GM and Comparison Advertising

GM has posted another quarter of huge losses. It's become a tired brand that has done a lot in the past year to improve to improve and assure the quality of the GM brands. They've focused on their strongest brands, but the comparison advertising has become a sore thumb. It's the lowest of lows in the in the advertising world. It speaks nothing of brand experience.

Modernista was doing a bang up job with Cadillac, but GM moved on from having a "car that could turn you on". It may have ruffled a few feathers and insulted the sensibilities of some well-to-do execs but it worked. It was noticed and people talked about the brand. I can't say I've seen a memorable Cadillac commercial since.

GMC's "Professional Grade" was good but what happened to it? The GMC brand has always been strong and they were the first to have a Superbowl ad in Spanish to address the enormous Hispanic community in this country that primarily work as skilled tradesmen.

But when you look at Chevy, C'mon? Their product placement in the Transformers is brilliant. I'm old enough to have a nostalgic attachment to the Transformers brand but Jazz was a Pontiac Roadster that couldn't out run he Decepticons. Maybe if was a Porche like he was originally scripted 20 some years ago he'd have a better ending in the first movie. The beloved Bumble Bee was originally a VW bug that could talk. Granted The New Camaro is slick, but it's a GM car that has a damaged voice what ever and their is something is always going to be broken, or in need of repair. I'm sad to see Bumble Bee reduced to a mute robot that can't fix itself.

I must admit I didn't mind the Howie Long commercials at first. They're well written and somewhat witty. Howie is an identifiable figure that a lot of Americans. It's time to move on. They aren't effective. Yes all the research points to Americans needing value and service. But we also want an experience that is worth sharing in social networks, at the water cooler and where ever you'd talk about your cars. I want a car that can turn me on again. Not a car that can't compete with a Honda Lawnmower.

GM went back to the drawing boards and the need to show an experience that would make their cars worth buying again. Value and service will always get consumers to signing their names but it's an experience that's going to get them in the dealership. They need to get off the television ads and immerse their brands into social arenas, online video, and figure something out with mobile medias. If GM wants to pump a little blood into their brands they need to move beyond the comparisons and try to get our blood pumping again. I want a little grit and heart.