AUBURN HILLS,
Mich. - Camp Jeep®, the ultimate three-day, action-packed,
family summer camp for Jeep® owners, has become the first
inductee into Promo Magazine's PRO Awards Hall of Fame. The Hall
of Fame recognizes Camp Jeep as a benchmark for measuring the
success of customer relationship marketing events around the world.
Promo Magazine,
a trade publication serving executives in the $93 billion promotion
industry, has honored Camp Jeep over the last three years with
more awards than any other campaign. The Chrysler Group event
has won twice for "Best Event Generating Brand Loyalty and
Best Copywriting," and once for "Best Database Management"
and "Best Use of Direct Marketing."
According
to Promo Magazine editor Peter Breen, the longevity of Camp Jeep's
excellence called for a special award. "Creating the Hall
of Fame award and making Camp Jeep its first recipient is an appropriate
way to honor this campaign's long-term success," said Breen.
"It has
been innovative from the outset and shows a deep understanding
of the consumer," said Breen. "The annual owner festival
has develop into the hallmark of loyalty campaigns, an affinity-building
event that gives owners a forum to live the brand essence."
Camp Jeep
creator Lou Bitonti, DaimlerChrysler Corporation Senior Manager
Global Corporate Events, said "We are truly honored to be
the first inductee in the Promo Magazine's Hall of Fame. The Jeep
owners who come to Camp Jeep are our most loyal customers and
every year our entire team is focused on creating an event that
is even more memberable than the year before. PentaMark Worldwide,
our partner in this event, has helped us achieve our goals. It
is very gratifying to be honored for an event that represents
a real bond between Jeep vehicles and owners."
Since Camp
Jeep began, participation has grown spectacularly from 614 registered
vehicles in 1995 to 2,300 in 2001. Despite rain for the first
time ever at Camp Jeep this year, owners' spirit and enthusiasm
could not be dampened. The events, including a concert with LeAnn
Rimes and a spectacular fireworks display, went on as planned.
One of the
highlights of the three-day family event is the Jeep 101 off-highway
driving courses designed to teach owners basic off-highway driving
skills, safety and the capabilities of the Jeep Liberty, Grand
Cherokee and Wrangler. Participants are paired with experienced
guides as they negotiate steep downhill grades and encounter large
rocks, log-crossings, sand and other off-highway obstacles. Once
they learn the capabilities of their vehicle they can hit the
guided trails in their own vehicles. Jeep owners can also check
out Engineering Village and attend roundtable discussions with
Jeep engineers, automotive suppliers and other Jeep owners to
find out more about what makes Jeep vehicles so unique.
Kids can explore
the Camp Kids Village and ride mini-Jeep vehicles on their own
off-highway course, make friendship bracelets, memory books and
watercolor paintings - while teens can check out various activities
such as soccer clinics, a BMX course, and paintball. Adults and
kids alike can explore the surrounding landscape by hiking or
mountain biking.
For the truly
daring, the Adventure Village Multiplex offers rock climbing walls,
a 150-foot zip line, an obstacle course, a giant swing, and dual
sky bridge with a cargo net climb. Less experienced rock climbers
can try out the Treadwall simulator - a self-paced motorless climbing
wall with adjustable handholds, ensuring the climber is never
more than two feet off the ground.
From 1995
through 1998, Camp Jeep was held in Camp Hale, Colo. From 1999
through 2001, Camp Jeep was held in Nelson County, Va. Plans for
the Camp Jeep 2002 will be announced at a later date.
Camp Jeep
is one of several owner loyalty programs created by the Jeep brand
of DaimlerChrysler. Jeep Jamborees, which began in the 1950s,
are the original off-highway vacation. From the mountains of Maine
to the famed Rubicon Trail, nearly 7,000 owners participate in
the more than 30 Jamborees held each year. These family-oriented,
three-day events are designed to allow Jeep owners the opportunity
to hone their skills in off-highway situations while learning
more respect for the environment. An offshoot of Camp Jeep, Jeep
101 is an event that brings the "canyon to the city,"
offering current and prospective owners the opportunity to learn
the basic skills of off-highway driving and experience the Jeep
brand lifestyle.
For
more information on Camp Jeep, visit www.jeep.com