Download Print Dodge Launches Search for Ultimate Guy February 22, 2005 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Survey says dependability and humor take top spots for most desirable characteristics in men Nominate your ultimate guy at www.dodge.com/ultimateguy Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy wins a 2005 Dodge Dakota and a dream sports day with friends Dodge Dakota is conducting a national search for the Ultimate Guy - someone who is strong, capable, works hard and plays even harder. The winner of the Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy contest will receive a 2005 Dodge Dakota and an ultimate sports day for himself and four of his friends. According to a national survey commissioned by Dodge and conducted by Harris Interactive®, U.S. women want the "man" back in manly. Ninety percent of women prefer a regular, capable and laid-back guy to just five percent still wanting the hip, fashion conscious "metrosexual" male. Consumers can submit a Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy nomination at www.dodge.com/ultimateguy or via mail. The essays, in 150 words or less, must characterize the nominee’s bold distinctive style, unique qualities and capabilities, and why he stands out in a crowd. "The Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy contest is looking for the guy who values the three Ts: Tools, Toys and Trucks," said Fred Diaz, Director - Dodge Communications, Chrysler Group. "He is the kind of guy who respects and uses power tools on a regular basis, owns a grill and is not afraid to use it and either has a truck, had a truck or sees a truck in his near future." Survey Says Dodge Dakota and Harris interactive conducted a national survey asking men and women what characteristics they prefer in their friends/ideal man. Women are most interested in being able to count on their man, as dependability took the top spot for best characteristic (92 percent). In a close second, women said their ideal man can make them laugh (88 percent). These two traits also ranked tops for men in the opposite order, who believe their friend’s most important trait is a sense of humor (66 percent) with dependability a close second at 62 percent. As to how a woman’s ideal guy prefers to spend his free time, the survey found women would rather he spend more time hanging a mirror than standing in front of one. Home improvement projects ranked number one at 72 percent, as compared to spending time on their appearance by shopping for clothes (10 percent) or working out with a personal trainer (9 percent). Additional survey results showed: Shopping for Milk, Eggs, Shampoo: 75 percent of women said they want a guy who buys his shampoo at the same place he gets his milk and eggs. Only 17 percent of women want a man who buys his products at salons. Rough Hands Rule: 61 percent of women prefer their man’s hands to be rough and hard-working opposed to well manicured (39 percent). "Cab" means truck, not Cabernet: Women want a man who spends his money on his car or truck, not fine wines (45 percent to 18 percent). The Search is On Twelve ultimate guy finalists will be selected by judges based on essays submitted via the nomination form. One lucky finalist will be named the Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy and win the Grand Prize: a 2005 Dodge Dakota, plus a Dakota Dream Sports Day with four of his friends. The 11 semi-finalists will all receive an ultimate tailgating prize, including portable grill, stainless steel cooler and deluxe chairs. Finalists will be asked to submit photos of themselves that will be featured on the Web site, along with answers to the following questions: Ultimate Guy Style: Tell us what characterizes (your friend’s/your) bold, distinctive style. Ultimate Guy Capability: Tell us about (your friend’s/your) unique qualities and capabilities. Ultimate Guy Stand Out: Tell us why (your friend stands out/you stand out) from the crowd as the obvious choice for Dodge Dakota Ultimate Guy. About the All-new 2005 Dodge Dakota The Dodge Truck lineup continues to haul the most leadership claims. Bigger, bolder and tougher, the all-new 2005 Dodge Dakota stands alone as the largest and strongest mid-size pickup on the market with the only two V-8 engines in its class. New interiors improve comfort levels on both Dakota Club Cab and Dakota Quad Cab models, with more interior room than any other mid-size pickup. The Dodge Dakota Quad Cab offers the most interior space in its class with available six-passenger seating. Methodology Harris Interactive fielded the online survey between Feb. 4 and 8, 2005, among 2,131 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, of whom 1,003 were men and 1,128 were women. The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity and propensity to be online. In theory, with a sample of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results for the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus two percentage points and the sampling error for the individual samples of men and women is plus or minus three percentage points. This online sample is not a probability sample. About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive Inc. (http://www.harrisinteractive.com), the 15th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, N.Y.-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll® and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results. Harris Interactive combines its intellectual capital, databases and technology to advance market leadership through U.S. offices and wholly owned subsidiaries: London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com), Paris-based Novatris (http://www.novatris.com/), Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan, through newly acquired WirthlinWorldwide a Reston, Virginia-based research and consultancy firm ranked 25th largest in the world, and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V