Come on Billy, there's got to be more to this prank than catching up with the family? As a matter of fact there is. If the Flanigans manage to keep it together and spend all five days inside the window display, Dodge will give them the loaded SUV, valued at more than USD$36,000.
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| Monday in Times Square, passersby chat with the Flanigan family who have a chance to win the 2004 Dodge Durango they're temporarily living in, that is if they can manage to stay put for a full five days. (Photo: Jemal Countess, WireImage.com) |
But that's not all. As a "Christmas bonus," Dodge will also kick in USD$5,000 for every day the family spends in its Durango, totaling up to USD$25,000. The only catch is the money goes to a good cause, the U.S. National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH).
If the Flanigans manage to hold out to day five, Dodge has promised a celebrity guest appearance on December 19th to hand over the Durango keys before presenting a check to the NAEH.
So who dreamed up the idea? While he may not have developed the creative, Darryl Jackson, Vice President of Dodge Marketing, DaimlerChrysler Corporation, definitely signed on the bottom line.
"We thought the Dodge "Living" Holiday Window display would be a fun and unique way to showcase the features of the new Durango and more importantly underscore the importance of the spirit of giving this holiday season," stated Jackson. "We are rooting for the Flanigans to hang in there all five days. They are definitely a family that represents what it means to grab life by the horns."
Will they have to go it alone? No, a little coaching will be offered to help them pull through. First the famed fitness trainer Ellie Krieger will show them ways to keep flexible and active in their limited space, while all along New York's exclusive Paladar restaurant head chef, Aaron Sanchez, will prepare their food. It sounds like a great way to get a new SUV and simultaneously benefit a good cause, but a more apropos celebrity visitor might be Dr. Phil to keep them going when the going gets tough.