The internet is raging right now over Stellantis pushing marketing pop-ups to owners’ in-car screens. It’s obnoxious, to be sure, and it’s legit—we have confirmation from a Jeep driver as well as Stellantis itself. But this isn’t even the first time it’s happened, as we reported in February about Jeep advertising extended warranties in the same way.
Auto writer and all-around car guy Zerin Dube posted earlier this week about his WL Grand Cherokee’s “marketing notification” on X. The photo started popping off, and before long, others were sharing the same ad that was sent to their screens. Dube labeled it as “late stage capitalism,” which feels like an accurate descriptor.
Funny enough, Dube was in the market for a new Wrangler anyhow, and he took advantage of the $1,500 loyalty offer Jeep sent straight to his Grand Cherokee. He drove off the lot Thursday night in a new Rubicon X, so I guess you can say it worked.
Others online were less accepting of the ploy. Practically every repost of Dube’s photo decried Jeep and Stellantis at large, with some Ram and Chrysler drivers corroborating the ad’s rollout that spread across multiple brands. Most of the comments said something along the lines of, “Guess what I’m never buying.” Some made the informed prediction that this type of promotion will become commonplace in the industry before long.
For its part, Stellantis told The Drive that it sends out these notifications to “stay in contact with our owners at critical points in their ownership.” The in-vehicle message system is also used to notify drivers of vehicle recalls and health monitor alerts. A spokesperson for the brand said:
“Recently, a select group of owners received a special marketing notification in their vehicle, and we tailored this special offer to minimize any intrusions:
- The simple text message offering a $1,500 bonus incentive appears only on startup and while the vehicle is stationary
- The message disappears when the vehicle begins moving, or the driver clicks the OK or X icon on the screen, or after 15 seconds
- The message returns at the next key-on cycle only if the driver clicked on Remind Me Later, or they did not click OK or X
“Our goal is to deliver the best vehicle experience for our customers. As a result of these efforts, we have seen our customers take advantage of this offer,” the spokesperson said.
The Stellantis spokesperson concluded by saying that owners can permanently opt out of in-vehicle messaging by calling the company’s customer care line at 800-777-3600.
The $1,500 loyalty bonus is just one of many discounts that Stellantis dealers are stacking in order to move more units. I reported last week that storming Ford Bronco sales are genuinely threatening the Wrangler’s spot atop the segment, and as Dube shared on X, he got something like $16,500 off his new Jeep. Apparently, now’s a good time to buy if you can stand the occasional spam on your car’s screen.
The last time this happened, Stellantis was advertising extended warranties to owners via their infotainment. Many were frustrated as the offer continued to show, even after acknowledging it by pressing “OK.” What’s more, others saw the ad despite their car exceeding the mileage limit mentioned in the promotion.
Connected cars, man. Gotta love ’em.
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