Were you one of the many that thought the apocalypse must be nigh for to suggest that we should ?” Yeah, we understand. After all, the nickname is as American as baseball and apple pie… or something like that.
With that in mind, GM has issued a clarification on its official Facebook page as well as in an official statement (available after the jump), blaming a “poorly worded memo” for the kerfuffle. Further, GM seeks to reassure the masses that they are free to refer to as Chevy if they so choose (whew!). Says The General, “In fact, we like when people call it “Chevy.” It reflects 100 years of history and connection with the American People.”
So, it would seem that we can call off the dogs, so to speak. But we feel obliged to make one thing clear – Do not expect General Motors to refer to its most popular marque as ‘Chevy’ moving forward:
In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process.
So… has this been much ado about nothing, or are you still miffed? Check out the release after the jump, and then have your say in ‘Comments.’
*UPDATE: GM social media spokesperson Joe LaMuraglia has that GM “will use Chevrolet in our branding and messaging for brand consistency.”
GM’s controversial “Suicidal Robot” ad from 2007 – Click above to watch the video
is finally starting to get back on the right track, and under the marketing direction of , the automaker will reportedly be running an ad slot in the 2011 Super Bowl. As you may recall, GM stopped advertising during the Super Bowl in 2009, not long after the economic crash that eventually sent the company into bankruptcy.
Advertising during the NFL’s big game is nothing new to Ewanick. While heading up the marketing department at over the last few years, he and the team successfully launched , promoting the line, as well as introducing the world to the automaker’s in 2009.
GM should be prepared to shell out a pretty penny for next year’s ad slot, however. Automotive News reports that 30-second spots are selling for around $3 million. GM will be advertising alongside Hyundai, , and in next year’s game, and we’re sure other automakers will announce their participation over the coming months. In any case, hopefully things go a bit more smoothly for The General than the from 2007 (available ).
Nissan Leaf iAd on 4th generation iPhone – Click above for high-res image gallery
One or two of you may have noticed that Apple CEO Steve Jobs “officially” revealed today at the Apple World Wide Developers Conference. What you may not know is that the played a small part in his demonstration of Apple’s new iAd mobile advertising platform. Nissan will apparently be using the iAd system to promote its upcoming electric car with some cool interactive features.
The ad begins with a small banner that shows up at the bottom of the iPhone screen. iPhone users can tap the banner to expand the ad to full screen where they will find the Leaf on a pedestal. A swipe across the screen will spin the pedestal to reveal different features of the car. One of the pages allows users to register for the Leaf reservation list and even enter an iAd-exclusive contest to win a Leaf.
Users will be able to check out the ad on iPhones, iPod touches and iPads after it goes live on July 1.
Armando Galarraga with Corvette Convertible Grand Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
On Wednesday evening, Detroit Tigers baseball fans came within one out of watching Armando Galarraga throw the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Plenty of pitchers have come within an out or two from greatness, but only Galarraga lost his bid at retiring all 27 batters he faced by the first base umpire. decided to give the hard-luck pitcher a significant consolation prize Thursday in the size and shape of a brand new, cherry red .
GM President Mark Reuss says in the post-jump press release that The General gave Galarraga the 436-horsepower droptop as a reward for an excellent performance and because of the way Galarraga handled himself in a tough situation. GM has been a big sponsor for the Detroit Tigers for years, which makes sense considering the fact that the company’s Renaissance Center headquarters is clearly visible beyond the center field fence. The General has also paid to advertise on the Tiger’s center field fountain. GM couldn’t afford to sponsor the fountain in 2009 due to bankruptcy proceedings, so team owner Mike Ilitch placed all three Detroit automakers on the fountain in a show of support for the Detroit automakers.
We’re sure the Corvette isn’t quite as nice as having a perfect game on the resume, but it’s not a bad consolation prize, either. GM gets something from this situation as well, as the Corvette giveaway will probably make its way to many local news outlets, along with some time on ESPN. That kind of advertising probably costs a bit more than $58,580. Hit the jump to read over the GM press release.
Love it or hate it, the Formula One circus is . The reinstated United States Grand Prix is set to take place in the Lone Star capital city starting in 2012 and the annual event will surely infuse an added boost of tourism revenue into the Austin area. But just how much will the initiative cost Texas taxpayers?
The first indication could be the licensing fee which Formula One Management chief Bernie Ecclestone charges race organizers for the right to hold the event and its inclusion in the championship. The fee varies for each venue, and nearly every grand prix is financially supported in some capacity by local governments eager to put their locations on the map. Austin’s bill reportedly comes to $25 million for the first year, and will be passed on to local government for the first year at least. After that, the revenues from the previous year’s race will go towards Ecclestone’s fee for the following season.
Assuming Bernie applies the same 7% annual increase as he does to other venues, that means the race will need to generate $26.75 million in its first year to cover just the licensing fee for the following year. Considering that – with advertising, concessions and just about everything else going straight to Bernie’s pockets and some to the teams – ticket sales remain as one of the few ways for race organizers to recuperate the costs.
advertising gurus have a big job ahead of them when it comes to supplementing their longstanding (and intentionally arrogant) “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan with the company’s new “Joy” campaign. Bimmer fanboys had lived and died by the company’s proclamation of superiority for years, so it’s going to take some coaxing to get BMW loyalists to swallow the new ads. Fortunately, BMW has never been one to skimp on advertising dollars, and the company has pulled a stunt in to make sure the ball gets rolling in the right direction.
BMW has used two buildings for a massive, unique 3D projection display right in the middle of downtown Suntec City. Talk about cool. Two massive hands appear to disassemble the structures and rearrange them for their own diabolical, Joy-soaked plans. You can to see the whole shindig for yourself. Thanks for the tip, John!
Sometimes an advertising tag-line is so right, people remember it for decades. In the automotive realm, “Ultimate Driving Machine” and “Standard of the World” stand out and catch on. Apparently “excellence for all” didn’t. The new ad line was developed by Publicis Worldwide which had been tapped to replace Campbell-Ewald as ad agency just over a month ago.
New VP of Marketing Joel Ewanick dropped Publicis barely a week after taking the job and the tag-line which had only been used in some print ads in recent weeks won’t be seen again. New television ads that are running now close out with “everyone deserves excellence” and the main focus is on the so-called “Red-x” quality engineers.
With Ewanick clearly taking charge at GM marketing, it will be interesting to see what new Chevrolet agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners comes up with. for the aforementioned Red-X engineers spot.
Kia Soul This or That advertising spot – Click above to watch the video
You could get with this, or you could get with that. ‘This,’ in case you were wondering, would be the , and ‘that’ would be, um, anything else. Especially a toaster, washing machine or cardboard box… and we’ll leave those vehicular associations up to you to decipher.
Before you actually watch the video pasted , please know that our collective heads heads have officially exploded due to the sheer awesomeness of this effort from and its marketing firm. First of all, the clip features the from Kia’s initial marketing launch for the Soul, the first commercial of which managed to .
More importantly, as far as we’re concerned at least, is the use of Black Sheep’s The Choice is Yours as the musical accompaniment to the Alien Green Soul and its urban backdrop. Also note that the character’s so-called Hamstar clothing will soon be available for purchase by fans at . Seriously.
Expect to see this advertisement all over your television set and in movie theaters starting on Friday, May 28. That said, we highly suggest that you get the jump on everyone else and watch the video now. Seriously, what are you waiting for? .
has developed social media initiatives aimed at “digital natives,” folks 16-to-33 that have grown up with the web, that don’t stop at posting photos and blasting a few characters at a time. One is a community called Gen-Benz, with 580 members who provide Mercedes comments and commentary on the brand.
The other forum for feedback comes via a group of 1,800 M-B Advisers who provide feedback on the marque’s advertising and branding. Interestingly, Mercedes has used the group to get input on marketing the , not just the models you might think more appropriate for the 16-to-33 demographic.
The results being promoted do raise an eyebrow. In one instance, some Gen-Benz members were dispatched to dealers as mystery shoppers and they reported that dealers didn’t treat them well, a verdict that Mercedes’ VP of marketing described as “a truth we wouldn’t have known about for a couple of years.” In another case the M-B Advisers told Mercedes to stick with an emotional pitch for its SLS AMG, yet we aren’t sure how many other ways there are to advertise a nearly $200,000 car. Still, a fairly conservative company going this far to interact with current and new buyers is a smart move.
Given the level of when it comes to their motorcycles, it comes as no surprise that somebody has given one the Munsters treatment and created the . Built in Auckland, New Zealand by an automotive engineer, the bike can carry up to 440 lbs in an underbelly cradle. Push a button and the rig slides out to let the pallbearers do their thing. A complex system of hydraulics helps stabilize everything, and two riders are needed to get the deceased from place to place.
Power comes courtesy of a 1,350 cc engine, and the motorcycle hearse’s inventor, Mike Price, says that he originally wanted to partner with them on the project. Harley wanted Price to sign a lengthy contract before they’d even look at his design, however, so he politely told them where they could stick that dotted line and built the bike himself after work. Are there classier ways to get to your final resting place? Sure, but few are any cooler. for a check out a few videos.
It seems a pretty safe assumption that if Joel Ewanick agreed to join as its Vice President of Marketing after less than two months in the same job at , he must have been promised a lot. Specifically, he was probably given complete control over everything marketing related for all four remaining brands at GM. If so, it appears that Ewanick is jumping in with both feet. It was only a few weeks ago that Chevrolet announced that it was and now Advertising Age is reporting that the old agency may be back in the picture – although likely in a lesser capacity.
The agencies involved with business haven’t even figured out who was being hired and laid off yet, and already Ewanick is indicating that everything is changing again. If Chevy is up for grabs again so soon, the recently awarded account could be opened up again as well. While the opportunities are huge for gaining new business, we foresee a lot of sleepless nights ahead in the coming weeks for ad agencies hoping to do work for GM.
Marisa Miller selling motorcycles – Click above for high-res image gallery
When we first got word that had a hot new model, little did we know they were referring to a supermodel. Marisa Miller may be known as the sexiest women on the planet for her work in Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret catalogs, and in light of her latest ad campaign with the Bar and Shield Company, we’re not here to debate that. The girl just can’t seem to get enough action – on her motorcycle, of course.
We have to hand it to the advertising execs in , they sure know how to combine all the right elements to pull at our drawheartstrings. Ms. Miller will be out urging the world to “” in this series dedicated to cutting out all of the typical reasons you have for not yet riding a motorcycle. We didn’t need much encouragement, but if you do, Harley-Davidson has created a special ride guide and will even be giving away a few bikes to help those who are still on the fence. If you were wondering if Marisa ever put on a full set of proper riding gear… well, neither were we, however if you would like to see the behind-the-scenes video, just . And remember: your employment may vary, but the video and the gallery below might not be safe for work.
First, it’s worth mentioning that when the finally hits American shores, chances are it won’t be wearing a logo on the hood. As far as we know, the sub-compact will arrive sporting the same badges it wears in Europe. However, that hasn’t stopped an enterprising /Dodge dealership in the Neatherlands from slathering one very confused Cinquecento in Dodge logos and using it as a loaner. We aren’t quite sure what the package is supposed to do other than provide free advertising for the dealer and disorient onlookers, but we’ve got to admire the dealer’s go get ‘em attitude.
Aside from the smattering of vinyl decals, Middlebeek Dodge has also gone so far as to swap the 500’s badges for the infamous Dodge Ram and a mysterious question mark. Feel free to for a quick walk around of the car in the flesh. Be warned: we won’t be held responsible for any dizziness or nausea that may occur.
2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery
Actually, the marketing campaign started well over a year ago with the Fiesta Movement social media effort. The primary advertising campaign is now moving into the more traditional print and broadcast areas as well as a new phase of the “Movement.” The first 60-second TV ad will air Tuesday night during American Idol and then spread to movie theaters to lead in the big summer blockbusters.
The more interesting aspect of the campaign will be the online webisodes that feature Fiesta Movement agents in short films. What’s not to like about to advertise a hip new car? Another webisode may be a play on last year’s Fiesta vs. Corvette comparison on Top Gear with the little Ford facing off against a Lamborghini this time.
The tag-line of the campaign will be “It’s a pretty big deal” referring to all of the features and equipment that are either standard or available in the Fiesta including the seven airbags, push-button start, heated leather seats, SYNC and especially the 40 mpg highway fuel economy. Ford is heavily promoting this as a premium small car rather than just a cheap, small car. One of the print ads features a comparison of the air bag count as compared to the .
In spite of that premium feel, Ford is still promoting value although not necessarily the way they have in the past with a low-ball entry level price. Instead, the hatchback Fiesta, which starts at just over $15,700, is being pitched against the Honda Fit Sport.
With down-sizers, urban dwellers and younger buyers being the primary target market a big part of the campaign will also involve ad buys on urban and adult contemporary radio stations as cable channels like BET. .
We really haven’t heard too much from Bing since cooled the jets on its advertising assault. We had thought that the supposed Google-killer had been sentenced to the same search engine purgatory as the likes of Ask Jeeves, but it turns out the big M has been busily sharpening the teeth on its Bing . The company has just added turn-by-turnnavigation to the recipe, and from what we can tell, it looks just as capable of getting you where you’re going as any of the windshield-mounted hardware out there.
Pocket Now has posted a video of the app in action. It has no problem handling voice commands and the robo voice is easy to understand. You can even tap on the screen in order to have the app repeat a portion of the directions. The best part? It’s absolutely free. to see for yourself.
The free press? It ain’t so free. It’s no secret that most publications face rising costs and declining revenues, both of which combine to create bottom lines that would shiver even cash-strapped timbers. So it should come as no real surprise that Consumers Digest makes manufacturers pay for licensing associated with the publication’s illustrious “Best Buy” awards. But that hasn’t stopped the from drawing a correlation between the number of nods the magazine hands out and how much cash the winners spend on licensing and advertising.
Here’s how it works: Consumers Digest hires freelance auto writers to review vehicles each year. Those vehicles are supplied by manufacturers through short-term loan agreements. Once all of the reviews are in, the editors choose which vehicles are deserving of a “Best Buy” award and which aren’t. Once the awards are announced, manufacturers typically want to toot their own horn and brag in advertising. Thing is, Consumers Digest won’t allow the carmakers to use their name without paying the piper first. In this case, that means handing over $35,000 for the mention of a first-place win.
Consumers Digest isn’t the only publication handing out awards that operates with this business model, but the Wall Street Journal compares the practice to – a squeaky-clean institution that buys every car it tests from dealerships and refuses to allow manufactures to cite its awards. It’s not exactly an apples to apples job.
Even so, the article notes that the number of “Best Buy” awards handed to increased by 17 percent compared to last year, and that Consumers Digest recommended around half of the vehicles it tested even in the midst of a wave of recalls from the company.
The Wall Street Journal piece does do a fine job of underscoring the fact that everything you read is best taken with a healthy helping of skepticism. Any publication that ranks products walks a fine line between credibility and keeping the lights on. Consumers would do well to remember that.
2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
The interwebs are rife with rumor that the mysterious is none other than Google itself. Motor Trend is reporting that is currently courting the search guru in order to use the Big G’s Android operating system in its vehicles. If successful, the company should have a telematics system that’s more than capable of taking it to Sync – the excellent /Microsoft mashup currently available in most Blue Oval products.
While MT claims that GM wants to out and out buy Android, we doubt that’s the case. Google hasn’t exactly made a habit of selling anything it produces – opting instead for an advertising-based revenue stream. What’s more, Google is making major inroads into the consumer electronics marketplace with Android. Still, that doesn’t mean the open-source Android couldn’t find its way into the next generation of smart-phone capable vehicles from Detroit.
If the rumors prove true, we should first expect to see some iteration of the system on the upcoming . GM has already said that owners will be able to monitor things like battery life and charging from their smart phones. They’ll also be able to start and unlock the vehicle via a Volt app. Similar usability will likely trickle down into the rest of the GM ranks.
Since we haven’t played it, we can only potentially file this under “Um, wut… ?”, but apparently has a new baseball app out for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. When you’re not playing a game with teams like “Sil” () and “Cam” () or practicing your catching during spring training, you can head into the Chevy Dugout to learn more about the Bowtie’s cars.
Naturally, there is also a chance to win a trip to the 2010 All Star Game, which might make the enterprise worthwhile if you’re mad about MLB. Follow the jump for the press release or head over to the App Store to get downloading. Who knows, with seemingly the entire auto industry putting their advertising up for review, maybe there’s still some life in the old “” chestnut.
2011 Buick Regal – Click above for high-res image gallery
As it turns out, the rumors swirling around both the new and have turned out to be true. The company confirmed that by 2012, it will boast a total of three new vehicles in its lineup, including the new . That leaves the remaining two slots to be filled by the likes of a small crossover built on the bones of the all-new as well as a small four-door based on the upcoming .
According to The Detroit News, you can also expect a range of other changes to hit Buick soon. is bent on reworking the brand, and as a result, it has asked dealers to refresh the exterior of dealerships and retrain sales people at the same time. Don’t expect to see too many more ads to pop up during the PGA, either. Buick says that it’s moving away from the golf set in order to focusadvertising at places like Whole Foods, Starbucks and Ikea.
GM is hoping that the new models will allow the brand to compete in 47 percent of the current auto market. Combined with the change in advertising strategy, Buick just might be able to drop a generation or two when it comes to the average age of its customers at the same time.
After yet another round of musical chairs amongst ‘ executives, Susan Docherty will be removed from her position as vice president of marketing later this month. With just over six months behind her in the current job, Docherty will be given a new position within GM, which the automaker says it will announce in the near future. Rumors of Docherty’s removal had been speculated for a while now, especially after her was dropped in another recent management shift.
Big shoes to fill, no doubt, but GM is certain that they’ve found a worthy replacement, especially if the automaker was willing to remove Docherty from the job in the first place. On May 24th, GM will welcome Joel Ewanick to the team – the man who helped build its considerable marketing momentum over the past few years, though he did to just a few months ago. GM’s North American president, Mark Reuss, says, “Joel is highly regarded in industry and marketing circles, and his track record speaks for itself.”
In a time when GM needs to give its entire brand image a good once-over, it makes sense to have the best marketing people possible on the team. What’s more, with big announcements like and its new slogan on deck, some serious new marketing strategies will have to come into place to move new products off of dealer lots. GM’s full press release is available after the jump.
After yet another round of musical chairs amongst ‘ executives, Susan Docherty will be removed from her position as vice president of marketing later this month. With just over six months behind her in the current job, Docherty will be given a new position within GM, which the automaker says it will announce in the near future. 
