German-based company promotes D-Day miniseries

Although HBO claims that there was no product-placement deal for the hundreds of World War II Jeeps that appear in its 10-part Band of Brothers miniseries, DaimlerChrysler, the current makers of Jeep, are about to launch the first commercial-sponsorship deal in the pay-TV channel’s history, involving a $10-million campaign for the series that also features the Jeep logo and a salute to the WWII GIs by the car company, the New York Times observed today (Monday). Beginning tonight, Daimler-Chrysler is also airing six commercials for Jeep that include scenes from the miniseries and which were directed by Tony To, a co-exec producer. The Times observed that all involved in the marketing effort were aware of the irony that a German-based company, DaimlerChrysler, is participating in promoting a film about the event that marked the turning point in World War II. Peter Arnell, head of the agency that brought DaimlerChrysler and HBO together for the deal, told the Times: “That was then and this is now. Things change in the world.”