Dodge and Fast Five join for promo and prizes

Dodge Brand--the Dodge division of Chrysler Group LLC--is teaming with Universal Pictures in the action-thriller Fast Five staring Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto. Although a variety of vehicle will crash, burn and in general defy gravity, (anti-)hero Dom Toretto drives a Charger and that's what matters to Dodge.

"The Dodge brand is proud to partner with Universal Pictures on Fast Five. We enjoyed being part of the production process and working with the cast and crew, and it clearly comes through in the film," Dodge quoted president and CEO of the Dodge brand and ultimate car guy Ralph Gilles. "The chase scenes in this installment of Fast Five are over-the-top and adrenaline-filled, and Dodge fans will be thrilled by the performance of the Dodge Charger."

The product placement will be more than drifting Dodges, however. Dodge will have new 30- and 60-second advertisements on national television on April 2 during the Final Four basketball tournament. The ad will show an Elizabethan-era mother advising her daughter that "car chases make better movies", the tag line of the promotion, while outrunning bad guys.

In NASCAR, Robby Gordon will drive a car sponsored by the movie in races during the month of April. Two hundred Fast and Furious and/or Robby Gordon fans will win a special viewing of the movie with Gordon on April 30 in Richmond, Virginia, along with a meet-and-greet beforehand. The first 200 to register at www.speedenergy on will also be registered in a grand prize drawing that includes four VIP credentials to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on April 30, honorary pit crewmember status and a $200 shopping spree to the Robby Gordon Motorsports souvenir trailer.

Dodge is also sponsoring the global premiere of the movie in Rio de Janeiro, where the film is set, on April 15, along with a 10-city live simulcast of the red carpet arrivals followed by a special advance screening of Fast Five, the first time this has been done.

Five custom Fast Five 2011 Dodge Charger R/T models will be the prizes in the Fast Five Sweepstakes. Fans can enter by going to www.Dodge.com/FastFive for a sweepstakes entry and registering once a day between April 15 and April 30. Entrants can also annoy their twittermates by tweeting a Dodge promotional message and sweepstakes link.

Fast Five gear will be available at www.Dodge.com/life. Items include T-shirts, hats and messenger bags. Dodge will also have a special Fast Five page at www.Dodge.com/FastFive.

If Ford can milk the Bullit Mustang for as long as it has--in which a Charger was driven by the bad guys--Fast Five can have its Dodge Chargers. Remember, car chases make better movies.

Photo: media.chrysler.com