'Anchorman' Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) pitches Dodge

Brent Snavely | Detroit Free Press

Dodge turned to legendary 1970s TV anchorman Ron Burgundy — a.k.a. comedian Will Ferrell — to promote the Dodge Durango in TV ads that will run through yearend.

"He very much like Dodge. He is unapologetic. He is irreverent. He has a great deal of attitude," Olivier Francois, Chrysler's chief marketing officer, told the Free Press.

Francois aims to market Dodge as a brand that stands out from rivals because of bold styling and features such as the Durango's giant side-to-side tail lamp with 192 LED lights. That, Francois said, made Ferrrell's Burgundy character perfect.

"People think they already know the Durango, so then you have to be twice as engaging in a marketing campaign," said Francois. "What could be more engaging and entertaining … than to explain all of the new technology and features through the eyes of a guy who comes from the '70s?" said Francois.

The deal will make Chrysler part of the buzz for "Anchorman: 2, The Legend Continues," the sequel due Dec. 20 from Paramount Pictures. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

The original, "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," is a cult hit that's grossed $85.2 million in the U.S. since its 2004 release, according to the website Box Office Mojo.

Josh Greenstein, Paramount Pictures chief marketing officer, said the studio likes to partner with auto brands. "We had an incredible experience working BMW on 'Mission Impossible,' and we also have a long-standing relationship with General Motors on 'Transformers.' "

In the TV ads that began airing over the weekend and in web ads, Burgundy is continually shocked by the horsepower, fuel economy and high-tech features of the refreshed 2014 Durango, going on sale now.

Durango could use the buzz. Its U.S. sales are up 48.6% this year, but its 44,650 total is about half the sales of three-row SUV rivals such as Ford Explorer, and Toyota Highlander.

Francois has frequently turned to Hollywood and music stars to build buzz for Chrysler brands since he become marketing chief in 2009. He landed Eminem for a Super Bowl ad in 2011 and Clint Eastwood for one in 2012. Jennifer Lopez and Charlie Sheen have pitched the Fiat 500.

But it's not just abut having a star, Francois said. "It has to be unexpected; it has to be noticeable ... and lastly, it needs to really tie into the brand," Francois said.

With "Anchorman," Francois said Dodge has an opportunity to become part of the cult following that has embraced the movie. Nearly 10 years after its release, many people still repeat lines from the movie — such as "You stay classy, San Diego," and "I'm kind of a big deal."

"Some of these lines in the commercials are so incredibly memorable that my hope is that they become become part of the Anchorman culture," Francois said.

The volume of material Francois has to work with gives him a good shot. Paramount and Ferrell originally agreed to film six ads. But in two-days, Ferrell and his production company — Funny or Die — filmed 70.

Francois said not all of the commercials are suitable for television. Still, Chrysler plans to post most of them on Dodge's YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. They'll also be posted on Ferrell's FunnyorDie.com.

Greenstein said Ferrell and director Adam McKay had full control over the scripts for the commercials, which were produced with Wieden+Kennedy, Dodge's ad agency.

In one spot comparing Durango's horsepower with that of a real horse, Ferrell gets into an unplanned staring contest with the horse.

"(Ferrell) is a genius of improvisation," Francois said. "The staring contest with the horse was just something that happened because the horse was staring at him."