Chrysler Group Announces New Sponsorship Agreement With Three Historically Black Athletic Conferences

- Official Automotive Status Includes On-Campus Recruiting and Seminars - Branded Ads to Run During Televised SWAC, MEAC and SIAC Conference Football and Basketball Games

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 3 -- Chrysler Group today announced a sponsorship agreement with 32 Historically Black Colleges and Universities that includes advertising and marketing initiatives centered largely around athletics, as well as academic programs.

Under the multi-year agreement, Chrysler Group will leverage its Chrysler, Jeep(R) and Dodge brands across the many media platforms that make up the sponsorship. The partnership includes branded advertising in over 80 football and basketball games televised on the Major Broadcast Cable Network (MBC), as well as in-venue signage, dealer hospitality and inclusion in a wide variety of print and web-based media outlets.

The 32 institutions are from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).

"This relationship is a tremendous opportunity for our Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands and our dealers," said George Murphy, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, DaimlerChrysler. "We consider this relationship to be a nucleus of what we anticipate will become more than a traditional television and athletic sponsorship. Clearly, we now have access to family and alumni audiences from these three conferences that are great prospects for our products. We also have the opportunity to directly support the universities themselves with dollars being utilized for academic and on-campus programs."

"The SWAC is excited to partner with the Chrysler Group," said SWAC Commissioner, Robert Vowels. "This is the first time a partnership of this scope has been created between the three conferences, allowing for greater impact and leverage among the 32 schools."

"This is an exciting time for the SIAC," says SIAC Commissioner, Dr. William Lide. "This new agreement will benefit our proud and distinguished schools for years to come. It will give significant new dollars to SIAC programs and services that will propel us to the national prominence we desire."

"The partnership with the Chrysler Group allows for a unique opportunity in the world of corporate partnerships," says MEAC Commissioner, Dr. Dennis Thomas. "I am pleased that Chrysler Group understands the value of the MEAC and its 11 outstanding academic institutions. We consider this a good investment by the Chrysler Group. Furthermore, this partnership confirms Chrysler Group's commitment to diversity marketing."

Chrysler Group will have Official Automotive status with the SWAC, MEAC and the SIAC, and be the title sponsor of the SWAC and the SIAC football championships. (MEAC does not have a football championship.) Additionally, Chrysler Group will be the title sponsor for all three conference basketball championships. The automotive company also will have logo rights to all 32 colleges as well as for the three conferences.

Outside the athletic arena, the sponsorship gives Chrysler Group the opportunity to hold seminars at all of the championship venues; have an on-campus presence for student recruitment; and interact with students and alumni through database mailings and e-commerce communications.

Facilitating the agreement between Chrysler Group and the Historically Black Colleges and Universities was New Vision Sports Properties of Oakland, Calif. New Vision is a full-service sports marketing company that specializes in selling, executing and servicing major corporate sponsorships.

The agreement was reached through PHD, which handles media planning and buying for DaimlerChrysler in the U.S. GlobalHue, the Chrysler Group's multicultural agency, played an integral role in developing the agreement. GlobalHue will manage the activation of the agreement through New Vision and will oversee the growth of the partnership.

Members of the SWAC are Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Alcorn State University, Grambling State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University, Texas Southern University and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Members of the MEAC are Bethune Cookman College, Coppin State College, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, South Carolina State University, and University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Members of the SIAC are Albany State College, Benedict College, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State College, Kentucky State University, Lane College, Lemoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Paine College, and Tuskegee University.

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