A new study by Oregon-based CNW Marketing Research indicates Jeep has considerably more brand equity than Chrysler or Dodge . None of that comes as a surprise, but CNW’s suggestion for the struggling automaker is a pretty big leap. The research firm says Chrysler should be folded in favor of a Jeep-centered car company.
CNW says the Jeep lineup could stay largely intact, and certain successful models could be transfered from Chrysler and Dodge to the new Jeep Corp. For example, the Dodge Ram pickup could be re-branded as a Jeep product. SUVs like the Durango and the Journey could also be sold as Jeeps, the report suggests. As for Chrysler’s minivan offerings? Those could be sold to GM, which lacks such products.
So what’s the basis for all of this? Well, according to CNW, the Jeep brand is nearly twice as “acceptable” to consumers as Chrysler. What’s more, the Jeep brand is perceived to make a higher quality product, even though actual quality studies don’t back that up. Nonetheless, it’s easier to build a successful high-quality product if people already perceive a brand as such.
A few months ago, a plan like this would sound pretty farfetched. Truth be told, it still is. But given the dire situation U.S. automakers find themselves in, anything is on the table.
