Advertising Age asked the same question of a brace of marketing experts, with predictably hilarious results. Early on, one Mad Man suggests revamping GM by introducing “a promotion that would transform General Motors into America’s first truly owner-owned company: The government issues anyone who purchases a new GM vehicle in the next 12 months 1,000 shares in General Motors stock. Then GM shareholders become people who are motivated to make both better products and a better company.” Seriously. As if the cure for GM’s woes were for marketing to wag the entire bankrupt dog. Anyway, check out the whole thing for a wild assortment of interesting ideas and pure, unadulterated crazy. Then riddle me this: how does GM take advantage of its new structure and piles of tax money while minimizing bailout backlash? Or does it? Can a government-owned firm be popular with the public under any circumstances?
As one adman puts it, “A near-bankrupt client, a low chance of success, crushing global scrutiny with hands-on government oversight every step of the way? Of course we’d do it. That much fun should be illegal.” So catch the feeling, bask in the alleged dawn of GM’s new day (if only for a moment), and tell us how you’d convince America that GM can once more become a source of national pride.
“Are you on minimum wage?
Are you struggling to make ends meet, despite having 2 jobs?
Is your landlord demanding his rent, which you can barely afford?
Are your tips the difference between eating beef or eating dog food?
Well, chances are, you can’t afford a new car! But don’t worry, your taxes are supporting a company whose employees can afford one!”
Tell it like it is!
“Come buy a car from us, TODAY, or the company your kids and grandkids paid for might not be around when they learn to drive.”
Sorry but their is not saving this puppy. It’s like trying to save the Titanic while it’s already ass up, your just going to drag more resources down to the bottom.
I think it’s a well-done ad. That said, can someone please tell me why they think that GMC makes sense to keep? There is absolutely no reason that I can see. Just offer an upscale trim level on the damn Chevy and be done with it.
There are some major improvements with some of GM’s models, no doubt. However, as I’ve said before, I’m not one of those singing the saintly praise for the CTS. The intrusive center console would make me wish I could leave my right knee at home. That, combined with a 4-star frontal crash rating, squeaky interior bits and poorly fitted/assembled pieces lead me to the quick conclusion that GM is still letting things get out the door half-baked.
And somebody get the Camaro out of Ryan’s buffet before it tips the ridiculous 4,000 lb mark. If they could have used some of the obvious tech from the C5/C6, along with paying attention to the steering feel/response, they would have had something that has driving merit to back up the menacing looks.
If GM is going to be successful in its rebirth, they are simply going to have to concentrate everything they have on producing a nearly flawless small car platform that can compete with Honda and Toyota. It can’t have Cobalt parts or styling, nor can it have anything less than steller build quality. I don’t see that happening anytime soon. If they could scrap nearly everything they have and concentrate on about three or four models, they might be headed in the right direction. Notice I said models and not marques. I don’t care what badge they put on it, these few simply have to be world-class. Take your resources off of those ridiculous “side projects” like the HHR and that lame excuse for a sub-compact called an Aveo and you might be able to pull it off. And don’t forget that we haven’t even begun to talk about your horrible dealer experience. That’s another topic in itself.
GM automobiles, it still beats riding a bicycle to work!
As I’ve written a few times in comments here, but never taken the time to put in an editorial.
Consumers, while irrational, aren’t necessarily complete idiots.
They know that the car majors (and then some) are struggling now, and therefore cutting corners on manufacturing quality and parts spec’s (the parts suppliers are also cutting corners).
Which is why the Used Car market is experiencing a surge, with one or two steps up good condition used cars being preferred to this and coming years’ models. People are figuring that five year old cars beat today’s and tomorrow’s offerings, hands down.
That’s going to be GM’s biggest problem. Customers are going to shy away, the way you do from a restaurant that gave its patrons food poisoning. (In GM’s case, for the restaurant metaphor to hold, they gave guests food poisoning every night for half a year, before they closed shop.)
It’s going to take a looooooooooong time before GM’s products are attractive again.
UNLESS
GM sits down and rethinks the mobility equation. Another hobby-horse of mine.
If GM thinks it can become viable by building regular old ICE cars, then forget it.
If GM wants to use this as an opportunity to redefine how we move, then people could be listening.
Consider it a moonshot program. “By the end of the decade …” And fund it as such.
Then we’re talking.
The world still looks to the USA for guidance – consider this an opportunity.
GM has nothing to market right now. Well, nothing really worth it. Like Stein X Leikanger said, they need to offer something above and beyond what the competition does. Forward thinking is what’s going to save GM, not building the same old shit, not building slightly improved same old shit. Toyota is banking on the gas-electric hybrid angle, Honda and Ford seem set to do the same. GM must go beyond that. I don’t know what tomorrow’s fuels will be, or what a better alternative to the the gas/electric hybrid is. Clean diesel? Biofuels? GM’s job is to find out what the future is and build it. Before anyone else. Or they’re toast.
Boycott Government Motors
Robert Schwartz
+1
Never, never ever will I buy from them. Again.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
GM’s killer issue is credibility. Buyers who GM burned are unlikely to return when nimble competitors produce desirable, high quality, strong performers and look after customers. Why would they?
I love this one:
“Every car we build will be made to order — the color and features you want.” The entire infrastructure could be rebuilt to radically reduce the number of dealerships. GM could switch to selling cars out of malls and Main Street storefronts, [or] the internet. Using lean, [just-in-time] manufacturing practices, only cars that have been sold would be built.
Dealers are the middle man that can be cut out but whatever it is the ‘New GM’ will have to offer something NO OTHER CARMAKER DOES or CAN to get buyers back after going bankruptcy.
Well as Bill Griffeth of CNBC said, expect the “mother of all incentives”.
For many consumers, price will override political considerations and some product deficiencies.
Let the good times roll.
Wonderful little propaganda piece to satisfy the feeble minded…Goebbels would be proud.
It’s a simple thing.
Yet the commercial above doesn’t have it. Nor have any of the mavens in the Ad Age article or the B+B here at TTAC suggested it. In fact, it is a sentiment that has been so rare in GM communications that if done in a genuine fashion and backed up by action it could have the power to reset the bar and give GM a chance in the short term.
What is this crucial element for GM communications going forward? An apology.
It goes like this:
We screwed the pooch.
We’re embarrassed.
We’re sorry.
Yours truly,
GM
The last GM product I had, a 1980 Buick Skylark, provided continual heartburn! From then on I have had Audis, VWs, Hondas, Toyotas, Lexuses and other good cars.
Though a baby-boomer like myself would shy away from GM products because of past insults they provided, the new company needs it’s own ‘k-car’ and a sales dude like Iaccoca who can push it. I nominate Jay Leno. He is a car guy and would be very believable.
The old GM had the right marketing savvy with Saturn, but screwed the buyers who became believers. They need a product philosophy that says We are a new Enterprise. ‘going where no car company has gone before’.
I think jayparry nailed it with the build to order concept. Now this new company needs a product we can believe in, a name that is not synonymous with big brother or the Titanic.
Are you tired of foreigners cutting in line ahead of you at the DMV ?
Are you sick of hearing about everything that’s wrong with this country ?
Are you worried that the Japanese are buying Yankee Stadium ?
Did your boss say that your job could be done by a machine ?
Did your last new car come with so many gizmos that you feel like an astronaut should be driving it ?
Did you say that the last time you saw a set of whitewalls was when your daughter’s boyfriend took you out to eat at a Korean resturant, and the whole family had to go to the emergency room at the hospital ?
Is that what’s troubling you, Bunkie ?
Come buy the brand new, S-Car from Patriot Motors.
Come see the new red-blooded four door, rear wheel drive, All-American Wondermobile that everyone is raving about.
Its fuel-efficient, two-cylinder motor will whisk you from zero to fifty in under a minute. Its comfortable leatherette seats will remind you of fine corinthian leather. It comes standard with 13 or optional 14 inch whitewalls on stylish alloy-steel wheels. Armstrong power steering, deluxe heater and radio are all there too. Easy Freddie Mac financing for well-qualified buyers, with prices starting in the low 120s. Your neighbors will be saying “Look at that S-car go !”. ;-]
I think I’ll just stick with the “old” Honda for the rest of my life.
WTF. What have all the sports shots and scenic vistas got to do with me trusting GM again? Customers are not that dumb, that’s why GM’s market share tanked. The only way they can get back in the game is to sell a superior product at a ridiculously low price and attach a unbelievable warranty and hope the competition screws up.
“Your New GM dealer now accepts food stamps!”
“ACORN certified previously owned vehicles you can buy with confidence!”
“Buy from us and list us as a dependent on your 1040 form!”
“Don’t worry about your warranty repairs– your neighbor’s paying for it!”
“New green airbags no longer use explosive chemicals– only hot air!”
Get Batman in – again – worked for British Leyland, well for a while before the inevitable.
Failing that go for BOGOF – Buy One Get One Free. Would help reduce the inventory as well.
*Edit – During the early 90s a local Ford dealer near my parents did this – free Fiesta with every Scorpio sold. The Fester was worth less than the immediate depreciation on the Scropio.
I actually liked the commercial. It was polished, straightforward, and wasn’t rife with bald eagles and flags.
That said, can someone please tell me why they think that GMC makes sense to keep?
It was always explained to me that GMC was the preferred badge for commercial customers buying trucks. I would imagine that GMC will be adjusted to be the truck brand for GM, or perhaps a commercial-oriented brand.
@noreserve:
GMC makes sense because pickups are a small portion of it’s profits. GMC makes trucks. Real trucks. Trucks that haul boxes of products. Boxes of fruit and veggies, boxes of meat. Boxes of car, boat, plane, and train parts. Pickups are an afterthought. That is why they are just badge engineered Chevy’s.
+1 to what Stein X Leikanger said.
If I were CEO of GM, all car platform teams would be assembled like Corvette. When you buy a GM car, you’d be assured it was at least equal in quality to the Corvette. The ‘vette is a good car; well designed and built. Performance per dollar, it blows every other sports car off the map! It isn’t the fastest, or best handling, or cheapest, or has the best interior but dollar for dollar, it ranks right up there with the worlds best.
Every car, in every segment should have that goal.