Stay Connected Mopar®’S Social Network

Mopar’s presence on social media outlets enables enthusiasts to connect with each other and with the brand, providing passionate fans with a direct channel of communication to Mopar.

Words: Darren Jacobs

It’s a fact—social media is now a facet of everyday life for a significant portion of the population. We update our Facebook profiles and peek at our friends’ posts religiously and for many, 140-character Tweets are the desired form of communication. It’s a new world, where a thriving social media presence is paramount to the success of a brand—and it’s a world that Mopar® has embraced wholeheartedly.

Official Mopar sites on social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube carry the hot passion of Mopar fanatics from the real world into the online realm. The brand’s social media outreach allows it to connect with fans around the world and also open channels that empower enthusiasts to communicate back to the brand and with each other. Minus the fancy corporate speak: it’s an avenue for Mopar to tell a global audience about the cool stuff the brand is working on, and for fans to share with Mopar and their fellow fanatics exactly what fuels their passion.

“We are so incredibly fortunate to have such loyal fans that have incredible passion for our brand,” said Tricia Hecker, Director of Marketing, Mopar. “We have developed our social platforms to give them an opportunity to connect with each other. It allows us to see what’s on their minds and ensures we’re developing products to meet and exceed their needs.”

John Fortuno, founder of the annual Chrysler Spring Festival of LXs car show in Southern California and a Mopar enthusiast who mainly identifies with the segment of Mopar fandom that believes in modifying their rides enough to make a hip-hop star blush, believes his regular visits to Mopar’s social media outlets have broadened his mind in terms of what the brand represents.

“You get to see the different aspects and lifestyles within Mopar,” said Fortuno. “I’m a new school guy, and I don’t necessarily visit sites that feature classic Mopar muscle cars or Mopar parts info. If I checkout Mopar on Facebook or Twitter, I’ll look at photos of an old-school muscle Mopar. Or I’ll read about what Mopar’s been doing in NHRA racing or off-road racing, or new content Mopar is offering for Jeep® vehicles. I’ll just check out what’s going on with the brand in general. It opens things up and exposes individuals to other aspects of the brand.”

The diversity of Mopar is evident on its Facebook “wall,” which features regular updates from the brand with posts covering any Mopar-specific topic: news on hot new Mopar parts or accessories, highlights from Mopar’s race teams, info on upcoming Mopar events, or perhaps simply a poll or question to take the pulse of the Mopar community. One recent post promoted a $100 rebate on a pair of tires. The brand’s postings are geared to engage the various lifestyles and interests that constitute the Mopar Nation.

Fans are also allowed to post photos and videos to Mopar’s Facebook wall. Their postings are an ever-updating compendium of Mopar passion: a grandmother in Cleveland might post pictures of her classic 1967 Dodge Dart, a modern-day Mopar lover may share video of the step-by-step modification of a 2010 Dodge Charger, or perhaps a Jeep owner from Europe will send out a Twitpic from a recent off-road adventure. The postings offer eclectic snapshots of the varied ways Mopar fans express their love of the brand.

“Many different breeds of enthusiasts follow our social media outlets, from die-hard Mopar lovers to race fans to muscle car aficionados, the casual fan, and many more,” said Christine O’Connell, Mopar’s Digital Marketing Manager. “We see a wide range of interests and passions in our enthusiasts’ posts and tweets, and we gear our social media content to reach as many segments of the Mopar Nation as possible.”

Mopar’s Twitter presence (which can be found at twitter.com/OfficialMOPAR) boasts a growing number of followers. The brand promotes special Mopar contests via Twitter and recently instituted new “Mopar Monday” posts on both Twitter (hashtag: #moparmonday) and Facebook to serve as a weekly greeting (usually accompanied by a Mopar news item or tidbit) to its social media followers. Fans can join in on Mopar Twitter chats on Monday nights by following the hashtag #moparchat from 9–11p.m. ET. On YouTube, exclusive, behind-the-scenes videos documenting the Mopar Nation are also regularly posted to Mopar’s channel, Mopar Captured.

“Mopar’s social media outlets allow enthusiasts to dialogue with the brand on questions or problems they need answered,” said Brad Lowery, Mopar’s Social Media Community Specialist. “Queries to the brand will be answered by the factory experts, while more general questions are often answered by the Mopar community.” For example, one Mopar Facebook friend recently posted a plea for advice on installing graphics on his vehicle—in short order, 
suggestions on graphic installers were posted by his fellow Facebookers.

Mopar has worked to throw a spotlight on its social media outlets through special events such as the inaugural Mopar MoVenture, which took place in July. Teams of Mopar enthusiasts were sent on a six-day, 1,900-mile road rally in which points toward first-place were earned by sharing their experiences on social media networks. Mopar also updated the progress of the MoVenture on its Facebook and Twitter pages, and posted videos to its YouTube channel recapping each day of the road rally.

“The goal of MoVenture really mirrored the goals Mopar has for its social media outlets,” said Christa Shalhoub, Social Media Events Specialist, Mopar Service & Parts Marketing. “We want our fans and enthusiasts to have fun and show their passion for Mopar, and in the meantime we want to expose them to the different portfolios of our brand and help fuel their fire.”

Even more is in store on the Mopar social media front. Plans are in the works for a special Mopar community on www.mopar.com that will more closely link the brand’s social media sites to its popular home on the Web. Fans can also expect to see a significant Mopar presence on Google Plus, Google’s newly introduced social network.

So fire up your smartphones, iPads and laptops, Mopar fans. Let the sharing, posting and Tweeting commence as a whole new online world awaits—Mopar’s own social network.