Let me start by pointing out that I am not a GM basher. I think the government was right to help and I want the company to succeed.
Having said that, the new GM advertising and website (http://www.gmreinvention.com/) which seeks to convince us that there is a new company called GM and that it is re-inventing itself is lame at best and insulting to our intelligence at worst. Here’s the new commercial/video:
If you go to the website, there are quite a number of interesting videos and lots of information designed to make the reader feel confident that this is a company that is changing and that it has a bright future.
Here’s what bothers me, the same GM team using the same agencies have cranked out another big production anthemic commercial and a bunch of videos…where’s the “re-invention” in that?
GM has long been criticized for its insular culture and Detroit centric view of the world. GM is company that needs to throw open the doors and invite in new ideas, new ways of thinking, new influences. And yet, what we have, after billions of taxpayer dollars is more of what we’ve seen before.
It seems like the only change that has taken place at GM is that the Federal Government called b_ _ _ s_ _ _ on their financial plans and demanded radically different ones. The marketing hasn’t changed one iota.
I desperately want GM to re-invent itself, but to stand any chance of doing so they need to bring in new thinking and new ways of doing business.
Here’s the shame of it, GM has some terrific technologies, some terrific people and I’m sure they can create a future for the company. The problem is the marketing, “re: invention” shows up like anything but.
Tags: ad agencies, advertising, Branding, GM, marketing