Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet
Chevy budgets more than $150 million for Malibu ads
Remember a couple of months ago when we were impressed with GM's plan to spend $100 million on the 2008 Chevy Malibu ad campaign? We were wrong. Try more than $150 million, which is pretty close to the $165 million GM now spends on the Silverado campaign.
Advertising Age says the campaign, called "The Car You Can't Ignore," will have three phases, with the goal of busting the myth that Detroit autos aren't up to world standards. The first phase has kicked off, with a massive online blitz of Web portal ads (you may have noticed them, well, here) that GM hopes will send at least 5 million viewers to chevy.com every day. Also expect to see nationwide billboards, print ads, building wraps and TV spots. One ad is said to say, "We're tired of being a foreign car in our own country."
[Source: Advertising Age]
Gallery: 2008 Chevy Malibu
Phase two, called "Reveal," will use ads quoting positive reviews of the new Malibu to generate buyer interest. GM wouldn't tell AdAge much about phase three, but did say it would involve national TV spots and, according to AdAge, a program "to get consumers to experience the car." Overnight take-homes? Camry comparisons? Licking contests? We'll know soon enough.
Everything about this imminent onslaught of Malibu marketing intends to do one thing: Recapture all those buyers who gave up on domestics years ago. Kim Kosak, Chevy's general director for advertising and sales promotions told AdAge, "We're going to shock the system and get their attention because we're not on their radar screen."
We have a meeting with the new Malibu in a couple of weeks penciled in on the Autoblog calendar and truly hope our systems are shocked. From the photos we've seen, and from the cars we've inspected (but not driven) in person, Toyota, Honda and all the rest may very well be in for some solid American competition.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
AirZurk 2:20PM (10/14/2007)
I don't really get the "We're tired of being a foreign car in our own country." line. At least, I think it refers to the fact that it isn't as well known in its own country as its foreign competitors, but I feel like it could be taken as "most of this car is built outside of the US" whether that's true or not.
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Hagetaka 2:25PM (10/14/2007)
Apparently "our country" means North America instead of America
TriShield 2:27PM (10/14/2007)
Good, they have what looks like a competitive car on their hands and it's time they got serious with it. It's nice to see at least one US automaker spending big advertising dollars on something that isn't a truck.
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Lee Gibson 3:18PM (10/14/2007)
I wish they'd spent some money on the design instead of the advertising.
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 6:01PM (10/14/2007)
It also looks really big for a midsize. everything else is good though.
Victor 8:11PM (10/15/2007)
Kidding, right? This car looks stupid, utterly stupid! No self-respecting man, or even a woman (which in majority tend to like more gentle style rather then aggressive looks) will buy this stupidly looking car. It can only be bought with a huge incentives by people who are really broke and just need a transportation appliance. It's such a pity to see so much effort and money going to waste because some lead designers (or lead marketers?) at GM have really weird taste or lack thereof. Most of the people won’t even bother to look at technical specs and test drive the car. What a pity.
cowboy bob 2:35PM (10/14/2007)
My pet peeve continues- The gas filler door is not on the driver side. This makes for a clusterf**k every time you drive in to get fuel. You are forced to drive in the wrong side of the pumps, many times in dedicated lanes for vehicles that are getting fuel on the correct side of the pumps. This also forces you to enter/exit the roadway from the incorrect side of the station. I have seen many altercations, and two accidents as a result of this problem. Safety is not the issue that has been advocated due to collision on the fuel filler door when the door is located on the driver side. Many more problems arise from people driving into and out of locations from the opposit directon than fire from the location of the fuel filler door. The age of the Pinto caused a bunch of "feel gooders" to make this change, or was it because many of the Generals cars are now designed in Australia, where they do drive on the opposit side of the road. I will NEVER buy a car with the door on the wrong side, so help me God. Yea, many of you laugh at this, untill you get crashed by some a-hole who didn't keep right. "O-LAY"
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Saturn4E 2:47PM (10/14/2007)
I have owned two GM cars that have the "problem" that you are talking about. I have not had one problem. Rather than blaming the design of the car, it is probably wise to blame the drivers who cannot drive.
Jimbo 2:56PM (10/14/2007)
I've never seen this as a problem or seen a gas station where you can only enter from one side. Every European car sold in the U.S. has it on the "wrong" side as well. I guess since it doesn't seem to bother other people is what makes it a pet peeve.
Mike M. 3:07PM (10/14/2007)
My PT has the fuel door on the "wrong" side. I don't see it as a problem because when you drive into a gas station, there is pumps facing each way. Also, one time I stopped to fill up at a rest stop along the Garden State Parkway in NJ and there was a huge line of cars waiting to get to the pumps. Because the gas station was set up so you can only go through it one way, I was able to zoom around all the cars that were waiting and go to the pumps that were facing the way the other cars couldn't go to. So that was pretty cool.
Whitie 2:59PM (10/14/2007)
The only "problem" is the driver has to remember which side has the filler door. Why blame a manufacturer for your personal shortcomings.
Chase 3:11PM (10/14/2007)
Last I remember, Americans drive on the right (not left) side of the road. Having the gas fill on the passenger side means you will be on the right (not left) side of two lanes of pumps at a gas station if you park in the middle. You would be on the left side if your fill door was on the driver's side, which would present the exact opposite traffic patterns as on the road.
cowboy bob 4:57PM (10/14/2007)
Saturn, Jimbo, and Whitie, - The problem isn't with the guy who owns the rig with the filler door on the right hand side of the car, it's becomes the problem for the guy who meets you head on. As for you Mike, nice joke. How do you think all those people felt about you when you "zoomed" by on the wrong side. If I were waiting for my turn, and some a*shole did what you did.........well, If I were you I would consider a bullet proof vest, as you might piss people off enough that you NEED it. We "keep right" in this country, and for those who don't, may luck be with you, as the accident report will show you were not in the correct lane. Laugh if you want, but the insurance industry won't, and neither will you when your rates jump 10% for the four years it takes to "get over it". Entering or exiting from a fill station should NOT require you to violate driving protocall. For those who "never had a problem", I wonder how many other drivers trying to go thru the correct way felt "YOU" were the problem. As they say "ignorance is bliss". Have a happy.
Trev 6:07PM (10/14/2007)
Gas Filler Door is always on the opposite side of the car where the exhaust exits (dual exhausts excepted of course)
Check it sometime
pr5 7:41PM (10/14/2007)
Bob, I think you're making much ado about nothing. I've never heard of or seen an accident at the pump caused by the location of a filler door. The accidents I have seen (no worse than a fender-bender; never a fire, unless you count a gasoline fight ;-)) were caused by morons who weren't paying attention to the other vehicles around them. As I pointed out in my first post, every European car (except Ferrari, Maserati, Mini, and some Bentleys upon second a look) sold here has the filler door on the "wrong" side and they all drive on the same side we do (except the U.K.).
naggs 8:38PM (10/14/2007)
seriously? are you joking?
the fuel cap is on the wrong side? that is your big complaint?
wow
iQuack 11:47PM (10/14/2007)
I agree that it's more convenient to have the gas filler cap on the left (driver's) side.
I think the reasoning is that in the U.S., the right side of the car is the curb side, so safer to fill the tank than standing in the road if/when you must add gas in the street. Also more convenient to have the gas cap on the right if you encounter curbside gas pumps.
Jeff 12:03AM (10/15/2007)
Are you people serious? What happens when you're at a crowded station with the filler on the left? Right, you can't open your door, or you hit a low barrier. Not very convenient.
Regarding remembering which side the filler is on, GM was nice enough to just recently start putting an arrow on the gas guage. Most other makes have been doing that for YEARS! You shouldn't have to remember. What if you're driving a car for the first time, such as with a rental or friend's car?
Jason 8:06AM (10/15/2007)
Gas Filler Door is always on the opposite side of the car where the exhaust exits (dual exhausts excepted of course)
First thought that comes to my mind - my brother's 89 Civic hatchback. Exhaust exits the same side as the gas door.
Sorry, try again.
cowboy bob 9:04AM (10/15/2007)
Most of you just don't get it. I'm not talking about not KNOWING which side the door is on you morons. I'm saying that it Should be UNIVERSALLY on the driver side of the car. This will avoid entry/exit problems in AMERICA where we have LAWS that say you KEEP RIGHT when operating a vehicle! I really shouldn't be surprised that most of you don't see a problem, as this thread proves most of the public are as ignorant as corporate America thinks they are. Yea, I'm otta here, why should I bother.....I'll go visit the Zoo, where the monkeys are smarter.