Ram Trucks is giving thanks this holiday in classic Fiat Chrysler style with a big, sweeping, poetic paean to blue-collar American workers—in a 90-second spot from The Richards Group, airing Thursday, that gives praise to waitresses, janitors, mill and factory workers, fishermen and more, as well as the work they do.
The spot honors the "true everyday heroes" who may often struggle to make ends meet but always "labor to make their families and this nation strong," according to press materials. Each line of the poetic voiceover begins with the word "praise," lending an almost religious feel to the sacrifices these men and women make—the grueling workdays that help make their family time at home possible.
The spot will air on Thanksgiving Day during the NFL games on CBS and Fox.
"Appropriately airing on Thanksgiving Day when families across the country take time to reflect and give thanks, 'Praise' is the Ram brand's tribute to hard-working Americans and the story of people who are the backbone of our country," said Olivier Francois, global CMO of Fiat Chrysler.
The spot evokes the famous Ram "Farmer" ad that ran on the 2013 Super Bowl, which Francois references in speaking about the "Praise" ad.
"Just as the brand paid homage to American farm families a few years back during a Super Bowl telecast, we always look for opportunities to build unique, impactful creative around a defining cultural moment that allows us to reach large audiences in a very effective way. 'Praise' adheres to our marketing mantra of thinking boldly and making a difference in both the message and the way we deliver it."
In the wake of this year's divisive election, the work might feel explicitly tailored to the blue-collar base of president-elect Donald Trump. But as with anything Francois makes, the politics here aren't that simple—for example, the spot at one point praises immigrant workers with green cards.
Ram is encouraging viewers to share what they are thankful for with the hashtag #RamGivesThanks. Ram country music partners, including Easton Corbin and Maddie and Tae, are also involved in the campaign—they will be performing in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which Ram also sponsors.
The "Praise" spot is the second big new Ram commercial of the week. On Sunday, the brand aired the 60-second spot below—an ode to Fifth Harmony's "Work from Home" music video—during the 2016 American Music Awards. That spot aired on TV just that once, and was another example of the value Fiat Chrysler and Francois put in event programming.
Fiat Chrysler aired a second major spot on the AMA's, too—the two-minute video below, "Music Brings Us Together," in which it thanked its music-label partners for driving 7.8 billion YouTube video views and connecting the company's vehicles to the world.
CREDITS
Client: Ram Trucks/Fiat Chrysler
Agency: The Richards Group, Dallas