Facebook wants GM back originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Dec 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ex-GM marketing chief Ewanick winds up at Fisker originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ewanick's crafty budgeting, Farley Award, led to ousting originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Akerson: GM Marketing a group effort originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Manchester United fans planning GM boycott originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Ewanick, GM part ways
• Aluminum-bodied Ford F-150?
• Lexus LF-A vs. original Acura NSX
• 2014 Mazda6

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #293

Autoblog Podcast #293 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to reports from Adweek and The Wall Street Journal, General Motors is sticking with in-house ad agency, Commonwealth. This news comes despite the fact that GM recently informed Joel Ewanick, the brains behind the firm, that his services were no longer necessary. These reports further speculation that it was more than just a botched sponsorship deal with sports team Manchester United that led to the global marketing boss' demise.

Ewanick's other high-profile decisions at GM included dropping out of 2012 Super Bowl advertising and decimating the $10 million that was earmarked for Facebook advertising, a move announced just days before the social media site's IPO.

All of these actions played into the same cost-cutting strategy that brought about Commonwealth. Ewanick's brainchild, Commonwealth is only four months old. The Detroit-based Detroit-based ad agency is estimated to save GM $2 billion over the next five years.

The advertising house and the cost-cutting plans are still in place, but Ewanick is out. GM says that the executive "failed to meet expectations the company has set for its employees." He was given the option to resign, and at age 52 with stints at both Nissan and Hyundai under his belt, he stepped down from the chair of his very creation.

While General Motors looks for a replacement, Alan Batey, GM's U.S. sales and service vice president, will take over Ewanick's duties.

GM sticking with Commonwealth despite ousting Ewanick originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"It has been a privilege and honor to work with the GM team and to be a small part of Detroit's turnaround. I wish everyone at GM all the best."
- Joel Ewanick

Continue reading Why GM's chief marketer was shown the door

Why GM's chief marketer was shown the door originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Global Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick leaves GM

Global Marketing Chief Joel Ewanick leaves GM originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM sits down with Facebook, may friend each other again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Jul 2012 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM pulls advertising from next Super Bowl after Facebook exit originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 May 2012 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading GM's Ewanick mulls turning Chevy ad campaign into sitcom

GM's Ewanick mulls turning Chevy ad campaign into sitcom originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Ford asks Chevrolet, then NBC, to pull Silverado Super Bowl ad

Ford asks Chevrolet, then NBC, to pull Silverado Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GM marketing changes to Run Deep? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Faltering "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign to get retooled originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Report: Hyundai taps ex-GM exec Shannon for top marketing post originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• For both men, the priority is to get people in seats since GM appears to realize that it can't just rely on people to trust its marketing. "We're making great cars - the Cruze was the first car in its segment to get five stars under the new NHTSA standards," Ewanick said, "we need to get people in sitting in the cars." For Buick, McCormack said as well that his brand will focus on "Activities to get people in cars, sitting in cars, experiencing cars."

• On the subject of settling Cadillac's advertising, Ewanick said, "With Cadillac we're trying to create some dissonance, putting them in ski resorts to remind people that Cadillac is a great brand for their snow activities with the all-wheel-drive sports wagon and CTS, SRX and Escalade." To that end, the brand has done deals with the Northstar ski resort in Lake Tahoe and they're doing one with Vail, in Colorado.

• The scope of the "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign is being broadened from its historical associations to current environmental and community efforts. "I wanted to do wind farms and solar panels, something sexy," said Ewanick. But after talking to people in the field he decided on more community-minded efforts. "Most schools aren't insulated, and if we weatherized them properly they could save on heating." A month ago Chevrolet released a commercial touting the initiatives: buy a Chevrolet and the company will invest in programs that "over the next few years" will reduce carbon emissions by 8 million metric tons.

• The Volt is the brand's best halo car: "People aware of the Volt are more likely to buy into a Chevrolet - it's selling the Cruze, the Malibu and heavy duty pickups because the engineering sells the brand." Speaking of the Cruze, expect to see a lot of it this year. "We don't have a lot of big launches for the year, so the messages will focus on Cruze, month in, month out, all year long."

• Both McCormack and Ewanick described Buick as "more approachable luxury." When asked if that meant Buick was no longer gunning for Lexus, McCormack said "Lexus is still very much a key competitor, as well as Acura, Infiniti, Audi in some instances and Volkswagen in some instances." The key to that appears to be not in exact head-to-head competition (a la the CTS), but finding some in-between space to occupy. "What we do very well is play in luxury mainstream," McCormack said, "positioned betweeen luxury and compact luxury, above mainstream compact. We bake in all the luxury, amenities and craftsmanship, deliver all things the consumer values but the consumer feels like they got a good deal."

• If that's the Buick formula, "the same formula as on the LaCrosse," the point now is to spread it over a wider range of vehicles like the Regal and Verano - and that will also reduce the average age of the Buick buyer. "Look, the age is the age, but it's a reflection of the segments. We started with the Lucerne, LaCrosse and Enclave, all of those compete in segments that will get an older consumer."

• As for Buick's ad frontman, "Kevin Bacon is the Buick spokesperson," Ewanick said, "and we don't see that changing."

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT: Review

GM marketing chief Ewanick: "We'll focus on Cruze all year long" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Joel Ewanick named GM head of global marketing

Joel Ewanick named GM head of global marketing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Why? behind "Chevy Runs Deep" slogan

The Why? behind "Chevy Runs Deep" slogan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Report: GM poaches Hyundai marketing VP Chris Perry to head Chevy PR

Report: GM poaches Hyundai marketing VP Chris Perry to head Chevy PR originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.