Clearing the Air
By Gary Grates
Vice President, Communications, GM North America
We’ve been reading and listening to a lot of criticism from our friends in the news media and in the blogs over the past week regarding our dispute with the Los Angeles Times. We’ve also received some praise from those — including a few in the media — who agree with us that the newspaper’s coverage is not always fair.
By far, the most frequently asked question has been: “Why doesn’t GM publicly detail the Times’ errors and misrepresentations?”
Since this became a news story last week, we have declined to participate in a public airing of our complaint out of respect to the Times. To its credit, the Times has an ombudsman who is investigating the issues we raised. Although some have speculated about the substance and merit of those issues, we feel that we should let the Times consider our complaint and announce its conclusions before we comment further.
Needless to say, this has not been a popular decision with those who would prefer to portray this as a “battle” or “war” in which one side wins and the other loses. It makes for good copy with lots of conflict.
In fact, our discussions with the Times have been respectful and professional. We have been very frank in our criticism, and the Times editors so far have taken our complaint seriously, which we appreciate.
We knew going into this that our action would be portrayed negatively. GM has been attacked relentlessly in the past week as being “thin skinned.” But think about that for a moment: GM has been particularly “newsworthy” in the last month. During that time, many have weighed in on our challenges and our products, and by any measure, much of the commentary has been negative. If ceasing our advertising in the Los Angeles Times were simply a symptom of our alleged “thin skin,” then why focus solely on the Times, a newspaper that covers GM and Detroit minimally?
In fact, GM is not averse to fair criticism, and we appreciate the role journalists play in our society. We advertise in hundreds of venues and media, and by and large, we consider the coverage of our company fair, balanced and thorough. We deal personally each day with hundreds of journalists from a wide range of media around the world, and we feel most of them take their job seriously and do their best to be fair. We expect critics to point out where we have done well with our products and where, in their opinion, we could do better. We often learn a lot from such criticism and take it to heart.
When we disagree, we prefer to take it up privately with the publication, as we did with the Times. We are not so naïve to expect that the media should only write positive things about GM or any other company, as some have opined.
We were one of the first companies to establish a blog where our executives could express their opinions in their own words, unfiltered by anyone else, and hear back directly from enthusiasts and others interested in what we do. Bob Lutz has stated repeatedly in this forum that criticism is welcome, and we’ve published a good amount of it, along with the praise.
But neither do we think that any business should remain mute when it sincerely believes it has been treated unfairly or attacked by reporting that is unsupported by facts and unrelated to reality. It is extremely rare that we take the kind of action we did with the Times, but it is fully within our right to spend our advertising dollars where we see fit.
We anticipate having more to say once the Times reaches its own conclusions, and we’ll share that with you here when the time comes. Until then, acting in good faith and out of respect for the Times’ process for dealing with such issues, we will opt to not add fuel to the media fire.
UPDATE: See David Kiley’s column in Business Week, Jerry Flint’s column in Forbes, and Automobear.com for tough but fair analyses of the issue.
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Stand your ground. Let the chips fall where they may. Not a west coast resident or even reader of the Times but any company can certainly spend resources where they choose. For a major company and brand such as GM it seems that radio, television, and magazines with glossy pictures go a lot further than newspaper. Here in our neck of the woods the papers are put to good use by the local retail franchises of the big companies. Somewhere deep in someone’s mind a thought happened that gee, how can we get their attention. Money talks. Plain and simple.
Nevermind the LA Times issue, thats old news. Id like to hear more about the logic of the new “GM Tag” on all vehicles. Will this include Saab and Saturn? As a matter of fact, I just completed a Saturn related marketing project for a University of Michigan business school class and I get the impression that Saturn would in no way benefit from this.
I can see the issues you are trying to address. When you hear about Toyota’s newfangled technology in the press, you can go out and buy a Toyota. When you hear about GM’s advances in fuel cells or what not, you shrug and turn the page. With GM making a lot of noise about the “Only GM could” campaign, this is a valid thing to be concerned about.
I suspect this is part of a long term strategy that will reach maturity years down the road. If it is merely a short term strategy to try to increase sales, it’s going to fail. The badge looks like a rock chip or scratch in many cases; it just does not work.
GM is a foundering ship and, like other once powerful, is looking to blame the messenger. Shame on you for your heavy handed tactics.
I think pulling your advertising is an appropriate response to unfair and inaccurate reporting. After all, the big city daily paper isn’t so much a source for well reported stories as it is an “advertising delivery device.” The mainstream media needs to be put on notice that smug headlines, bias, thinly veiled contempt and impertinence are not “journalism.” If you want to write for The Daily Show or The Onion, go right ahead. But leave the newspaper for reporting the news. The five W’s. In depth. You can’t match the Internet or 24-hour cable news in terms of speed, but you can beat them in depth. So do it.
Fuel cell investments by GM seem to be the right way. No response to LAT is best. Lets focus on the future and begin to market the Hy-wire, By-wire, and AUTOnomy concept.
It’s good that your finally standing up for yourselves.
I just ask two things from you, kill any more brands off and your not getting my business anymore.
Another thing is, whats with the badges, does ford put its badges on Jaguar?
GM’s Gary Grates Let’s It Loose!
Well, you have to give GM lots of props for standing tall against what they perceive as unfair treatment by the press, ie the LA Times. At the GM corporate blog, Fastlane, Gary Grates, GM North America Vice President, Communications, explains their act…
The new gm badge is probally the most idiotic corperate idea I ever seen. You wonder why people don’t know anything about your brands? it’s because the product that people can afford you put no money into, meanwhile you dump money into developing halo cars that are not obtainable, and therefore have poor sales. Put more money back into the core product and people will come. No gm badge will save your product , until you fix your product. For example what ever happened to the real lacrosse we were supposed to get? where did those design cues go? Why must there be a prolitan to give every division an suv, when buick, pontiac, and saab all are at theri core a car selling brands. I’m huge fan of gm, I’ve grown up on your company, and it hurts so bad to see the lack of leadership and common sense that you people lack in leading it. It’s bad enough Oldsmobile had to take the dive, but now, this….I mean do you honestly believe anyone who will buy a 50 k plus sts will want a gm badge on it? Do you think that people who are shopping in the caddy and sabb price range will even shop there cuz they realize that the same company that makes the xlr, makes the ion, I don’t think so.
A letter to the Borg collective
The GM blog posts some clarification this morning about the LA Times issue and what does the first commenter say – What’s with the GM badging of all products from 2006 on?? This just goes to prove a few things.a/
Thickening Plots
When GM decided to pull its ads from the LA Times last week because it felt the paper had included,
G.M. advertises in the L.A. Times to help sell cars and try and make a profit. When the editorial staff at the paper neutralizes their advertising and the best efforts of their designers, builders and engineers, it’s time for G.M. to take their football and go home. That print money is better spent in more productive areas. Very simple.
This reminds me a lot of the 1980s when Dodge, Chrysler, and Plymouth all used the Chrylser 5-pointed star on all the vehicles, regardless of brand. It made them ubiquitous and the only way to tell what brand they were was to look on the trunk/tailgate. While I don’t think this is the case here with the brand badges still being on the front, putting the GM badge on the side of every car is extremely risky. As was said before, would you want the same badge on your Cadillac as you would a Chevrolet? I know I wouldn’t. A sticker under the hood or hidden in the interior would be more than adequate to highlight corporate awareness.
I just saw that GM is going to stick its emblem on every car sold. What a great idea. Make sure you imprint on the consumer the corporate brand behind your ugly vehicles. Does this somehow portend a removal of many car brands and a move to selling autos under the GM brand? I suspect you should spend more time making cars people want. Maybe you could call up William Ford and tell him to stick a big oval Ford emblem on every Aston Martin and Jaguar they sell. Great idea in a time of crisis.
Looking for an American car in the state of Ca is like looking for a 4 leaf clover so why is GM spending their ad dollars there ?
As to the LATimes, when have they ever had to say anything good about America as a whole much less our products ?
Instead of buying ad space with them why not finally link up with us GM owners who pay 1,000s of dollars over the years to have grass roots websites, BLOGs and forums about the cars we bought from you and place ads there ?
Treat the LATimes as you do the car owners when you want to void their new car warranty.
I can imagine the criticism GM will get if the new “performance” RWD platform, (Zeta-lite?) comes with a live rear axle – as rumored.
And that criticism will be well deserved.
Charlie
What is fair versus unfair coverage? Honstly, the tone was the only thing in question about the Times’ G6 review. Everything else was spot on. I think it is a particularly horrid little car, as does much of the media. GM can’t bully their way into good press, they must build good cars worthy of praise, like the C6.
I’m going to be frank in regards with the G6. It debuted with cheap, dated-looking taillamps and an awful interior. The coupe and convertible are not even out yet, nor are the 4-cylinder models. The sedan’s introduction should have been delayed 12 or so months to fix that sea of gray plastic that makes up that interior. Then the whole lineup could have been launched together now with a full range of engines.
You noted previously that the quality of materials in the G6 is on par with the Accord. Yes, you’re right. Unfortunately the Accord has a much greater variety of materials and colors in the interior so it is not just a depressing mass of gray plastic. Look at the interior of the G6 concept. Look at the interior of the allegedly 100& production-ready AURA. The AURA interior wouldn’t make the owner of the vehicle feel bad every time he or she drove it. The G6 interior does. What’s with only having the satin nickel trim by the window controls? How about some on the console, like the G6 concept? How about some 2-tone interiors? ANYTHING would be an improvement over the gray plastic and red lighting interior of the current car. Even the Malibu has a good interior, and isn’t the G6 supposed to be upmarket of the Malibu?
Then again does it even really matter? Pontiac doesn’t offer anything that a Chevrolet SS vehicle couldn’t, and with the Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership consolidation, well, no loss if the Pontiac just drops out of the lineup. Doing that would at least euthanize Pontiac, whereas Oldsmobile was murdered with some of the best product in its history.
Now is the time to decide: improve Pontiac vehicles including the G6 to make them even competitive in their class, or kill the division. With the current product lineup, Pontiac will only have 2 vehicles remotely competitive, Torrent and Solstice. Everything else is hopelessly subpar. Coupled with the brand’s [poor] image, and I just don’t think it’s salvageable. Then again, GM hasn’t been making the smartest decisions lately (GM badges anyone?)
I agree with pulling ads from LAT, I keep hearing a lot of crap about GM but I think they make very decent cars.
The badge is a very bad idea, instead, use that small amount of money to put the aux input on the rest of the stereos for every car.
I think GM was well within its rights to pull advertising dollars from the bird cage liner that is the LA Times.
Let’s face it, most writers only want to be controversial to sell papers. This episode probably brought more attention to the writer than he has ever deserved on his own merits.
On the Gm badge issue….for the love of God people…my 1969 Camaro had a blue “GM Mark of Excellence” sticker in the door jamb.
I take pride in the fact that GM stands behind ALL its products.
Now just don’t screw up the 5th gen Camaro with a live axle and Macpherson struts and all will be good…..
$10 million is A LOT of money. While GM may be getting much of the negative press out of this (after all, one of the journalists in question is a pulitzer prize winner for auto journalism) I feel that the LA Times will feel the crunch in their pockets (where GM is hurting as well) and will do something about this.
Kudos to GM. Now please, do something out these gouging Pontiac delears out there regarding the Solstice.
Putting a GM corporate badge on “distinctive” brands like Saturn, Saab and Hummer is completely illogical and contradictory to the premise of making them individualistic in the first place. Ditch the badges, let the cars’ qualities (or lack of them) speak for themselves.
GM: “We’re Not Thin Skinned”
When GM cancelled its ad contract with the LATimes, many praised them for setting the wrong-thinkers at the LAT straight. Cheat-Seeking Missiles was not one of them. Based on Dan Neil’s column on GM personnel and the new Pontiac G6, I saw little GM c…
You guys are the most self-destructive bunch of execs that I can think of.
Your well-thought out strategy:
Emphasize SUVs when gas prices rise
Neglect real Hybrid technology
Put out multiple versions of half-baked “new” sedans and minivans based on ancient platforms with low grade plastic interiors and elderly drivetrains
Refuse to cut your capacity which is geared to a 35% market share
then
Blame the media for your screw-ups
Keep up the good work!
May you live out your retirements in peace with the former execs of Pan Am and Eastern Airlines.
Will the GM badge be on Saturn and SAAB (whoops, I mean ‘Saab’)?
Can I use my $3,000+ GM Card Points for one of these then? Maybe the Aura or Sky?
Gary,
As far as the LA Times goes, GOOD JOB and about time! Make no mistake, if someone had printed misrepresentations about something the LA Times said that someone would be in court now. They got off light. The LA Times will stand by their man and blithely claim they did nothing wrong. Also expect additional media to rally to their support. First, the LA Times did do something wrong and they have done so repeatedly. Dan Neil’s piece went beyond mean. In his zeal to join Bandwagon Inc. in criticizing GM his atttention to fact and detail was lazy, sloppy, and unprofessional.
As a Pulitzer prize winning journalist his biased conduct was disgraceful and is quite frankly an embarrassment to the award. Rest assured that he would have been much more careful had he been reporting on a European or Japanese brand. Second, the other media outlets who support him are really voicing a fear that this will happen to them too and are trying to head it off by scaring you into thinking you are wrong and the public supports them. Don’t buy it for a second.
Keep your advertising out of the LA Times for a year. No, I’m not kidding. Give this punishment teeth such that a real sense of fear settles on the media and gives them pause the next time they think they can get away with what they have been doing for years. Whatever you think you will lose by being out of the LA Times for that long is nothing compared to what you will lose if you go crawling back so soon that they and all the observers disregard your actions as toothless. Don’t forget the hatchet job the media did on Audi. Audi is still paying for that today.
As a matter of fact I would go one step beyond suspending advertising at the LA Times. Don’t bother to threaten or punish the media anymore. Simply replace them. Have you ever considered a monthly GM Magazine? Bentley, BMW and Mercedes all produce magazines showcasing their cars. Do the same and put it on newsstands for a low price. Reveal breaking news about your products there first and heavily dial back advertising in other media. Mass media will say it won’t succeed because they don’t want you to succeed. Guess what, it will succeed. Many enthusiasts like myself read the monthly car buff magazines and are distressed by the coverage of GM’s products but have no other outlet to view them. A monthly GM magazine with reach would put the fear of God into all of the mass media as they were forced to contemplate the very real possibility that you would no longer need them much at all. The GM Magazine should be extremely high quality (look at Bentley’s magazine) and use a set of standard performance metrics (0-60, ¬º mile, lateral g, slalom, braking and lap time around a well-recognized track) whose parameters are clearly delineated (ex, upshifts are lift throttle i.e. no powershifting). Hire independent professional drivers to do the performance testing. Readily compare other vehicles results from published buff magazines and highlight where your car offers more equipment and/or performance for the money. Do it.
Final point, do not hesitate to extend the courtesy of withdrawl of your business from Wall Street firms whose analysts provide slanted reports on your performance. Those firms in particular damage your business materially and often go unpunished. Making an example out of one of them may draw a media firestorm but all vaccinations entail brief discomfort for a lifetime of relative peace.
Quick automotive marketing survey to current and potential future GM customers.
Pick any automotive option or feature. (this would work for anything from ABS to OnStar)
Question 1) How much would you pay to have this feature added to your next vehicle?
Question 2) How much would you pay to have this feature removed from your next vehicle?
A simple thought experiment – a case study on GM’s small silver corporate marketing badge:
Q1) The customer would pay ~ $0.00 per vehicle to add this badge to the exterior of their vehicle.
Q2) Removing an ugly and overt attempt to market a bruised corporate brand image to the public via a badge that may interfere with the styling lines – customers may pay ~ $10 – 20 per vehicle.
While GM on the whole may have a better image than some of the individual brands that are struggling, customers HATE overt corporate advertising (we all hate internet browser pop-ups, right?). This is neither clever or viral marketing, this indicates a marketing department out of ideas. Save GM’s material cost and give the Purchasing Execs credit for a cost avoidance on their yearly progress report, by rescinding this corporate directive.
GM Fires Back……..Again (The Beginning of a Weekly Series)
I think this is the third or fourth time on this blog that I’ve used “GM” and “fires back” in the same post. But in all seriousness, I think that GM hasn’t gotten a fair shake in the media lately,…
Gary,
Good job showing thick skin and muscle on the LA Times. They are demonstrating abuse of power and rights. Just because there is freedom of speech and freedom of the press, it does not give them the right to abuse their power of reaching millions and manipulate their thoguhts on products or individuals. Had they reported that Britney Spears was was seeing having an affair with Oprah Winfrey, they would be settling lawsuits right now, had they reported on an Europen or japanese vehicle manufacturer, the same result. They got off easy, and still are receiving more publicity than they do on a regular basis, and this is without your advertising dollars. Good for you, hold your ground, and don’t settle for a mere apology, might even be time to reconsider how much you spend your ad bucks in that paper altogether.
Regarding your GM badging of all divisions. This is ridiculous and an idea that I believe will cost you. In the 70s and 80s you did this, in a more quiet way. You used to have the GM badge on the seat belt buttons of all your vehicles. Do not stain your cars with this badge, keep it in the door jamb, or under the hood. An XLR owner does not want a blue/silver/white, and honestly, ugly, outdated and plain looking logo on their fender that they will also find on the Aveo, the Cobalt and the Ion. A Corvette Z06 owner, does not want to see the same badge shared by a Venture or heaven forbid an Aztek. Please reconsider this, use that money wisely, and tell the individuals that came up with this idea to flush it.
It will hurt sales, it will hurt owner loyalty and create more criticism than acceptance. If you want to globalize, keep it in the advertising and in the media, websites, blogs and press releases, do not stain your vehicles. Honda doesn’t do this with Acura, Toyota with Lexus, I think you get the Idea. Why would I want to relate my neighbors HUMMER H2, with my cousins Aveo and my dad’s CTS? Can the concept. The idea is not a good one, is a waste of money, and if you dropped it in the past with the seatbelts, there was a reason, learn from your own mistakes.
Brand individualism is key if you want to survive. Quit the rebadging, stick to originality, brand owned design, and cut it out with the badging. Anyone who knows anything about cars, knows who GM is and who GM owns.
Thank you for your time.
PS- Listen to your public (bloggers), they are your customers and bread and butter.
Mo
There are liars, d**ned liars, and then there’s the NYT and the LAT. I’ve not been impressed by their “disinterested” news for a long time. Their slant is sooo obvious. Now the potential damage from their writings is hitting home in Detroit. I applaud GM for hitting the brake on misinformed auto reviewers. You can not compare apples with oranges, as the G6 has only one equipment line out thus far.
This Blog thing is Gutsy! And it is bringing you great notoriety and that is a VERY good thing! AND, it seems you have NO competition. No one else out there is intereested in hearing from their Consumers. This is just GREAT! You will reap great benefits from it for sure! Of course you have to seperate the wheat from the chaff.
You are taking some hits for this Badge idea. But, “they” whomever “they” may be, are looking at it with blinders on. GM is an international company and deserves to be recognized as one. It is “GM, the Biggest and the Best WorldWide – Get OnBoard”. What “they” do not seem to realize is that ALL the car companies have a “Badge” on them…. some where. Now, I have not seen it yet and granted it may need tweaked, but it does need to be on there.
All in all, all of this attention is, indeed, flattering (even the LA Times flak) – Large targets take alot of hits. So, it all is simply an illustration of just how good GM is.
Most people forget, it was GM’s business model that all the others have copied – especially the Imports. All companies have ups and downs, regardless of product. But, when the big ones move, it is a Big move and gets alot of attention.
So, I am glad to see all the attention. If you did not get any, you would be in trouble. It would mean that no one is watching or cares….quite the contrary here.
“GM, the Biggest and the Best WorldWide – Get OnBoard”
Best regards.
More LA Times reflections…
GM’s Gary Grates, Vice President, Communications, GM North America, is the latest to post on GM’s Fastlane Blog. He admits GM pulled advertising revenue from the LA Times. I admit Iíve not read it over yet to analyze what it directly says, but thought…
On the topic of not spending money to support biased reporting:
Products are judged using factual information. The LA Times placed a slanted review in the incorrect section of its paper. This is a fact. Editorial sections are reserved for editorials. The expectation is that unbiased reviews are included in non-editorial sections. When writing disdain for a product, the expectation is that it should appear under a section of the paper that provides balanced reporting. When applying personal biased commentary within what is being sold as an unbiased review, the section should be called out or listed to give a reader the right to separate fact from opinion. Entitle this area as “Writers Viewpoint”.
Attacking the current mentality of how GM is often mentioned within this blog. Is GM wrong for asking for fair reporting? I will let you decide. Would you spend your money on biased reporting in what is to be considered a reputable review of your products? This is not an issue of unfavorable reporting, but rather biased reporting that is sold as unbiased.
“This Bloggers Viewpoint”
OnStar is great. I use it everyday and think that those who do not use telematics or see telematics as vital to how we live are living in the dark. The auto industry is the technology catalyst from which great thing are made. The auto industry changes mindsets across all industries. GM has not recently been given enough credit for taking the lead on issues such as fuel cells or interiors, but when it comes to telematics, you can hear a pin drop. Maybe it is time everyone starts to put their biases aside and practice some balanced reporting, just leave the bias to the editorials. I want to make up my own opinion. If I wanted your opinion then I will read your opinion. Just leave it out of factual reporting.
A good decision but implemented poorly. Should have quietly dropped LAT adverts. If anyone questioned why, say newpapers are obsolete, West coast is the techno leader, we’re using internet, satellites, etc now.
I like the idea of the GM badge, but I would like it alot better if it was on the seat belt buttons or the door sills like it used to be. And don’t forget to have “Mark of Excellence” on them.
Or, how about on the keys or the keyfobs?
Putting it on the side of the car will not do your individual brands any justice.
When is the SS Aveo going to be available?
Gary,
I worked with you and for you years ago at GCI. Your comments here are as thoughtful and clear-headed as everything I’ve come to expect from you.
That said, from an outside perspective, while I understand the reasonings and the rights, the move appears ham-fisted and reactionary. Why the LAT and not the Freep who also posted incorrect sales information?
You have clearly succeeded in opening a wide-spread dialogue on the issue though, and that may be worth more than anything.
Keep up the good work, and the blog is a brilliant idea.
Brandon Borrman
LA Times: I think it’s past due that GM pulled some money out of the pockets of a media that shows an obvious anti-GM bias, and that seems to go well beyond honest criticisms.
GM Badges: Since when do people not realize that GM makes Chevy’s, Pontiacs, etc? It seems to me that people are well aware of the parent company of those brands. GM is on the dealers sign out by the road, its on the owener manual, various tags and labels in vehicles, sales forms, the keys, etc. Putting a GM badge on a Chevy seems more than a little redundant to me.
Maybe people are not aware of the GM connection to Saab yet, but GM may be better off that way anyway.
Take however much it’s going to cost for this badge and apply it to refinind one of your cars. You’ll be better off in the end.
Okay, so the jist of those articles was that Neil was wrong to call the G6 a sales flop compared to the Grand Am it replaced because those number included the 4 cylinder Grand Ams.
So GM introduced the G6 without a cheaper 4 cylinder version to appeal to the previous Grand Am drivers, who are now presumably buying different, non-Pontiac cars. Who’s fault is that? GM.
Sorry, I think Neil was dead on. It’s great that GM is going to be coming out with tweaks to the G6 in the future, but you only get one chance at a first impression. And this time, GM hit the ground walking instead of running.
Your actions with the L.A. Times are the right ones. It is good to see a company do ‘The Right Thing’ even if in the short term, they take a bit of flak for it in the press. Actions like this make me want to believe in GM again. That and designs like the new Solstice.
Bob,
I have to admit I am disappointed with the G6 coupe’s styling. It’s pretty blatant that it’s trying to be a Solara – problem is, the Solara isn’t exactly a beautiful car to begin with. Where’s the classic, lithe-looking, long-nose short-deck styling that screams “sport”? The Solara looks like a loafer, a car trying too hard to be sleek. It would look a lot better and avoid criticism if it looked more like it’s parent sedan, which is a nice looking vehicle.
While I wouldn’t mind seeing the blue GM badge on my vehicle, an owner of a Cadillac probably would. If this goes through, don’t make it too blatant. While Cadillac has made somewhat of a comeback and its vehicles are regarded highly, the same cannot be said about GM as a whole.
By the way, thanks for this blog.
James
To all, as a GM employee I actually enjoy reading your comments as well as those from my leaders. With that said, I have to side with those who feel that the media treats GM unfairly at times. HOWEVER, I refuse to limit this unfairness to GM. I feel that in the past several years the media has been unfair towards the American Automotive industry as a whole. Before you say, “here’s another guy whining for a pity party,” take a little time and consider what I have to say. Several weeks ago I was watching some car show that was reviewing all of the new 2005/2006 vehicles at New York Auto Show and I watched and listened to the following reviews:
1. 2005 Toyota Tacoma: All of the reviews were absolutely exceptional; Toyota was commended for its fits, usefulness, and the simplistic nature of its interior. One comment I remember was, ” The interior gives a soft leather look, but is actual hard and sturdy.” (Paraphrased)
2. 2005 Dodge Dakota: Again commended on its usefulness, engine variation, etc.. However, the commentator basically said the interior was too plain and left more to be desired.
3. 2005 Ford F150: Again commended on its usefulness, engine variation, towing capacity, appearance, etc.. However, the interior, like the Dodge Dakota, left more to be desired and was to plain and simplistic.
Yes, I know, these people are experts and they know what the American consumer wants and they review hundreds of vehicles per year. BUT, if they seriously review hundreds of vehicles per year, do you think they’d notice that the interior, specifically the dash, was pretty much identical? If you get a chance take a closer look and tell me what you think.
Journalists Jerry Flint and David Kiley did an excellent job summing up the situation – thank you for posting the links.
As for GM, its current and upcomming products, support for dealers __and__ customers who buy the products, I offer a phrase taught to me as an Engineer, which always made my clients (be it my supervisor or a customer) happy:
“UnderPromise, and Overdeliver!”
GM speaks about Times
On the General Motors company blog, VP of communications Gary Grates says he won’t detail any grievances against the L.A Times while the paper “has an ombudsman who is investigating the issues we raised.” But he defends GM’s decision to yank its ads. S…
I think it is long past time that GM took the action it did. The LA Times long ago forfeited their claim on accuracy and impartiality. Their anti-American bias is so thick one could choke on it. I subscribed to the LA Times for almost 25 years, but cancelled my subscription last year. Yesterday I read that they are going to spend $10 million to try to regain old subscribers and get new ones. Too late. No one could possibly want to pay for their pervasive bias.
Bruce Sherman
Communicating via the Blog
GM uses its blog
You guys just don’t get it. So slapping a GM badge on every car in your inventory makes it a GM. Gee, slapping a GTO emblem on a Holden sure did wonders for Pontiacs image.
After considering the pros and cons of the “GM Badge” issue, and having owned 6 or so GM cars, I am going to come down on the “bad idea” side. No, a GM badge won’t stop me from buying another GM car. But seeing a “GM” badge on an el-cheapo Daewoo, oops I mean Chevy, Aveo and an identical badge on a $55000.00 Corvette may give some future ‘vette owners the jitters.
I have a better badge idea! Instead of placing a “GM” badge on all of your cars and trucks, why not place a “made in the USA” badge on all of your American made models? Maybe a small flag with the inscription? That will go much further in making a statement about the roots of GM, and as a result will help change the perception of American consumers and let them know where their dollars are going. No, this badge would not appear on the Aveo or Aztek, but that may be a good thing in the end.
Most GM buyers would consider the American ownership and/or assembly in their purchase decision. Why not exploit this marketing edge and develop advertising around the philosophy?
Clear Up G6 Sales Picture
I’ve read that the percent of V6 CamCords sold is only in the 20-40% range. Just tell us what sales are for V6 Sedan Camry and V6 Sedan Accord so we can easily compare them to the G6 sales.
These simple datas would give everyone something to use to contact the writers we see every day talking about how bad the sales are for G6.
I think it is wise that you will be weighing your options and concerns with LAT. I think there has to be accountability at some point. There is too many times that there is unfair objective and reasoned editorial presented about your vehicles market value as a whole. The fact is as a young adult I know more about the pulse surrounding autos than this guy’s selfish subjective views. The facts will be known and I for one hope your concerns with LAT’S editorial will have a just conclusion.
Am having difficulty in reaching your live aid or even a recorded comment on the recent publicity about 200,000 of your cards having been compromised.
It would seem urgent that comment should appear on your opening home page with instructions on how to proceed to determine if ones card was vulnerable and if so, what action to take.
GM employs Fastlane to talk about LA Times issue
As I noted briefly yeterday in a follow-up in my post about the GM/Los Angeles Times story, GM Communications VP Gary Grates has posted a lengthy item to the Fastlane blog about the company's decision to pull its advertising from the Times….
GM and the L.A. Times
Gary Grates, Vice President, Communications, of GM North America has posted on their decision to pull advertising from the L.A. Times.When we disagree, we prefer to take it up privately with the publication, as we did with the Times. We…
GM LOGO????? WHAT THE KIND OF IDEA IS THAT?
I have been a loyal GM customer for the past two decades.
I sure as h**l don’t want the same GM logo on the side of my next Cadillac as on a Chevrolet, Pontiac, or Saturn.
You don’t see a DaimlerChrysler emblem on the side of a Mercedes, a Toyota emblem on a Lexus, or a Ford emblem on a Jaguar or Land Rover.
GM is NOT a brand, don’t throw away all of your brand capital you have struggled to build.
GM badging. I am sorry, I saw an inquiry in this blog asking when is the Aveo SS coming out. I’m sorry to whoever posted this (Craig Macrina), but, are you serious?
Do you even have any ideas what SS stands for? Its heritage? its meaning to the car enthusiast? To Chevrolet? It’s bad enough that they are slapping this badge on mediocre vehicles just to push sales, rather than to provide the customers with an exhilirating, sporty, more muscular version of an original like they used to in past. Think of the Chevelle SS of the ’60s, the Nova and such, but now, you have a mediocre Malibu, and an SUV and pick up with the SS badge. Now you want the Korean made, Daewoo Lanos twin Aveo to have a version and this prestigious badge on it?
I hope you were been sarcastic and kidding when you asked this question, but if you weren’t, please do your homework and study this heritage known as Chevrolet SS, before insulting the pioneers that came up with the idea by asking Chevy to have an SS version of the Aveo. I know you can juice up many tuner cars, even the Cavalier and now the Cobalt, you can even do this with an Aveo. Keep it aftermarket, but don’t as Chevy to further crap on its heritage of greatness by slapping SS on a Daewoo. Again, no disrespect intended.
SS on the Aveo, you might as well put SS on my Sears riding lawn mower, it would probably be much better, being that it’s an American made product.
Mo
drop the Times all together, one biased form of media won’t make or break your advertising…
And since this has turned into a “badge haters” convention, I might as well give my 2 cents. NO BADGES ON THE EXTERIOR, PLEASE!! Go back to the days of the seatbelt buttons…or use:
gas cap
dash cluster
glove box
engine bay
inside trunk
door panels(inside)
floor mats
visors
overhead lighting
etc…
Your customers vote with their feet. I don’t think they all read the times. Wake up and get rid of those loser products/brand. I have seen the new Inpala and Monte Carlo in a car show. Let me tell you, you could hear a needle drop near those cars. Unless you guys are dellusional, you should know you just cannot survive with substandard products any longer.
Customers are always right. Your market share is shrinking fast. Now stop wasting your time and energy to fight with the press, drop your ego and build cars that people want over the imports.
The clock is ticking. You have hundred of thousands or even millions of American workers’ livelihood depending on what you gonna do soon, don’t screw up.
The Solstice and sky is a good start. I would stop by the showroom and check them out. BTW, I have not been to GM’s showroom for more than ten years now.
GM
GM
GM – Cleaning the Air
GM – Cleaning the Air
Hi Bob,
Seems to me you guys are beginning to see the design, the Solstace on the Apprentice was beautiful and brilliant. Today I was reading the paper and saw an article that the UAW said, “No, why should we open the contract to modify health care.” They do not get it, They are bleeding the company dry with their money grabbing health plan and other benefiets. You guys are having to deal with fewer resources and they are taking more. It is obvious that they do not see it. The airline employees are beginning to see it now, but he UAW does not yet. I am sorry to say, that after reading that I may not be willing to buy another UAW built vehicle until there is major restructuring with their attitude and contracts. They should be stepping up and offering to help their struggling employer, not pounding nails in the coffin. GM will survive and thrive in the future. Americans will buy its vehicles again, but before this happens the Union must feel massive pain. Good luck, your designs are getting better and the Solstace is awewsome.
Mike
The GM badge on cars would make sense IF GM had a quality and/or premier reputation (GM hasn’t had that since the 1960’s).
GM could again, but that it is many years down the road, and has to be earned. To be earned, GM will have to consisently produce numerous class-leading products. Unfortunately, while GM’s products seem to be improving, at present one is hard-pressed to name even one GM model that would be considered class-leading.
News Blinks – Sunday April 16
GM speaks to pulling ads from the LA TImes – discussed earlier on this Blog. Worth listening to… Geoffrey Moore (rated 3.1 by listeners) considers what might happen to the software industry over the next decade. Malcolm Galdwell from SWXW.
Media Wars
Interesting read over at Slate on this week’s media wars.This week two giant companies took extraordinary efforts to gin up more favorable press coverage. GM, the largest automaker, said it would yank its advertising from the Los Angeles Times–the la…
GM Speaks
GM speaks to pulling ads from the LA TImes….
Personally, I really don’t understand why you all hate the badge idea so much. It’s a BADGE – JUST A BADGE… In my opinion it’s a good way to inform the mislead customers that Pontiac, Cadillac, Buick, Saturn, Chevy, GMC, Hummer, Saab, etc are all one company. I find it hard to believe, but there are still some people that believe the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra are made by two different companies and that one is better than the other… If you didn’t know, the Silverado and Sierra are assembled at the same plant on the same line and the only true difference is the grill. I agree, brand loyalty can be a good thing, but it’s a bad thing when you are your own competition. Yeah – Yeah I know you are saying, well, Toyota doesn’t do it, but have you every though about it? Maybe you should look closer at the emblem of Toyota, Lexus, and Scion and notice the one key similarity. On top of that, Toyota only has three brands and they are all in very different car/truck categories. So again, I ask you – What is so wrong with GM individualizing its products through the use of a different badge?
Bob Lutz and Rick Wagoner
First not all post are here to help you, and I question the intentions of some. But here are some thoughts that I must share. First why can’t
1. GM buy GM
If your market cap is only $16 billion why can’t you buy your shares outstanding? You will save on dividends and protect yourself from hostile takeovers. When your financial picture gets better you can relaunch those shares to the public. If your earnings were $10 billion say in 2008 the new GM IPO can potentially be worth $50-$100 billion. And you can save some $2 billion in earnings each year as the dividend no longer exists.
2. Opt-Out Healthcare
Also GM needs to kill the albatross of high health care costs. It has the disadvantage of covering over a million people. What if you offered employees money up front to opt out of GM healthcare benefits and encourage them to buy coverage on their own? GM is not a healthcare company and money up front, like with Fiat will take the speculation, risk and uncertainty out of the equation once and for all. As those numbers are parred down the healthcare costs and your rolls will finally start to shrink.
I am on the outside looking in so maybe its way off, or maybe it’s an interesting perspective with merit.
But I hope you guys are around for a long time saving the Neapolitan.
C’mon guys. Do we really need a GM badge on every vehicle? I think it sounds tacky. We already have GMC for trucks and that’s good enough IMO.
It wouldn’t make sense to put it on my GTO. IMO it wouldn’t look right. Who was the knucklehead who thought this one up and how much did it cost? If I could afford stock in GM I’d be hunting for some heads over this.
Let’s start building cars and trucks people want, not worrying about stupid things like GM identifiers. You got a company to save, and jobs on the line to be doodling and squandering about some … GM identifier badge.
Thank God that hideous Aztec is going away. Who was the nerd who thought of that ugly contraption? The G6 is a nice looking vehicle. It’s the best looking domestic mid-size sedan in its price range. However, it does have its work cut out for it. Honda and Toyo virtually own this market and the only way to win is to build better and offer more choices. Not going to be easy, but it can be done. BTW, get rid of that stupid Torrent.
I shake my head in disbelief everytime I see Pontiac do a Mini Van or an SUV. They all s**k and it doesn’t fit the brand image. Make a cross over UTE like the Pacifica and call it the Catalina and give it some power!!
GM Addresses LA Times Dispute
Recently GM pulled its advertising from the LA Times over some allegedly inaccurate editorial. Writing on GM’s FastLane weblog, Communications VP Gary Grates addresses the action saying the company is working with the newspaper to explore the situation…
DGD, you’re right. All GM products should have a tremendous “GENERAL MOTORS” painted on the side. And all GM vehicle lines should be shut down IMMEDIATELY, and replaced by a single line, which has four products on three chassis: THE TRUCK and THE SUV, THE SEDAN, and the Corvette. Cadillac buyers will be direct to THE SEDAN with the twenty-thousand-dollar “luxury upgrade” package (leather seats, moon roof). Performance buyers will be directed to the Corvette. Performance buyers who aren’t senior-level executives in the throes of a mid-life crisis will be directed to the THE SEDAN with the five-thousand-dollar “performance upgrade” package, which adds alloy wheels, a spoiler, and a coffee-can exhaust.
That would make it pretty clear that all GM vehicles were, in fact, owned by one company, and that’s what you wanted, right?
GM should not put a “GM” badge on its cars unless it plans to push all of its separate car lines into a single unit.
I used to own a 2000 Firebird Formula, which I loved dearly.
Went shopping for a replacement, rear-wheel drive LS1 based AMERICAN MADE car and was dismayed to see what utter garbage that GM was putting out! Just because you put a “SS” badge on a car, doesn’t mean performance!
I went to the NY Auto Show today- and your booths made me sick. You glorified the “small block” with a display and an engine dyno, but all you SS’s were puny, FWD jokes.
The only two vehicles that were nice was the Z06 Vette (sure to be priced beyond most) and the SSr- which is a TRUCK.
I now drive a Mustang, and will NEVER buy a GM product again.. my next car will be a SVT Shelby.
I’ve even seen sketches of Concept Camaro’s on the internet- but NO ACTION on your part.. you (at GM) are becoming the domestic Hyundai!!!
Nice blog. Do you screen your comments.
Corporate weblogs
General Motors has a weblog that is open for comments. It is todayís BOTD. I discovered this blog via Instapundit and BusinessWeek Online. This is of some interest to me and Iím curious how it will be used. I wonder who at GM is monitoring the comments…
Huray. LA times does not care for the good of this country. Save money, keep the GM badge off the cars, pass the savings onto the customer. The people at the top need to take a pay cut. Most of us in the real working world have already.
Things I Learned This Week (and Last Week)
Those Germans don’t pull punches–especially when it comes to Scientology. Gotta give Tom Cruise credit….at least he didn’t pull an Ashton and walk out on the interview. The Baxter is coming…from the folks who brought us ‘Wet Hot American Summer’.
Update on IABC blogging panel
I’m delighted to report that Gary Grates, VP Corporate Communications, North America for General Motors has accepted my invite to be the third panelist on IABC’s corporate blogging panel on June 27, 2005. (Description of the panel, a Future Trends sess…
GM and clean air
Well who DO these guys think they are??
Chrysler could not survive offering ugly front wheel drive cars, so how the heck are you going to. Heck even Toyota is coming out with a V8 powered rear wheel drive muscle car. When you stray too far from your foundation you fall. The cars of the mid 50’s thru early 70’s built GM, Sharp looing cars with fantastic V8 engines and Rear Wheel Drive. It is a shame that the Germans “Daimler/Chrysler” saw the light before the mighty GM, and started building cars that way again. This is America and we want American cars. Not Asian or European replicas. What could be more American than a big V8 rear wheel drive car with some lines?
Pixels by the barrel
General Motors’ FastLane blog leads a weekend AP story about corporate blogs:
Blogging for Business
I had the great honor of leading a panel of bloggers in Hawaii including Roxanne Darling, Burt Lum, and Ryan Ozawa for the International Association of Business Communicators.
We were lucky to record nearly the entire 1 hour presentation. If you wan…
GM has clearly lost its way. Each new vehicle for the past twenty years has been put forth as the savior of the corporation, yet each offering comes to market with under whelming styling and innovation. Concept vehicles that offer promise are either not produced or dumbed down for production to the point that they lose most of the aspirational qualities they possessed.
The list of bad decisions is long and old. The “X-Cars and the 1984 downsizing of the Eldorado / Tornado / Riviera from large vehicles to subcompacts start the list. Then making the Ninety Eight Olds / Buick Park Avenue / Cadillac De Ville smaller FWD vehicles was accompanied by rival car company commercial taunts because they were look alike slab-sided vehicles. This was closely followed by the lackluster Cadillac Allante and Buick Reatta, pitiful attempts to make two-seated sport cars out of FWD platforms. At least the Fiero was RWD, too bad it took GM three years to get it right and by then the car’s reputation overrode its refinements. Don’t forget GM’s attempt to bring back the 50’s step-down bathtub shaped Nash via the Caprice nameplate in the early nineties. The “Dust Buster” minivans rounded out the nineties. They are currently survived by a dated platform with snout-nosed styling that one writer described as “painful to look at”. The Aztec was a foray into a realm of styling that went beyond the cutting-edged to the bleeding edge.
Now in the 21st century the offerings include the SSR, a so called halo-car. It truly takes all the forbearance a person can muster to stop oneself from racing down to the local Chevy dealer to gain a glimpse of this vehicle and then buy a few Chevy cars and trucks. What GM really needed was not a halo-car, but rather, a car that sold like the devil. At 45K a copy, the SSR is never going to work. At an El Camino price point GM probably would have had a winner. Malibu (the car America knew GM could build) was a noble attempt to capture a portion of the mid-size market. Tragically, it was allowed to languish too long without upgrade. Finally in 2004, it was replaced by a new model that can best be described as having a mutant frog looking fascia. The Grand Prix, once a fine offering in the personal luxury field, is currently indescribable other than to say it looks like it was designed by three different teams, none of whom spoke or worked with each other. The pointy front end, the slab- sides, and rounded rear end with the bulbous tail lights rank it as very strange automotive styling collage. The Buick LaCrosse is a car that only someone who wants to “Dream-Up” to a 2005 retro-version of the 96 Taurus would desire. The G6 sedan could have been and should have been much more. Once again the angular shape of early artist renderings evolved into a rounded non-descript production vehicle. The tail lights look like they could be interchanged with those from a Saturn Quad-Coupe or the Chevy Cobalt. Leads one to wonder whether GM got a quantity purchase discount for these shaped tail lights or whether the stylists simply cut and paste tail light designs.
Now the shapely prototype version of the Saturn Aura reportedly will lose the attractive curves around the wheel wells and lower doors in favor of the traditional GM slab-side as it enters production. This is typical GM inability to translate concept into production. Maybe the “5 years late to the party” HHR will capture a few buyers tired of the PT Cruiser styling. The new Impala and Monte Carlo are just new, not inspired. Hopefully, the Solstice will live up to its early hype.
Reportedly, GM has no plans for RWD platforms that could create competition to the Mustang and Chrysler 300 type vehicles. This decision cannot stand.
Alfred P. Sloan stated that GM’s marketing concept was “a car for every purpose and pocketbook”. GM seems to have reorganized this concept out of the Corporation.
Always the conservative company, GM continues to play “small-ball”; attempting to score runs with scratch singles, bunts, and walks. Unfortunately for GM, the marketplace pays for and drives homeruns.
The Studebaker brothers coined the slogan “always give a little more than you promise” as the operating motto of their corporation. Although the philosophy of a failed company, it is not a failed philosophy. GM should well take heed of this creed before someone pens its obituary.
Wondering if the LA times wouldn’t be so hard on GM if they built intersting, cool cars?? The Solstice/Sky is a GREAT start!!! but, we need more than two desirable models.
I have always been a GM fan (pontiac and chevy in particular). I must say I am very disappointed in the new cars you are putting out. You cut the Grand Am? In it’s place the ugly, cookie cutter G6? No style at all, no lines. Pontiac used to have some personality. Even the new GTO looks like a giant G6 on steroids. Not worthy of it’s legendary namesake. To me the darkest day in automotive history was the day you decided to cut the Firebird and Camaro which were both at their all time peak of style and performance. If sales were poor, perhaps some advertising would have helped. I can count the times on one hand that I ever saw an advertisement for either car except in magazines. It makes me sad to think I will never be able to buy a new GM car if I want a car with any personality. Bring back the Firebird and Camaro and ditch the da*n SUV’s already.
Crisis PR: All that glitters is not gold…
It’s not often you get the chance to weave William Shakespeare into a post about PR so I’m taking this chance while I have it. In ‘The Merchant of Venice’, Shakespeare teaches us that just because something is shiny, and…
I am so sick of the false rah-rahs in your ad campaigns. Your latest offense is found in your Buick Lucerne ad in which you state that the Lucerne is available with a Northstar V8. Then the announcer in catty tones says that the Lexus ES doesn’t even offer a V8. So What ???
The 218 hp V6 in the Lexus delivers 21/29 EPA MPG ( Your V8 gives 17/25 ). The Lexus V6 goes from 0-6 in 7.2 seconds
( Your big V8 wheezes in at 7.6 seconds ). You also lose in the 1/4 mile.
As usual, talk it up, but you offer less efficiency and lacklustre performance.
Hi my names Adam, I am not a fan of pontiac designes…I think they are out dated and bland!
The GTO which was suppose to compete with the mustang looks like a glorified cavalier!
I dont understand why you went backwards in style! My dad owns a 86 pontiac Fiero modified with a v8 in it. It is fast and MUCH MUCH better looking than the GTO! I dont understand why pontiac doesnt tweak the fiero and make a low budget rear engine car that could kill mustangs! I know we do all the time in our fiero!
I know this wont get read by anyone of importance but I thought I would post it anyway…If anyone is interested I have pics of the v8 fiero!
Just wondering if solar cells could be incorporated into the roof of the volt or Hybrid for recharge. Saw a solar prius on the internet and thought it was an excellent idea. They said it boosted fuel savings up to 27%. On a sunny day car would recharge some while a person works their regular work day.
Thanks,
Steve
GM Lordstown, OH
GM has some amazing technology. GM must communicate this to the American consumer.
I love GMC. Just wish they could figure out how to make a tow vehicle fuel effiecient.
I’m a current owner of a 02 Chevy express utility van, and i love it! however, when will i be able to purchase a hybrid utility van? I do a lot of city driving and it would be perfect for me.
thanks,
chad
ann arbor, mi
All automotive and business publications have been reporting on the Down Fall of Large SUV Trucks, and Large Pick Up Trucks, since 2003. I myself downsized to a small VW Beetle in 2003, when GAS jumped to $2.35 per Gallon. Recently, GM announced that they only noticed a drop in SUV sales in May of 2008. How can the Executives of GM be caught so un-prepared, when the Automotive Press has been publishing major news stories about the downfall of Large SUV Trucks, in every issue, for 5 Years, since 2003? It is very obvious that none of the GM Executives read any Business Publications such as Business Week, Forbes, Fortune etc. How could the GM and Ford Executives be caught so off guard, when every issue of our Automotive and Business Press has been warning the American public, about the coming downfall of the SUV, in every issue since 2003? The SUV was like a BAD DRUG for the GM and Ford Executives, because they knew that it was BAD for them, but they could not stop Building them, even though they knew that SUV vehicles were destroying their Companies. The GM and Ford Executives should all be FIRED.
Of course, many of us saw the fall of GM coming after Wagoner announced back in 2003 that the future of GM was in the SUV. Of all the stupidest ideas… at a time when gas prices were rising and an oil president from Texas in charge. Apparently common sense doesn’t run strong with CEO’s anymore. I sold my stock after that comment. I won’t be buying any more until Wagoner and the rest at the top are GONE. Unfortunately, they’ll all leave with the same massive golden parachute as the banking industry exec’s did. The NEW capitalism CEO motto: Run it into the ground, then get the money. PATHETIC.
so car sales in states down 40%, so this should justify not helping big 3 out..what is all the hubbub..would sales possibly be down because people are lucky to hold onto their homes, cars not a priority, but wait, what about all that money, must be found money, as they are not worried about procuring again…and the bank why do they just cough up money to banks, then complain of bank charges, and then there is ontario power generation,, keep handing them money but dont ask them to cut costs..their workers get double time to work shifts, most just get a percentage.. so why are they having such a problem loaning money to a company that will help keep jobs, but wait they have jobs….
thank you for listening.
p.s. hubby works at gm and lo and behold, we aint rich and we live week to week.. benefits have been cut drasitically over years.
p.s.s. just remember foreign car companies money goes back to their home countries and does not help our deficit at all