Chrysler to phase out iconic Pentastar in favor of new FCA logo

Chrysler is discontinuing its legendary Pentasar logo following the formation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the inception of its new FCA logo.
"Chrysler Group is now part of the newly formed FCA. As such, the spirit of Chrysler and the Pentastar moves forward as part of this new entity, joining the strengths of the previous Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler Group LLC," Chrysler said in a statement, adding that, "both [companies] have adopted the FCA logo."
The companies introduced their new logo in January after Fiat became 100 percent owner of Chrysler. Later, in May, a five-year plan was put in place and Chrysler set up the new FCA logo at the entrance of the new company's headquarters.
While the change has sparked a mainly negative response from social media users -- including the creation of a "Save The Pentasar" Facebook page -- experts say the change won't affect either brands' sales.
"From the perspective of most consumers, this really is a non-issue," Tim Calkins, a professor of marketing at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, told the Detroit Free Press. "Consumers know Chrysler, they know Jeep, they know Dodge. The name of the corporate parent normally doesn't mean much."
Despite the brands' merger and the creation of the new logo, the company's chief of marketing Olivier Francois says there will be a strong effort to "cultivate the difference between the brands" -- FCA now sells vehicles and auto parts under Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Mopar, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Fiat, Maserati and Magnetti Marelli brands-- and added there will be no ads for FCA per se.
"The biggest wealth that a group like FCA has is the variety of brands and the fact that all of these brands are so different," Francois said.
Chrysler's Pentasar logo was created in 1962 by ad agency Lippincott & Margulies. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles debuted on the New York Stock Exchange in October.