DaimlerChrysler Services' Mercedes-Benz Credit and Chrysler Financial Brands Receive Caddy Awards

* Mercedes-Benz Credit is Awarded Gold for Marketing to College Graduates * Chrysler Financial's U.S. and Canadian Consumer Web Sites Are Awarded Bronze

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Oct. 17 -- Chrysler Financial and Mercedes-Benz Credit, each a DaimlerChrysler Services business unit, received awards during the Detroit Creative Directors Council's 29th Annual Caddy Awards, held in Detroit on Thursday, October 16. Two consumer- marketing pieces were awarded in the automotive category for creativity.

Mercedes-Benz Credit was the recipient of a gold Caddy Award for the College Graduate Program, a direct marketing business to consumer piece. The brochure targets newly graduated college students and first time buyers to aid them in discovering their options of Mercedes-Benz vehicle ownership at an affordable level of luxury.

"Not only is it gratifying to be recognized for the creative use of art, design, copy and the overall branding of this first-rate Mercedes-Benz Credit piece, but it's also great to be seen as an attractive brand to a whole new class of customer," said Kirk Maddock, Senior Manager - Mercedes-Benz Credit Marketing. "This award demonstrates the broad appeal of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and confirms there is a Mercedes-Benz vehicle out there for everyone."

Chrysler Financial's chryslerfinancial.com and chryslerfinancialcanada.ca , received a bronze Caddy Award for the best interactive automotive Web sites. These co-developed sites provide customers with the full range of financial services along with strength of the Chrysler, Jeep(R) and Dodge brands. Other popular features include simplified customer navigation through the site's payment estimator, a listing of current vehicle incentives, online credit applications and dealership locator.

With the increased pace of today's technology, more and more Web savvy consumers are on the search for everyday solutions to help them take care of their business online. The Chrysler Financial Web site provides users with an easy to navigate environment and is packed with a host of features. To date, the Chrysler Financial Web site in the U.S. has had more than one billion payments made online.

"We are honored to be recognized for the team spirit and creativity these two Web sites represent," said Cathy Healey, Manager - Internet Technologies for DaimlerChrysler Services. "Chrysler Financial always strives to create customized solutions that help to educate consumers about the lease or loan of their next Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle."

The Caddy Awards recognize excellence in creative achievement and continuously cultivates the highest creative standards in the industry. The Caddy Awards honor Metropolitan Detroit's creative professionals at one of Detroit's long-standing and prestigious annual advertising gatherings.

About DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC

DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC provides brand-specific financing for automotive dealers' inventories and their retail consumers and does business as Chrysler Financial and Mercedes-Benz Credit. As DaimlerChrysler Services Truck Finance it also finances commercial vehicles for affiliate products such as Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star. The company serves as the headquarters for the operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico and has over 5,500 employees who manage a portfolio of $83 billion with nearly five million contracts. DaimlerChrysler Services North America is a member of the DaimlerChrysler Services Group, headquartered in Berlin, Germany, which operates in 39 countries with an employee base exceeding 10,800 and a global portfolio of EUR 103 billion. DaimlerChrysler Services is one of the leading financial services companies worldwide.