PR isn’t enough to save a sagging product line, especially when it’s HR
Apparently, it has become “news” - based on that most-quoted source in history, “Mr. Rumor Von Unnamedsource” - that Cerberus Capital Management is ready to sell and/or dismember Chrysler LLC.
The latter recently held it’s annual “What’s New Event” where journalists have the opportunity to drive and reacquaint themselves with that current year’s product as well as interview executives as to the status of various company biz.
This year it apparently gave journalists the opportunity to ask the age ol’ question “Where’s the beef?” after seeing holes in the product line including the lack of alternative fuel vehicles (or even a strategy). Coupled with Mr. Von Unnamedsource, we’ve got page-one news here, people!
As a former Chrysler employee, I’m saddened and sick that the cloud is forming again over the Pentastar shrine off I-75. Some of the best PR people in town are there or have come through there. (OK, well, not me but others…)
The “Never Say Die” Hall of Fame in Auburn Hills has become a Hall of “Never Said Die.” The place was always known as the home of the Comeback Kids dating back to Lido and his ship-righting of the 80s. How ironic that Mr. Iacocca was in da house in Auburn Hills for a “celebration” of Chrysler’s heritage on the very day the media was an hour away driving product that signaled more of an Irish wake without the benefit of booze.
I’m clearly not a fan of the three-headed dog of Cerberus, but c’mon - how many billions (that’s the one with the “b”) in losses are the Slum Lords of Cerberus going to take? They had Chrysler on the “partnership/merger” block while Mitch Ryder was belting out the tunes at the Employee Day One event last year! If you were thinking about it then with gas ’round 3 bucks a gallon and optimism of yet another “fresh start,” how can you say you don’t want to cut some losses - biggies - when all hell is breaking loose? And when your big weapon of competitiveness is a truck, two Jeep models and a muscle car, well there ain’t enough lipstick at Revlon to make that pig look pretty.
That’s especially true when you neuter the public relations by handing them over to Human Resources. The next time Mr. Nardelli takes over a company, he should remember that PR and HR both have R’s in them, that doesn’t mean they go together.
How much time does the Pentastar have left? Perhaps half a year if it nails down a sugar daddy that understands automotive. If not, something will give, the star gets reconfigured and it’s not going to be good for folks locally.
Remember when the biggest negative news story about Chrysler was that its dealers were charging too much over invoice for PT Cruisers because of supply and demand? Those were the days! Today’s company image has more baggage than a Northwest lost luggage pile at Detroit Metro Airport.
Buy a PT Cruiser today and you’ll know what Charlie Brown felt like when he got that Christmas tree.
Tags: pr