Iacocca and Davis, Jr. -supported consortium seeks $50M to rehab Detroit 3's image
Automotive journalism legend David E. Davis, Jr., may find himself heading a new magazine if an independent effort to spiff up Detroit's image can find a footing. New York's Kelmenson, Davis (yes, that Davis) & Associates is trying to turn up $50 million to create a non-profit entity to spread the word about the great strides domestic automakers have made lately. The concept, which would be outwardly similar to the "Got Milk" campaign, was developed by Tony Kuhn, an executive partner at KDA. The $50 million would fund a marketing effort aimed at convincing Americans to take another look at General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The advertising would be augmented by a cable TV documentary and a Davis-helmed "American Drive" magazine. Former Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca thinks it's a dandy idea, and has even lobbied on Kelmenson's behalf to auto executives. While they're flattered by the attention and support the idea, honchos at General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford have passed on bankrolling it. While we're not able to throw any money at it, either, Detroit's perception versus reality gap is a palpable problem, and it would be nice to see some of the buying public receive a more up-to-date education.
[Source: AdAge]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Dean 6:10PM (1/16/2009)
I hope they do find some funding, and not from government.
Far too many folks think the Detroit Three are still building disappointing garbage. Sure, there are some duds still in their lineups, but a lot of the newer stuff (at least from Ford and GM) is very impressive.
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Kimura 6:22PM (1/16/2009)
It's from all three of them. Look no further than the new Ram and refreshed Patriot to see the difference.
Robert 8:10PM (1/16/2009)
Here's what gets me about the domestics. I grew up with parents who bought domestic and the first couple of cars were good, the next few were terrible. Meanwhile the japanese were slowly but surely improving their products and built a reputation for reliability and needless to say eventually my parents realized that too and have bought nothing but japanese cars ever since and that was back in the late 80s early 90s. It took the japanese a few decades to earn that reputation and it was well deserved. The domestics seem to approach their newfound reliabilty without having earned it. They seem to feel like a few well placed marketing ads announcing recoginition of past transgressions should absolve them of the hell they put past buyers of their products through. When I start seeing the domestic repeatedly showing up near the top in reliability surveys and their resale values no longer in the toilet then maybe, just maybe I will consider them, but that takes years to attain and sadly the domestics want us (the consumer) to take a leap of faith and believe that they've moved on, but you know what, I've yet to see that on a consistent basis.
notYou 9:45AM (1/17/2009)
Don't we already have this in "Buy American"? (regardless of the extent to which it has been successful). I mean, as a country we should be rallying around all products American, and not fighting for it on a per segment basis ("Buy American Cars!" , "Buy Chinese Toys!").
Note that I said "American" - I don't care about which/who manufactures them, or even if the big 3 are supplanted by other, better, domestic companies. Within our own ecosystem, we should have winners and losers as dictated by the markets. The fact that we don't is a big part of the reason why foreign automakers excel here.
For example: at the tactical level, It's great that Iococca turned Chrysler around and repaid their loan - but at the strategic 20 years later, did we really end up with a Honda or Toyota beater? No, we got a Chysler that seems to have limped between sporadic successes and bad business deals (merger of equals). How much better could we have been if Chrysler would have died off when it should have instead of life support? And, surprise!, here we are again with Chrysler with it's hand out - is anybody really surprised?
fujia 6:23PM (1/16/2009)
That pompous ass !! He is just as guilty as the Crain organization in lauding Detroit all these years instead of critisizing their disastrous ways ! The Detroit auto press is just as guilty as the rest in bringing things to where they are.
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Gardiner Westbound 6:33PM (1/16/2009)
Years ago Ford launched an advertising campaign around the slogan, “Quality is job 1.” It was a clever line. Ford talked the talk, but never walked the walk. That's why it's in big trouble now.
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David H. 6:46PM (1/16/2009)
I just want them to walk the walk. The Big 3 have built garbage for years. The only way to reverse that is to build quality cars...for years. Not just a few good cars now and then, but consistently high quality reliable cars that will actually reverse their negative image.
More people are impressed by my buddies old 300,000+ mile Honda Civic than would be impressed by me showing them a copy of American Drive and lauding how rawk America has become.
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firstplace 6:55PM (1/16/2009)
exactly.
Dunc 7:03PM (1/16/2009)
Well partially, but they are in such a horrible position right now with the economy and everything and they need people to start buying their cars now, not years from now. They are making good cars now, and people deserve to know it.
elprogramer 10:13PM (1/16/2009)
300,000 miles? Tsh.
I've seen older cars with more miles putting along here in Michigan, with the snow, salt and bad roads.
300,000 miles. Don't make me laugh.
Not Detroit 6:50PM (1/16/2009)
There are countless stories from American drivers who drove an import (European and Asian) decided to give detroit (no, I didn't misspell the city, lowercase on purpose) another try, only to undergo a bad experience and swear never again.
Fool us once, detroit, shame on you. Fool us three or four times, shame on us. Initial quality awards, that detroit loves to proclaim, means when you first get the car, INITIALLY. Once the car begins to age, however, all bets are off.
The Big Fools in detroit may have yet again seen the error of their ways, but as expensive as cars have become lately, why take another chance? Demonstrate to America that the quality has genuinely improved for a consecutive ten year time frame, with a reputation that isn't manufactured from Madison Ave., and maybe they might have the opportunity to increase sales domestically.
Until then, hell no.
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Judy Zik 7:24PM (1/16/2009)
You are the poster child for why they need to run this. Hell maybe we all need to pitch in a few bucks. Would beat another bailout. Do your research. The Fusion comes out on top of the Camry in CR`s reliability survey for several years now and not just initial quality or JD Power. The data is out there you just have to be willing to read it. As for this never again Detroit attitude I remember in the 1980's when people thought you were nuts if you bought a Japanese car because they were such crap. A lot of people got burned by early Civics and Corollas and would only buy the brand their father bought. Times change and so do the cars.
Steve 8:37PM (1/16/2009)
Well said Dunc. Ford especially has finally got it. They realized this when they hired mulally and you can really see the turnaround coming. Cars such as the fusion, the flex, and 2010 taurus really prove this..
tekd 3:58AM (1/17/2009)
@Judy Zik
Ford actually does build some pretty reliable cars now. Heck, the Taurus that doesn't even sell is actually reliable other than some brake issues.
But even if their cars are reliable so far, the problem is that long term, I mean really long term-like 10 year reliability isn't proven until you wait 10 years. And there's no way around that except to wait and see.
JZeke 6:55PM (1/16/2009)
Ok so theres alot of crappy American cars still out there *cough Chrysler *cough but seriously people are constantly turning a blind eye to the crap the Germans have been hocking here.
Mercedes used to be a pinnacle of quality but the last 20 of years of their products has shown a marked decline. I've had nightmare experiences with VWs and Audis. BMW is another company turning out awesome-to-drive but questionable cars. This morning in Chicago it was arctic temps, and believe it or not in these temps I have seen many stranded 3-series. 1 or 2 is just bad circumstance, but 10? (over the last week of low temps).
I know I've spit hate towards the inferior products Detroit has tried to sell for forever, but lets be fair here. The world-at-large still thinks a BMW is better built than a Ford. My personal and related experience says otherwise.
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JZeke 7:07PM (1/16/2009)
A lot of hate and ignorance on here. We can all agree there are some American cars that would've been better off not made. An objective person might also be willing to concede there have been many BMWs, Audis, Mercedes and more that have failed the quality test.
What defines quality? What is reasonable (and unreasonable) to expect on a car built today? Referencing the past is all well and good to support an angry point, but how far back can one reasonably mine the past before treading on irrelevance?
I will agree that Detroit hasn't done a very good job making quality job one - until recently. I think its time to be objective about what we expect from industry these days. This marketing push is probably a good idea. The industry has a lot of hard work ahead of it changing corporate culture and eliminating the negative elements that hold itself down.
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Polly Prissy Pants 1:38PM (1/17/2009)
People seem to forgive a $60,000 import when it has to go to the shop, but have the same thing happen on a $15,000 econocar and people take it personally. Not sure why that is but it always seems to be the case. Maybe when you overpay for a Mercedes you feel a subconscious need to justify that by believing it's a superior car to a Civic?
EA Labs 7:16PM (1/16/2009)
David E Davis is only legendary because he's been around for so long. I think its simply an attempt at a cash grab to pay a few nice salaries from a "non-profit" project. I'm sure he called his contacts and because its that douche bag with Lee endorsing him, they really couldn't say no and let him present this stupid idea!
This is what I don't get, you want to launch a "non-profit" magazine, but isn't most the magazines today "non-profit"?
I think David E Davis needs to get in his Morgan and drive away to retirement. His time is over.
This problem is generally economic and not "just" because people hate American cars. If that douche bag noticed, people are not buying Honda or Toyota products either.
I'm sure the Detroit 3 simply rolled their eyes when they saw the proposal.
There are much better ways to spend 50 million and I'm glad to see they are smart enough to realize that!
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MeHoWPL 7:28PM (1/16/2009)
The big 3 have been making terrible cars for close to 30 years now, I'd be surprised if they were able to repair their image within 10-15 years if not longer (someone already mentioned this).
Toyota and Honda have been building quality cars for over 20 years, that's why no one is buying the super sweet super awesome Malibu everyone is talking about. They bought one 10 years ago, 5 years ago or even 3 years ago and it was complete junk.
Big 3 doesn't understand that they don't need to persuade their fan base to buy their cars, people that buy American b/c it's American will always buy American.
They need to persuade the average car buyer with no brand loyalty that does his research looking at people's reviews and forums. They won't be able to do that for another 10 years at best. No advertising campaign is gonna change that. People know that the fact that a car looks nice doesn't mean its well made, cause odds are they've bought one within the last 30 years and it was terrible even though it looked good. This just seems to me like a plot of some people to make money on the downfall of the big 3.
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caddy-v 7:56PM (1/16/2009)
"The big 3 have been making terrible cars for close to 30 years "
And you base that brainfart on what?
I have been driving "the big three" cars, Ford's, some Chrysler and mostly GM since 1967 and not one, I repeat, not one has ever left me stranded or cost major money in repairs. And if they did I'd dump them in a heartbeat just like the 05 Lexus my wife leased and after the second year was counting the days until the lease expired and return to GM.
In case you have'nt noticed, ALL carmakers are losing sales. And only one, the supreme Masiah of the car industry has lost market share. Toyota.