GM’s lack of advertising clearly evident, particularly in the youth market

By: TaHoE

www.GMInsidenews.com

March 31st, 2005






It pains me to think that one day I may actually purchase a Scion/Toyota. However Scion focuses their ads on the youth market, a very important market in today’s automotive domain. I can’t turn on MTV without seeing a Scion commercial, it’s virtually impossible. So if Scion can saturate a palate like MTV with their ads, which clearly are aimed at the youth, then why can’t GM.

General Motors has some wickedly cool cars to offer, but many of them are way out of the price range of most college kids. The Chevrolet Corvette & SSR, Pontiac GTO, and essentially the entire Cadillac lineup reek of “cool-ness” and the youth know about most of them. However in the $15,000- $25,000 category GM has little to offer. There is the Cobalt SS Supercharged which is definitely a huge value and an excellent buy, but where is the marketing. Sure there are those Cobalt commercials with the three Cobalt’s playing ball, but these ads have a childish Aura to them. Though college kids do enjoy their share of cartoons, we do not stoop to levels as low as “Blue’s Clues” and “Sesame Street”, thanks GM but I know my ‘A, B, C’s.





The Cobalt SS Supercharged presents GM with such a huge possibility of class-leading sales and profits, but the Cobalt’s ads fall short, very short. I rave about the Cobalt SS Supercharged to all my friends, and all seem impressed, but no one knew about the Cobalt before I told them about it. This marketing is obviously not working, so change it. I would like to see some cool ads about the Cobalt, maybe it at a drag strip drag racing other imports, but don’t give us some cheesy like “More standard horsepower than a Civic Si”. All you have to do is give a glimpse of the competitor and the youth will know what kind of “rice-rocket” it is. Make the add full of interesting music, sound effects, and visual effects. I don’t want an add full of playful little Cobalts, its honestly quite feminine. Create a cool add with a cliff hanger, then send all of the youth the Cobalt’s website where it shows how well the Cobalt performs. Then give them the hard numbers. This kind of “up-front” ad policy is great for print ads, but not for television, for example the Pontiac G6 ads. It’s nice that your V6 makes more power than a Nissan’s four-cylinder and all, but that is not what people are looking for in a TV add. People want shock and awe, give them the hard facts later on.





There is also the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice coming up. Both excellent efforts by GM and ones that I think will do greatly, but again where are the ads? The Solstice will be available. Scratch that, the Solstice SHOULD be available this summer (but more-likely this fall), so where is the ads introducing it. These are both cars that I have talked to my friends about, and again they have never heard of them before. Then I show them pictures of them and they are enamored with the beautiful styling and flawless interiors. Then I tell them the price and they are floored at how cheap they are. So tell me GM, where are the teaser ads. Spring is here, and the weather is starting to get nice. Get people thinking about summer and the joys of driving with some nice teaser adds of the Solstice, then send them to your website.



Notice how I keep mentioning the internet as a source of information for the youth. I say it because it’s true. No young person is going to sit in front of a TV for hours trying to catch a commercial about the Cobalt SS Supercharged or Pontiac Solstice for two reasons. One, we don’t have enough time, and two; GM just doesn’t have any ads out. The youth of America are utilizing the internet more and more as a source of information, not just on automobiles but as a source of information in general. GM should harness this power and use it to their advantage. You should make the youth aware of your advantages, but save it for the internet or print ads. Make your TV ads a work of art that will entice the viewer.



I am trying the best I can to get the word out on the “New GM” but there is only so much one college student can do in between work, school and “after-class activities” . I also write for my college newspaper and I am constantly trying to get the word out. That is why it hurt me to see that Scion had recently placed an ad in our school newspaper (The Pioneer @ C.W. Post University) with a rebate targeted towards college grads. “Receive $400 off of your next Scion purchase if you are a recent college grad!” These are the ads that I am talking about. This ad was also not a cheap dealership add, it was an ad from Toyota/Scion themselves. So why can’t you do it GM? College ads are not really that expensive, so why not get the youth on your side, instead of complaining about unfair press coverage. Though I do agree with you that the press is slanted towards the imports, I must ask the question “Who made it that way?” It certainly wasn’t the imports with their excellent quality, reliability and engineering. We know you are getting better, but you still have a ways to go. In the meantime why doesn’t GM sit down with a nice big bowl of cereal and watch an episode of “Blues Clues” and try to find your long lost, awe-inspiring ads, they can only help.






*I was asked to post my article here, I hope it's in the right section!

 

GM has plenty of ads geared towards the yonger generations, it's funny you should ask. But the Scion hardly appeals to the older crowd, so it was exclusively designed for the younger crowds. So at Scion they can focus exclusively on that younger market unlike Chevy or GM who has to divvy up those ad funds - think about it!! Scion went with heavy MTV ads because most kids don't care about more serious issues, so they advertise on those music , reality shows. Fact is most people cannot afford to buy their own car atleast after college, and those that do before hand, most have co-signors.

If you look hard enough, GM has tons of websites for the YOUNG people, actually all of them, but do not compare Scion to GM, and if you are online, I on;y see GM ads everywhere, so maybe you are not so hot towards GM and do not notice them. I make most of my money exclusively online selling millions of dollars of products each year, for 6 years now. I sort of have a clue.

Try these GM websites:

http://www.gmprovinggrounds.com

http://www.autochoiceadvisor.com

P.S. Last time I checked, Chevrolet outsells Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, Hyundai, etc.

FOLLOW THE LEADER!

 

You of all people should know that just because something sells more doesn't mean it better (The Cobalt isn't the best selling compact, but it is still better than it's competition). If you think I am anti-GM all because I think GM should re-shuffle their ads, your are completely mistaken. My name is Tahoe for a reason. Since my article was published, you are right there have been more youth-targeted ads, particularly with the Solstice and G6 lineup. However the "Do Doo Do Do Do" commercials were really terrible, everyone young and old hated them. Thats what my article was aimed at. Remember my article was written a month ago, so some of the information will be outdated.

 

yeah i agree they could use some better comercials.... but mostly they need to get these things on the dealer floor. what good is a comercial that makes u interested in buying something you cant get without waiting for weeks or more. GM pleaseeeeeeeee make em faster.... if you build them...they will come