In the summer of 2003, JT Gandolfo–owner of Dodgeland in Columbia, SC–gave Genesis an opportunity to produce his television commercials. Seemed simple enough. JT and Richard Jenkins, a professor of theater at the University of South Carolina, wrote their own scripts and just needed them captured on video. After one too many Busby Berkeley song-and-dance productions, Genesis had had enough. “Please,” we begged, “please let us pitch you some concepts.” JT agreed, Dodgezilla (the monster-sized, competition-crushing car dealer) was born, and the rest is history.
JT’s commercials rose to rarified air–firmly ensconcing him and his dealerships into the minds of the populace within central South Carolina. Numerous characters, shenanigans, humor, bravado, movie themes, and general nuttiness became the norm. Television viewers not only expected–but looked forward to–the next crazy thing JT was willing to do to earn their patronage. For years, new Genesis clients would ask something along the lines of, “You don’t do those JT commercials, do you?” Our answer: “We wouldn’t tell you if we did.”
While those kinds of questions repeatedly confirmed that our commercials were pervading the public consciousness, there was a problem. You see, car commercials are their own niche. While we have always been proud of JT’s success and our contribution to it, we felt an obligation to keep JT’s zany, quick-turnaround productions separate from our other work.
We’re not keeping a lid on it any more.
The truth is that our partnership with JT has been enormously successful. Enormously. JT now owns five dealerships in 3 markets (and growing), and it’s time we tooted our horn. Our strategically over-the-top commercials were exactly what the doctor ordered.
That’s what Genesis does for each and every client.
We develop custom-tailored communications solutions that accomplish our clients’ objectives and contribute to their success. The solutions we develop for a car dealer are very different from those we develop for other clients in other industries–and are different from what we will develop for your unique needs–but make no mistake about it: our clients are successful. In fact, they’re the top in their industry. There’s a reason why JT is still working with Genesis 18 years and counting.
From one dealership to five. Three markets. Two states. A household name. Top-of-the-mind recall.
