he concluded.

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Chrysler prepping new TV campaign to help brand image Automaker taps Gotham to lure back buyers with spots NEW YORK -- Chrysler is prepping the launch of a corporate branding TV campaign it hopes will help repair its image in the minds of consumers -- and it's hired a new agency, Interpublic Group of Cos.' Gotham, for the project.

Chrysler and Gotham executives didn't respond to requests for comment by press time, but according to one person with knowledge of the work, the ads, which are expected to break in the next few weeks, feature real company employees. The move comes as carmakers are looking to emerge from the car industry's troubles and lure back buyers.

Chrysler has made a host of changes to its marketing relationships in recent times. Its entire ad account was handled by Omnicom Group agencies a year ago, but since Italy's Fiat S.p.A. took control of the company last summer, the work has been spread around and is now handled by ad agencies all over the industry:

 Independents Wieden & Kennedy and Richards Group handle creative for Dodge cars and Ram trucks, respectively;

 Southfield, Mich.-based GlobalHue does work for Jeep;  Publicis Groupe's Fallon was tapped for work for brand Chrysler;  Sapient Nitro handles digital duties across the Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler bands and Chrysler Group; Meredith Corp.'s New Media Strategies agency does social-media marketing; and

 Interpublic Group of Cos.' Universal McCann is the media agency across Chrysler's brands.

Detroit has seen a mass exodus of ad business as accounts have been moved out of the Motor City over the last year, but Chrysler has had the most wanderlust, handing work to shops elsewhere in the country.

The hire of Gotham for a new TV campaign is a sign that Chrysler isn't married to its current agency roster and is open to keep shops on their toes with "jump ball" assignments, handing work to whichever agencies it sees fit.

For Gotham's part, the agency seems to be looking for accounts in the car category. It was a finalist in the hotly contested pitch for Cadillac, which ultimately went to Publicis-backed BBH. Gotham previously handled ad work for Mercedes dealer groups.

Chrysler's marketing budget has shrunk dramatically in recent times, but it's still over half a billion dollars in domestic measured media. For all of 2009, it spent $577 million, according to Kantar Media.

Between January and February of this year, it spent nearly $120 million on U.S. measured media, and some of that could be related to its Super Bowl buy. Chrysler was also the only American automaker to run a spot in the big game this year.

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2010 Mopar Masters Guild Committees President Vice President Treasurer Secretary

Dan Hutton Mike Mulkins Steve Hofer Rick Cutaia

Tom O’Brien Chrysler Jeep Dodge Go Chrysler Jeep West Park Chrysler Jeep Rick Hendrick Dodge

Executive Committee

All of the above and: Gerry Oakes Paul Allred Rick Monteiro Marvin Windham Alan Yancey Brent Hoge

Baxter Chrysler Jeep Dodge Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Benchmark Chrysler Jeep Dodge Hayes Chrylser Dodge Jeep Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Membership Committee

Brent Christensen (West) Doug Price (East) Robbie Jackson (South) (North)

Ken Garff West Valley CJD Security Dodge Chrysler Salsbury’s Dodge City TBA

Vendor Chairmen

Paul Allred Gerry Oakes Marvin Windham

Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge Baxter Chrysler Jeep Benchmark Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Newsletter Chairmen

Don Cushing Mike Mulkins

Bald Hill Dodge Chrysler Jeep Go Chrysler Jeep West

Performance Group

Mike Gerber

Rairdon’s Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Kirkland

Finance Committee

Brent Hoge Steve Hofer

Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Park Chrysler Jeep

UPS

Rick Monteiro Paul Allred Marvin Windham

Jack Powell Chrysler Dodge Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge Benchmark Chrysler Jeep Dodge

ADP

Gerry Oakes Mark Skinner Dan Hutton

Baxter Chrysler Jeep Dodge Power Chrysler Jeep Dodge Tom O’Brien Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Snap-On

Dan Hutton

Tom O’Brien Chrysler Jeep Dodge

OEConnection

Brent Hoge

Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Dealer Tire

Steve Hofer Mike Mulkins Alan Yancey

Park Chrysler Jeep Go Chrysler Jeep West Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep (Dan, Brent, Steve, Mike & Alan are the Chairs for Snap-On, OEConnection and Dealer Tire)

Tracy Industries

Mike Mulkins Steve Hofer Brent Hoge Guillermo Nava

Go Chrysler Jeep West Park Chrysler Jeep Larry Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Buerge Chrysler Jeep

Reynolds & Reynolds

Paul Allred

Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge

NADA 2010 Planning

Mark Skinner

Power Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Website Chairman

Steve Hofer

Park Chrysler Jeep

THE GUILD MOTTO “THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BY LIKE SIZE DEALERS IN A NON COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT” This is the reason the Guild exists. The strength of our existence relies not on the voices of a select few, but on the combined knowledge of all. With this in mind, everyone should remember to become as proactive as possible. The Guild is YOURS, be proud of it and be part of it!