Autoblog

Pontiac has been revamping its brand, cutting the ass-ugly (Aztek, Montana) and adding the badass (G8, Solstice GXP). There's a strong desire to shift the median buyer age down. The effort's already underway, and has seen some success thus far, but Pontiac wants the coveted younger buyer. In the interest of getting the Pontiac name in front of their intended buyer, the division is actually cutting back on traditional advertising efforts. Huh? Well, how many 20-somethings do you know who watch Dateline? Right.

Think of it as a one-two punch from Pontiac. The first part is creating compelling product, which we've all been watching intently. The line's been purged of bad ideas, and a strong styling direction has taken hold. Excitement surrounds the launch of the G8 sedan, and the G6 has made us forget all about vehicles like the Sunfire. Okay, the G5 isn't helping matters, but the rest of the lineup is eye-catching and well turned out. Some brand watchers knock Pontiac for not retaining owners over the last ten years, but the brand has undergone some considerable change. We'd expect that buyers turned on by the Trans Sport aren't the same people that get excited by the impending awesomeness that is the G8.

[Source: Advertising Age]

Ah, that mythical 18-34 demographic. So celebrated in our popular culture, so coveted by brands, so elusive and fickle. They do like to party, though, and what better way to try and capture a little of their deficient attention span than to plaster your logo and brand all over the first huge party of the year? That's what Chevrolet will be doing to fulfill it's self-appointed role as the Times Square celebrations "official ride". Kind of ironic when you think about trying to drive in Midtown at any time, let alone a holiday. There's no way your Chevy's gonna get anywhere near Dick Clark that night.

GM's making quite the holiday push, actually. Chevrolet plans to cash in on hats adorned with the bowtie logo and a new billboard, all of which should be captured by cameras from several networks. They'll also be running spots for the Cobalt, HHR, Impala, and Malibu. Pontiac will be sponsoring a musical contest on Jimmy Kimmel Live and will host a band on their Pontiac Garage stage. Add to this the general ad blitz that makes up the GM Red Tag event, and it may feel like the GM show, punctuated by New Year's breaks.

[Source: Automotive News]