• by Tanya Gazdik , April 4, 2024

Stellantis’ Dodge brand is launching a campaign focused on the plug-in hybrid Dodge Hornet R/T, the brand’s first muscle-inspired crossover. 

“Inner Child Intervention” takes viewers to the side of the road where a man comes face-to-face with a familiar-looking boy and quickly finds himself on a joyride with his inner child. His “inner child” hits the gas and zooms through the streets while schooling him on what he really needs in life, reminding him that “horsepower keeps you going, but torque gets you going.”

The torque-loving inner child is especially obsessed with the Hornet R/T’s PowerShot. This on-demand feature leverages Dodge’s first hybrid powertrain to deliver an instantaneous boost of acceleration, letting drivers tap into the maximum electrical power to reach 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. 

The Hornet RT stands apart from other compact utility vehicles, with 383 lb.-ft. of torque that “gives drivers the kind of instant acceleration and engaging driving experience that is unheard of in the category,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer - Stellantis. “We know that when compared to horsepower, torque can sometimes be underappreciated. We’re launching this campaign to change that perception.” 

The Dodge Hornet launched last year with best-in-class performance features that optimize multiple aspects of the vehicle, from powertrain to suspension, braking, steering and handling. 

The new campaign, from GSD&M, also includes social media designed to humorously educate consumers about torque such as a limited series for TikTok and Instagram called “Torque for Newbs.”

The series of four videos, set to roll out online in the coming weeks, is designed to humorously educate torque novices on automotive jargon like “pound foot” and how torque relates to horsepower. 

In one of the videos, the inner child reminds his adult self of that time he made a human slingshot and shot his cousin Max across a parking lot. “That’s what torque is!,” the inner child explains. “Only instead of Max, we release the wheels.”

The cross-channel campaign will span across broadcast, social media channels and online video. Broadcast media placement will include college basketball playoffs.