The origin and evolution the the Mopar namesake

-

MrJLR

Built, not bought
FABO Gold Member
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
5,639
Reaction score
6,769
Location
Menifee, California
Interesting article...with pics and a nice layout...
I just did a select all, copy and paste....the actual link is better.....I was lazy!

LINKY

MOPAR
ONE OF THE FAMOUS TRADEMARKS IN AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY
Mopar is short for Motor Parts. The acronym dates as far back as the 1930s, when it was trademarked and used to advertise a line of antifreeze products manufactured by the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation in 1937. And thus, a clever nickname was born: Mopar was soon used interchangeably with the longer Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation name in branding and advertising.

THE HISTORY OF THE CHRYSLER MOTOR PARTS CORPORATION
Way back in 1928, Chrysler purchased Dodge with the intention of obtaining a larger plant to support Plymouth production .1 At that time, Chrysler was the fourth-largest automobile maker in America. After the takeover, Chrysler prepared to meet customer demand as a dedicated parts supplier. In 1929, the official Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation was established for this purpose – what a mouthful!

From 1933 to 1937, the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) tried to condense their brand name with a circle logo that surrounded the letters D, C, P, and D: representing Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, and DeSoto. Within the original logo, the “P” was the largest letter to depict the importance of the Plymouth brand.

use-chrysler-enginerred-mopar-parts-accessories.png


In 1937, CMPC sales promotion manager Nelson I. Farley turned the tables by establishing the CMPC Activities Council to create new marketing and merchandising ideas. It was this Activities Counsel that was responsible for coming up with a newfangled acronym to market antifreeze: Mopar.

Instead of branding products with the long and often confusing Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth, and DeSoto logo, Mopar made more sense. The Mopar name was trademarked soon thereafter with an accompanying logo created by Burke Bartlett for all CMPC products.2

THE SLANG TERM MOPAR WAS USED IN
ADVERTISING FOR CAR PARTS, SUPPLIES, AND EVEN THE CARS THEMSELVES, IN SOME CASES.
The first Bartlett logo design featured the Mopar brand in bright purple as a downward pointing arrow. However, the design was vetoed by Nelson Farley as he disapproved of both the purple color and the arrow concept.

Logo design sketches continued; meanwhile, the Activities Council led by Farley came up with a camel character called Mr. Mopar. The
character was intended to accompany the Chrysler float at the upcoming National Shriners Convention parade in Detroit. The float was constructed entirely out of engine parts and would be pulled by Mr. Mopar the Camel, led by a mechanical man called “Accy” (coined from “accessory”).

account-pic.png

Vern Dupuis was the brains behind the Accy character that first accompanied the Mr. Mopar Camel in the parade. Accy was eventually transformed into Mr. Mopar 11 years later when he was modified to speak and move. An updated version of the Mr. Mopar Robot even appeared on national TV.

Though the Mr. Mopar character was established, the Mopar logo was still left lacking. Nelson Farley finally approved an oval seal logo that was used from 1937 to 1947; at that time, the original logo was revamped with purple design features reintegrated.
It may be hard to believe that a simple logo, a camel, and a robot character would play into the evolution of one of the most famous trademarks in automotive history. The early CMPC Activities Council think tank put their heads together to birth the original Mopar branding campaign that brought the renowned emblem where it is today.

Jeep, and Eagle products. True to form, the Mopar logo continues to undergo regular changes and transformations to improve public appeal.

In 2002, the most current version of the Mopar logo was introduced as a throwback to the 1964 to 1971 design; the logo includes a larger Omega M symbol in blue with smaller “Mopar” text below.

Many Mopar fans attribute the success of the brand to the introduction of the Hemi type engine. The “Race Hemi” was reintroduced in 1964 as an improvement upon the first engine design used in Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge cars in the 1950s.

These days, the Hemi engine can be found in high-powered automobiles and provides exceptional force on the racetrack. As you may have gathered, Mopar has been synonymous with racing and muscle cars throughout the decades. Beyond the label, Mopar represents important innovations in engine and automobile design.

Mopar has expanded under Chrysler and Dodge brands to manufacture maintenance and collision parts, as well as racing engines and parts. Though Mopar has cast a wider net in automotive part production, it’s impossible to separate the brand from its dynamic accomplishments in the racing arena.

mopar-brand-logo.png
ONE OTHER FACT THAT CAN’T BE DISMISSED IS THE LOYAL DEVOTION OF MOPAR FANS ACROSS THE NATION.

[paste:font size="6"]As the saying goes, once a Mopar lover, always a Mopar lover. If you consider yourself to be a diehard Mopar fan, you may enjoy some fun trivia to celebrate your passion:
Fast forward to present day, and Mopar toes the line between classic and contemporary. Most Mopar fans associate the label with the iconic Hemi engine, as mentioned above. Yet Chrysler continues to push market boundaries by advertising to race fans, families, and small businesses alike.

Chrysler expanded their marketing efforts to target small businesses in support of Small Business Saturday in 2012. Chrysler hoped to highlight the versatility and functionality of their Chrysler Commercial Vehicle lineup in an infographic series depicting different vehicle uses and purposes.

commercial vehicles designed for unique purposes in different industries.

TRUE TO THE MOPAR MISSION, CHRYSLER CONTINUES TO OFFER A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
As far back as 1937, Mopar started out as a simple logo to advertise a straightforward auto parts brand. With each passing decade, Chrysler brought more innovation to the table. As we have seen revolutionary changes in the Mopar logo design, the brand also has moved forward in leaps and bounds.


Mopar continues to engage loyal fans in a variety of events, including SEMA Shows and Mile High Nationals. Mopar also provides an online social community called Mopar Nation, where fans can find local Mopar Clubs in their area to celebrate, “Where People, Passion and Performance Meet.”

Today, the Mopar logo has come to represent a trademark brand for “every man.” Fanatic racers can meet and greet with other Mopar enthusiasts. Families with small children can drive family-friendly Chrysler vehicles. Small business owners can stretch their dollar within a fleet of Chrysler commercial cars designed with fuel efficiency and flexibility as top priorities.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR MOPAR?
The latest Mopar innovation to hit the market is the impressive Mopar 13 Dart II. The vehicle is available in limited numbers starting at $15,995. The Dart is advertised to be the “Most Award Winning Vehicle in Its Class” with awards like the 2012 Coolest New Car Under $18,000 from Kelley Blue Book. It features three state-of-the-art powertrains, 60 safety and security features, and the added interior space of a midsize sedan.

Years later, the classic Omega M Mopar logo still holds strong. The Mopar community insists that passion is what binds Mopar aficionados together. Mopar has become a widespread, household name since its inception in 1937. Now, you can find Mopar just about anywhere – online, at specialty auto events, and maybe in your very own driveway.

[paste:font size="4"]MOPARIZE YOUR RIDE
Mopar fans don’t want to settle for less. On the official Mopar website, you can use a helpful tool to input your vehicle information to locate authentic Mopar accessories and parts at the closest available dealer.

A Mopar Express Lane service tool is also available to provide quick information on the nearest location for Mopar-approved battery replacement, oil changes, and brake inspection.

Jeff

 
-
Back
Top