Nevada Father and Son Team Find First of Three Hidden 2012 Dodge Journey Vehicles; ‘Search Engine for Real World’ Giveaway Moves to Midwest, then East

September 12, 2011 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  An adventurous outdoorsy father and son from Nevada proved that family teamwork and hiking trips pay off, as they were the first to find one of three 2012 Dodge Journey vehicles hidden across America in the Dodge brand’s “Search Engine for the Real World” giveaway.

Bruce Armbrust and his 9-year-old son, Matthew, of Gardnerville, Nev., worked together to track down the Dodge Journey in Hope Valley, Calif.

“With all its AWD and roominess, the Dodge Journey is the perfect vehicle for our family,” said Bruce Armbrust. “We love the great outdoors and taking road trips, which means the storage space in the Journey will be put to good use.”

Dodge launched the new television and digital advertising campaign Friday, Sept. 9, positioning the 2012 Dodge Journey as the “Search Engine for the Real World,” the perfect vehicle for people looking for adventure. The campaign encourages people to get out and explore the real world instead of just reading about it online and has an added twist: a chance to win one of three Dodge Journeys left hidden across America – one each in the West, Midwest and East.

As part of the campaign, TV spots show a Dodge Journey on trips across America and end with the viewer being told that the vehicle they’ve just seen headed somewhere beautiful is, in fact, still sitting in that real world location waiting to be discovered. The first person to find the Dodge Journey, wins it.

The contest now moves to the second location somewhere in the Midwest with a new television and digital spot debuting Sept. 17, followed by the East spot on Sept. 24* for the third location. If viewers look closely, each frame of these 30-second spots contain clues to the location of the hidden Dodge Journey vehicles. The contest ends Sept. 27.

The Armbrust family saw the first TV spot, “Search Engine,” Friday night while watching a college football game and recognized some of the scenery, in part due to the family’s interest in hiking, geocaching and taking road trips. They immediately went to www.youtube.com/dodge to see the spot again and even headed out on the road that night for a first look. Saturday morning, they tuned into the Dodge YouTube channel again to see the “West” spot and view a 24/7 live camera feed streamed on the vehicle.

Clue videos, the live feed and participant’s comments in the social media stream about shadow and sun positions, ultimately helped narrow down the hunt. By Saturday morning, Bruce Armbrust set out with his son to explore the world wide world and discovered the vehicle 16 hours after they saw the first TV spot.

“The minute we saw the commercial, Matthew and I were determined to find and win the Journey,” added Armbrust. “We are proud to replace our other vehicle, which is on its last leg, with a brand new 2012 Dodge Journey.”

Nearly 52,000 people tuned into the live video stream on Saturday spending an average of 21-minutes on the site. Additionally, since the campaign’s launch, there have been nearly 250,000 comments on the YouTube/Dodge social media stream from people logging in via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

*Due to fan feedback, the launch dates of the next two Dodge Journey giveaways were moved from Friday to Saturday to allow more people to participate over the weekend.

About Dodge Journey
Completely redesigned in 2011, the Dodge Journey is the only crossover in America to offer the choice of a four-cylinder or V-6 engine, five- or seven-passenger seating and front- or all-wheel drive. Journey also treats all of its passengers to premium soft-touch materials on the inside and an available 283 horsepower Pentastar V-6 with best-in-class driving range and up to 25 mpg highway. Add in segment-exclusive second-row in-floor storage bins and hidden storage within the front passenger seat and you have a vehicle that can take you anywhere as you explore all that America has to offer.

The Dodge Journey gets a new simplified model lineup for 2012 and adds an American Value Package with a starting U.S. MSRP of $18,995, which makes it the most affordable mid-size crossover in America and the most affordable seven-passenger vehicle in America with a starting U.S. MSRP of $19,990. With more than 40 safety and security features, the Journey has been an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for three consecutive years. Journey also features the latest and greatest in vehicle connectivity and customization with the Uconnect® Touch 8.4 radio, which features an 8.4-inch touchscreen.

About Dodge
Dodge is a full line of cars, crossovers, minivans and SUVs that are sporty, functional and innovative. With nearly 100 years of heritage, the brand has a history of providing its customers excellent quality, innovation and value. Dodge is building on the momentum of introducing six all-new or significantly redesigned products, solidifying its message that Dodge offers an excellent value for American families looking for top performance in all the places that matter – from power off the line and handling in the corners to high-quality, dependable vehicles that deliver unmatched functionality and excellent fuel economy in everyday driving situations. In fact, Dodge now offers six vehicles that deliver 25 mpg on the highway, while retaining that distinctive Dodge innovation and style. With the all-new Dodge Durango and Dodge Charger and significantly revamped Grand Caravan, Journey, Avenger and Challenger, Dodge also now has one of the youngest dealer showrooms in the country with more new product coming.

Giveaway Rules
The contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 18 years and older. No purchase is necessary. Participants must have a valid driver’s license and auto insurance prior to the Sept. 10 contest start date. Three 2012 Dodge Journey grand prizes, one per hidden location, will be awarded plus $7,000 each to help cover associated taxes. Contest ends 09/27/11. For official rules, details, and prize descriptions, visit www.youtube.com/dodge.