Pitching the 1968 Dodge Charger with style and performance

Magazine ads courtesy of Lov2XLR8.no.

When Dodge introduced its redesigned Charger for the 1968 model year, chief of design Bill Brownlie believed the sportier and more aerodynamic two-door hardtop penned by Richard Sais would appeal to a wider range of buyers than ever before. To reach the broadest possible audience, the automaker pitched the Charger to consumers with distinct ad campaigns highlighting the car’s style, as well as its performance potential.

For those more concerned with show than go, the “Dodge Fever” print ad emphasized the car’s stand-out looks, as well as interior appointments that included “foam-padded bucket seats to coddle you;” “matt-finished instruments with black faces, white numbers and needles;” “two deep and handy door pockets for all the paraphernalia that usually collects under your feet;” and “switches that do interesting things.” Almost of secondary importance, the ad also mentions the range of four engines available on the Charger, topping out with the 440-cu.in. Magnum V-8 in the Charger R/T. Not mentioned, though available in 1968 R/T models, was the 426 Street Hemi.

Compare that to Dodge’s second ad for the 1968 Charger R/T, which begins with the headline “Ramrod,” subtly (or perhaps not so subtly) linking the car to the legendary Ramchargers drag racing team. With copy aimed squarely at the home mechanic / street racer (“There you were with your plug wrench clenched in a set of badly battered knuckles…”), the ad boldly proclaims the “end of the road for the do-it-yourself kit, Charlie” before delivering the relevant facts. Standard equipment on R/T models included the 440 Magnum V-8, fed by a four-barrel carburetor, which produced 375 horsepower; dual exhausts; heavy-duty suspension; heavy-duty brakes; and F70 x 14 “Wide-Treads,” but those in the know could also check the option box for the 425 horsepower Hemi V-8.

It’s obvious which gender each of the two ads was aimed at, though today such sexist advertising would never get management approval. In 1968, Dodge went on to sell a total of 74,886 base-model Chargers (priced from $3,014) and 17,584 Charger R/Ts (priced from $3,480), more than double the 39,596 Chargers produced in the car’s first two years on the market; perhaps there was something to this to-pronged advertising approach after all.

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