New Dodge Challenger Hellcat Ads are Incredibly Cool

Since the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat went on sale in late 2014, it has been one of the most sought after and one of the most difficult cars in the US market. For the better part of the first year of sales, the Hellcat Challenger was pretty much sold out, shy of the few vehicles sitting on dealership showroom floors with a massive markup. Even as we near the end of the second year of Hellcat Challenger sales, they are still selling very well – although it is much easier to find one at a dealership for MSRP.

With the success of the Hellcat Challenger, it doesn’t seem like the kind of car that really needs a pair of commercials, but FCA has used the cool factor of the 707hp muscle car to amp up their newest commercials.

Dodge Warning
The first new Dodge commercial is titled “Warning” and it will serve as a traditional commercial on television and online, with 30 and 60 second variations. The commercial begins with the blinking hazard lights of the Dodge Challenger (which we later discover is an SRT Hellcat model) and a narrator reading and lengthy – and humorous – warning about the risks of driving a Dodge product. As the voice runs through the various risks, the Challenger’s hazard lights continue to flash with the ominous thump of a heartbeat in the background.

Finally, as Metallica’s “Fuel” kicks in, there is an explosion of fire, lighting up the area behind the Challenger and revealing the Charger and Durango parked next to the muscle car. The video ends with the newest Dodge tag line – Domestic. Not Domesticated.

Needless to say, this commercial feeds into FCA’s push to focus on the high performance aspect of the Dodge brand, with their high performance Challenger and Charger, along with the 360hp Durango.

Unleashed – Challenger SRT Hellcat Episode One
The second video is a minute and twenty seconds long, and this spot isn’t likely to appear on television due to the length and unusual format. As the title might lead you to believe, this video is devoted strictly to the Hellcat Challenger, but it is unlike any other car commercial I have ever seen before.

The video is more of an 80 second movie, showing a group of very military-looking men carefully transporting a robotic metal cat – which is clearly the animal embodiment of the Hellcat.

The Hellcat is transported from the “Dodge Research Lab” in Detroit, Michigan by a Ram 3500 with a military escort to an area that appears to be downtown Detroit. After a hoodlum paints a finish line on the ground, the cage is dropped from the trailer and the Hellcat is unleashed. When the huge robotic cat growls, it is the mighty roar of the Hellcat Hemi. The Hellcat then begins to run along the road, sharp claws digging into the asphalt as it picks up speed and as it reaches the finish line – it turns into the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.

Really, this video isn’t going to have a big impact on Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat sales, but in addition to moving units, the Hellcat twins have proven to be a massive marketing success for FCA. The Hellcat Hemi has become the foundation of the high performance Dodge brand and an awesome commercial like this will only help to build the viral advertising impact of the Hellcat name.

While folks from the Ford and GM camps might disagree, I imagine that many of the Mopar fans find these to be a couple of the coolest car commercials in a very long time. Best of all, with this second video including "Episode One" in the title - we are likely to see more like like in the future.