Chevrolet’s SXSW Road Trip Challenge
By Christopher Barger
Director, Global Social Media
For many of us, some of the fondest memories of childhood (or even adulthood) involve the great American tradition of the road trip. For many in the social web, some of the fondest memories of their time in the digital community involve the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas every March. We at Chevrolet saw an opportunity to pair up these two great traditions and have some fun – and bring our social community along for the ride. So we’re happy to announce “See the USA in a Chevrolet: A SXSW Road Trip.”
Starting the week of March 8 (the week before SXSW), eight teams of social media folks from across the United States will embark on a combination road trip/scavenger hunt competition from their hometowns to Austin behind the wheel of some of Chevy’s newest products. Along the way they’ll need to complete 50 “challenges” in order to determine the winner. The winning team will be the one that not only has completed the most challenges, but has done the most interacting with their community on Twitter and their own sites. But what’s really going to be fun is that you get to help us decide all of the tasks the teams are going to have to complete along the way!
Here’s how it works: starting today and running through February 28th, we’re asking you to submit your ideas to @chevrolet on Twitter, or to facebook.com/Chevrolet, of the challenges you’d like to see the eight teams complete on their trip. We’re selecting 10 tasks from each of five different categories: Charity (ex: stop at an animal shelter and walk the dogs), Collection (ex: collect a sample of water from a famous body of water near you), Physical Challenge (ex: climb a rock wall, or stuff your trunk full of balloons), Interaction (ex: meet up w/one of your followers and give them a test drive, or get a group of people to sing a famous song, flash-mob style), and Digital Image (ex: take a photo of a cactus or rock that looks uncannily like one of your team members). We’ll take our favorite 45 ideas that come in to @chevrolet or to the teams involved, and make them required missions for the teams on the road trip. (We’re going to pick one challenge for each category ourselves; hey, it’s our promotion, so we get to pick at least one, right?) On March 8, when the teams are starting to head off to Austin, we’ll reveal the 50 missions – and then you get to follow along and see how they’re doing!
Over the next few weeks here on , we’ll be profiling each of the eight teams competing in this road trip challenge so you can get to know the contestants a little better. Since the teams are going to be collecting ideas for challenges from their fans and followers as well, you’re going to want to keep a close eye on them on Twitter in the next few weeks to get a sense of the kinds of things they’re coming up with. Here are the eight teams and their captains’ Twitter IDs:
- Team Detroit: Henry Balanon (@balanon)
- Team Lansing: Betsy Weber (@betsyweber)
- Team San Diego: TrendHunter.com (@brassfield )
- Team Chicago: Tim Jahn (@TimJahn)
- Team Atlanta: Tessa Horehled (@tessa)
- Team North Carolina: Jason Keath (@jakrose)
- Team South Florida Tammy Camp (@tammycamp)
- Team New York Brian Simpson (@rshotel)
We’re looking for your most creative, most off-the-wall ideas (within reason of course; no one should be put in harm’s way, no one should be getting naked, no one should be doing anything that humiliates another person… you know, keep it fun but tasteful). So let’s hear from you at @chevrolet on Twitter, or at facebook.com/Chevrolet ! And in one month, it’s on to Austin, and on to SXSW!
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Team Detroit FTW.
I’d think for something like this, they’d want to use GMC’s “Professional Grade” products instead of the more mundane Chevrolets.
I think the tune is “See the USA in your Chevrolet”/ Chevy the “Heartbeat of America”.
Chevys aren’t mundane; they rock!!!
We travelled from Wisconsin to San Diego and back over the plains, deserts, and mountains for five years in a row in our ‘02 Silverado with utility trailer and 80 something mother in tow. We all loved every minute of it. By the way the Silverado has 116,000 miles, counting, and going strong.
“See the USA in your Chevrolet”
Chevys aren’t mundane; they rock!!!
Elizabeth,
They may rock, but they aren’t “Professional Grade.” If you don’t mind telling me, why did you buy the Silverado instead of the “Professional Grade” GMC Sierra? Wouldn’t those extra professional features have made your trip from Wisconsin to San Diego and back more enjoyable?
I am curious why you selected the “Not Professional Grade” Silverado over the “Professional Grade” Sierra.
Wally,
My husband loved the Silverado…it met our needs of moving, hauling furniture, lumber, and other building materials as well as friends and family. It’s a great ride and value. Leather, heated and comfortable seats. Great looks.Lots of space. We didn’t need more….and the Silverado 1500 was his retirement present. I think it’s all in the needs and your pocketbook. We weren’t looking for a write-off we were looking for a good, sound vehicle. In the end it is whatever meets your needs. Not the grade or the type, or the hype for that matter. ‘ nuf said from me.
P.S. All the best to the Teams—sounds like a fun way to get to your destination….”Happy Trails”
Thank you Elizabeth. Good luck to you and your husband with your Silverado.
Along the way they’ll need to complete 50 “challenges” in order to determine the winner. The winning team will be the one that not only has completed the most challenges, but has done the most interacting with their community on Twitter and their own sites.
Sounds rather gimmicky to me. Who cares how many challenges they complete and how much Twittering they do, just give us well-built, well-designed cars, and quality after purchase service, all at reasonable prices.
Well-built and designed cars; top-notch after purchase maintenance support; and good value for money.
Sounds like a winning formula. The big question is why is it so difficult for American car makers to do that?
Ian,
It’s called advertising. I know you might not believe it, but companies need to advertise to help drive sales, and Toyota, Honda, VW etc all do it. This is just a different type of advertising. If you don’t like so be it, but it was probably money that would have been spent on a TV ad, that most people skip over with their DVR.
First off Christopher your parents were smart when they named you . I believe Hare Chevrolet in Indiana would be a great stopping point for 3 or 4 of your teams. I would tell you exactly where we are located but that would give away some info to the teams. Hare Chevrolet is the oldest continuous transportation company in America. We have an example of one of the horse drawn carriages we produced in the mid 1800’s in our showroom. Im sure we could work a challenge into this distinction. Some sort of challenge involving horses perhaps? What about a picture of a bunny rabbit in town to go along with the Hare monicker. A Hare Haircut (shaved head, mohawk) perhaps? The possibilities are endless. Hopefully we can be a part of this great event.
Chris Theisen
Director of Digital Customer Communications
Hare Chevrolet
http://hareauto.com
Mr. Theisen,
When prospective customers ask you whether they should buy a Chevrolet, or the “Professional Grade” GMC, what do you tell them? How do you explain that if GMCs are for professionals, the Chevrolets must be for amateurs?
Mr. Dixon I dont believe someone who purchases a Chevrolet feels they are getting an “amateur” vehicle. It is true that GMC’s are branded and marketed as “Professional Grade” but that doesnt de-value their Chevrolet counterparts by any means. There are certain features someone may be looking for in a GMC and if they choose those instead we try our best to find them a used GMC. If we cant service their needs we are confident they will come and see us the next time they need a new Chevrolet.
There are certain features someone may be looking for in a GMC…
Mr. Theisen,
Please be specific, exactly what features make a GMC “Professional Grade” that it’s Chevrolet stablemate wouldn’t have?
For example, what makes a GMC Yukon “Professional Grade” while the Chevrolet Tahoe isn’t?
Why is a GMC Sierra “Professional Grade” but not the Chevrolet Silverado?
Am I wrong to think that if GMC is “Professional Grade” then Chevrolet trucks must be “Not Professional Grade?”
From my perspective it seems the difference between the two is mostly cosmetic. They have slight divergences in their trims – grilles, emblems, interiors, and other minor visuals, while the mechanicals and engineering are virtually identical. Is my perception incorrect?
Looks as though Mr. Theisen either doesn’t know, or doesn’t care to explain the difference between a “Professional Grade” GMC truck and a similar, but “Not Professional grade” Chevrolet truck.
That would be cold comfort were I to walk into his dealership looking to buy a truck.
Wally – not everyone’s driving trucks. And I don’t agree with you about the Chevy products — I think they’re great and will lend themselves to this promotion quite nicely. But – maybe we can come up with a similar kind of effort for another event around GMC?
Ian – we DO offer well-built, well-designed cars with quality service. This road trip will help demonstrate that & get the word out to more people.
Chris – your parents were also quite wise.
I think your ideas sound fun – we’ll connect with you in about 24 hours or so?
Thanks for the response Christopher. Looking forward to hearing from you and being involved in any way we can.
I don’t agree with you about the Chevy products
Then why do GMC products get the tagline “Professional Grade?” Something about GMC trucks must be better than the “amateur grade” Chevy trucks.
Good question — what is it that makes Chevy trucks “Not Professional Grade?”
Wally hopefully this truck can take care of whatever needs our new Chevy truck prospects and current customers needs may be.
http://bit.ly/2011SilveradoHD
Looks nice, but I can’t help noting it’s not “Professional Grade.”
Wally,
Does the tag line really matter that much to you? Lexus’ tag line is “persuit of perfection”, so in your eyes that means Toyota is not trying make good cars. That’s basically what you’re saying about Chevy/GMC. Since Chevy isn’t “professional Grade” then they must be junk? So Toyota must be junk then too right? Since Lexus is persuing perfection, and Toyota is not, Toyota must be worse. Why don’t you go harp on them? And don’t give me the “this is a GM board, I wouldn’t talk about Toyota here” cause I know for a fact there are multiple ways you can contact Toyota, and I’m willing to put money down that you have not used any of them for this purpose.
Since Chevy isn’t “professional Grade” then they must be junk?
I’d just like GM to clarify their intent. The obvious conclusion is that if GMC is “Professional Grade,” the nearly identical trucks Chevy makes must be “Not Professional Grade.”
I dunno, you tell me. Do you think that is what GM is trying to tell us?
Wally,
You say the Chevys are nearly identical to the GMC’s, which is correct. So why do you think they are inferior ONLY because they don’t use the same tag line. If GMC’s are Professional Grade doesn’t that mean Chevy is too? Because they don’t use the tag line doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply to them does it not? I mean, the GMC tag line doesn’t say “most powerful diesel, Allison transmission, smoothest riding, quickest accelerating HD diesel that is available in blue, silver and black paint” either, but that doesn’t mean all that isn’t true. So just because the Chevy tag line doesn’t mention Professional Grade, doesn’t mean it’s not.
So why do you think they are inferior ONLY because they don’t use the same tag line.
Tim,
I don’t think they are inferior, but GM must since they call the GMC version “Professional Grade,” while they don’t apply that term to the Chevrolet.
Actually, I think the tagline “Professional Grade” is nothing more than a marketing gimmick, and that there is actually little difference between the two brands. I do know that I see far more professionals of the working class (carpenters, contractors, plumbers, ranchers, etc.) driving Chevy trucks than GMC.
I do think that “Professional Grade” is a subtle signal saying that GMC trucks are intended for the professional class such as lawyers, doctors, judges, bankers, etc. But I doubt GM will ever confirm that.
I personally think this is a great idea, if done and promoted correctly. I don’t think what Chevy is doing is “gimmicky”, but rather Chevy comes across as being all-American and approachable to consumers and involved with them. In fact, I think it’d be a great idea for Chevy to do something similar to this on an ongoing basis rather than just for SXSW.
By the way, will there be one website that we can visit to see all the adventures taking place or is this on a blog by blog basis (besides the profile that will be here)? If there’s one central webpage that others who may not be readers of these other blogs/teams can visit to keep up to speed on what is going on I think that would be an asset to the experience.
Hey, how come there’s not a Team Texas? I realize SXSW is in Austin, but Texas is big enough I’m sure y’all can come up with something. Just sayin’.
Team NC FTW!!1!
I’m looking forward to following this event. As one of the four nut cases that embarked on #iRoadTrip (from Detroit to Austin) ahead of last year’s SXSW I can say it’s a long trip, but a lot of fun (as long as you don’t run into a snowstorm in Kentucky after dark… hah). I’ve also been organizing long distance scavenger hunts as a hobby for nearly 20 years and might have ideas for either teams or organizers (or both). Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter or via email if you’re into some competitive intelligence.
In my experience a mix of mandatory and optional scavenger items is a good idea and helps spread the teams out a bit in the final scoring. Also, you might want to think through some ideas that encourage team to team interaction (that’s what teams have consistently told me is a lot of fun over the years). Finally, give them a window for arrival in Austin and make sure you have a rockin’ party waiting for them when they arrive.
That’s my 2 cents. More if you want it.
Jim | @jimstorer
OT:
I was at the local GM dealer and took a look at the new 2010 LaCrosse CX and was quite surprised to find for what it offered that its MSRP was right under 30K. It’s common sense for someone looking at a Lexus or an Infiniti to first take a look at this Buick.
I have to ask -
Scavenger Hunts,
Road Trips,
Charity,
Physical Challenges,
Twitter…Tweet …. Time to vote with your feet!!
Do you people actually get paid to do this stuff?
They must. It would be nice if GM devoted so much time and energy to designing and building better cars wouldn’t it?
Allie – first, as you guessed, there are no Texas teams because SXSW is in Texas – for a multi-day road trip, we were aiming for teams that had multi-day drives in front of them. However, I think there’s value in looking at doing more than one of these, if we find the right opportunity — and of course then Texas would be in the HOUSE. As for having one website to view everything… two answers. First, we’re going to build a sidebar into FastLane here that’s dedicated to the Road Trip; all teams’ most recent content should be scrolling into that sidebar. Also, we’re in the process of building the chevysxsw Posterous page, which will also feature all the content we’re able to glean from each of the teams. Finally, we’ll be doing interviews with each team in the coming weeks that will allow FL readers to get to know them all, and their individual sites will be featured there.
Jim – was looking for your comment today – thanks for finding me on Twitter. And I very much appreciate the offer of help/intelligence. We will be allowing team to team interaction – not only online, but we’re ensuring that OnStar will allow vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the teams as well. And yes – we’re hoping the challenges are directed but vague enough to allow the teams some creativity in how they execute them. I’d love to hear more about #iRoadTrip, so I’ll be pinging you on Twitter.
Chris – we have one team at least that can easily be routed through Noblesville… being snowed in today kind of messed with our ability to plan some things, but I did convey to the logistics team that we want to get this team through Hare… so expect to hear from us this week. Thanks again!
…first, as you guessed, there are no Texas teams because SXSW is in Texas – for a multi-day road trip, we were aiming for teams that had multi-day drives in front of them.
Christopher.
Texas is in fact, quite large — it’s a further drive from Texarkana to El Paso than from Texarkana to Chicago. Believe me, if you had a team drive around the perimeter of Texas, it would indeed be a multi-day event.
Christopher,
I agree with Buddy Dean del Rio, take for instance including time to stop, scavenge, etc it would take one day just to get from Amarillo to Dallas (I know, I’ve driven this route many times). Now supposed you had someone trip from Amarillo to Lubbock to Odessa, to El Paso to Del Rio to Brownsville to Corpus Christi to San Antonio to Houston to DFW to Austin. That would take a week at least and if you rushed it. Plus you’d be passing through high plains, mountains, deserts, coastal plains, the coast, woody pines, timberland, hill country, not to mention several State and National Parks, Historical Areas, beautiful rivers, roadside oddities, etc.
I think you’re underestimating what Texas has to offer.
“Finally, we’ll be doing interviews with each team in the coming weeks that will allow FL readers to get to know them all, and their individual sites will be featured there.”
Yes, that will certainly do the trick. Nothing quite like reading interviews with each team and having access to their individual sites to make me run down to my local Chevrolet dealer and buy a new car.
Wow, just think of all the repair shops you would get to see and all the mechanics you would meet.
How were the teams picked? We’re doing this road trip from San Francisco (Oakland to be exact) to Austin. How can we be apart of it? I think we’d blow the competition out of the water for the scavenger hunt. How about a team from Northern California!?
How about a mileage challenge? Measure the amount of gas in the tank one day and see how far each team get get on ONE GALLON of gas – with the car fully loaded. Driving style, as well as route and vehicle choice will be interesting things to watch!
Another idea – meet a few Chevy dealers along the way, do some interviews with them about some relevant topics – the future of the auto industry, the future of fuel efficiency, thought on the Chevy Volt and other alt-fuel vehicles…. not just about how great Chevy is – real questions that might yield different and very interesting questions depending on who’s being interviewed.
We would be very interested in helping to showcase something like that and we’ll also be at SXSW for the interactive portion. Please get in touch! (See link in my name for email address)
REVISED….
I hope you consider attending our Core Conversation during SXSWi about using social media for road trips. Your insight and experience will make the conversation that much better.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=300891299233&ref=ts
Thanks!
How does an employee get to be a part of this? I do Road Rallys practically every weekend in the Spring and Fall. The 2010 season kicks off on 3/27. This concept has my name written all over it! If Chevy wants more advertising of its products – I see a lot of SE Michigan during those weekend events. Just sayin’!