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philibuster
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
I keep thinking of Lutz as a real-life Grampa Simpson.
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F_munk
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
Those in the ad biz knows, it's rarely their fault. Every ad produced has to meet the approval of the client. GM itself is to blame. Now if they'd leave the agencies alone to create and be innovative, I'm sure you'd see some great work. Instead, the status quo is to micromanage the hell out of the work so that it's about as boring and unappealing as it possibly can. The culture has always been about frightening and demoralizing the ad agencies. Mistreat them and use them like punching bags, then blame them when things don't go well. Lutz is merely continuing that legacy.
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FTGDWolverineEdition'09
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
GM should switch to Sterling Cooper.
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FrankGrimes
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
On second thought maybe they should just do a commercial of Bob.

Have him standing on the runway in a flight suit. The announcer would say "How many car companies have a big wig named Maximum Bob?"
He gets into his airplane and does some fly bys with gratuitous airplane noises.
"How many big wigs at those other companies fly jets?"

"What about a $100,000 car with 638hp that rivals cars costing 2x as much?"

"Just GM so suck it losers"

maybe leave off the so suck it losers part.
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engineerd
07/27/09

@FrankGrimes: "So suck it losers" as a tagline would definitely put GM back in the front of people's minds. Of course, after taking almost $50 billion in taxpayer money, "so suck it losers" could have a negative backlash.
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FrankGrimes
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
I hate those Cadillac ads.

I think they need to focus on getting people who think GM car suck and doing some sort of blindfolded test you know like those food ones.

Or..
How about a Camaro SS doing a huge smokey burnout. With plenty of engine noise.
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If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
Well he definitely has a point. The Buick ad was horrifically stupid, Chevy's ad campaigns have been complete trash since "The Heartbeat of America" ended and I assume he means the Cadillac ads are literally too dark it's harder to see the car (or Kate Walsh) with that lighting.

Maybe this is the right role for Lutz in the new GM. Making bold, risky marketing decisions is far cheaper than bold, risky product decisions. And probably a helluva lot more effective, too.
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DoctorNine
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean

Henderson kicks Lutz, and he comes home and kicks the dog. Not that the dog didn't deserve to get kicked. It's been pissing on things for far too long. But this isn't really NEWS, per se. More of a predictable course of events.
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Timtoolman, sporadically speaking
07/27/09

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Fritz looks like an SOB. Maybe what they need, but he still looks unfriendly, whereas Maximum Bob is more of an Everyman.
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FlakJack promoted this comment

superveloce
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
I just hope I look that good at his age. Seriously, the dude looks like he could still kick my ass.
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ManicSquirrel is preparing for winter
07/27/09

@superveloce: He already did, you just don't know it yet...because it was that Maximum
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Graverobber
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
Most car ads have been going price-focused, as exemplified by the Suzuki "Mightier than a Mini" ads, which sell the key points of the SX-4, and highlight the low entry-level cost.

GM needs to overcome the whole "We damn-near went out of business, and buying a car from us is still a crap-shoot" mindset that most consumers have.

Car pr0n won't get them very far if people think they'll go tits up a month after, they need to be talking up guarantees that the buyers will be taken care of, in addition to how great the cars are.

It's a tough order for the maker and her agencies, but geez, they better act fast.
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Miscellanea
07/27/09

@Graverobber: You make a point, but I believe that Hyundai exemplifies a successful company marketing campaign. They stress the guarantee info. and manage to show off some exciting product in exciting ways. It really is a nice double pronged approach. Not to mention, it has been very consistent for several years. I get the impression that GM is just tossing marketing ideas at the wall to see what sticks. Unfortunately, most slides right off.
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Graverobber
07/27/09

@Miscellanea's brakes are squealing: You are absolutely correct that GM is flailing at the market without a coherent strategy. Their situation has been changing almost daily, and it's tough to figure out what messaging the market demands at one moment to the next.

I agree that the Hyundai ads demonstrate a strong strategy, and are what that maker needs right now to weather the economic storm. Keep in mind that Hyundai has spent the past 5 or so years in a campaign of PR and advertising that has attempted to overcome their previous poor-quality image, and they have been successful in doing so. They don't need to assure the car buying public of their stability, and instead can focus ads on the consumer, assuring them that Hyundai offers you options for getting out of the deal should your situation deteriorate. It's brilliant actually.
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bmoreDLJ
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
I'll just say one thing about Chevrolet's marketing:

"An American Revolution" is the worst slogan in the industry today.

To this day, I don't understand what they were going for here.

Whereas the American Revolution was a bloody battle for independence that took place more than two centuries ago, Chevrolet makes cars - some of them ugly and horrible, others exceedingly sexy and desirable, but generally cautious or reactionary...not revolutionary.

Anyone who isn't aware Chevrolet is an American automaker probably isn't allowed to drive anyway, so saying you're American in your slogan is just unnecessary.

After watching cumulatively hours upon hours of ads bearing that slogan, I simply cannot fathom why they have yet to replace it with something different and a bit more relevant to the brand.

It really needs to go. At this point, you could replace it with something even more incoherent, a la McDonald's. Just CHANGE IT.
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pauljones
07/27/09

@bmoreDLJ: The American Revolution adds were a parallel to the fact that GM was trying to turn around the general perception of American cars as being crappy and boring, something the are just now starting to do with the likes of the Malibu and the Camaro, while Ford is making the same effort with the Mustang, Fusion, and Taurus.

Thusly, by offering competitive, quality vehicles from an American company, GM was doing something revolutionary.
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If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face
07/27/09

@bmoreDLJ: Agreed, those ads are terrible. They're obnoxious, low class and cheap.

Just like a Cobalt.
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bmoreDLJ
07/27/09

@pauljones:

Pardon the pun, but for a "revolution" to last this long smacks of Irany.

Not that "Drive One" is any better.
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Six Flags Over Tomsk
07/27/09

@bmoreDLJ: I see what you did there...
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lobo8310
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean

Remake this ad and they´ll be alright.
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pauljones promoted this comment lobo8310 was starred lobo8310 was unstarred

pauljones
07/27/09

@lobo8310: Nice find.

That is indeed the kind of gumption that GM needs right now. Go Maximum Bob, go.
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Six Flags Over Tomsk
07/27/09

@lobo8310: Yes!
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Turbineguy - now with reheat!!
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
I think Bob Lutz is the best product guy GM has ever had. They need a car guy in a position to actually make a difference. Not everybody wants to drive a boring pod-mobile.
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FlakJack promoted this comment

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
BobMax needs to loosens his Sansabelts up a notch and get those bunions looked at. And GM needs to sharpen up its advertising.

But it would also help if GM was making more cars that were good and people actually wanted to buy. And I thought that was Bob's job.
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Mobius
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
Kate Walsh can sell me a Dodge Nitro.

But a Camaro, a CTS-V or a Vette pretty much sells itself.
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blondnga
07/27/09

In reply to Mad Men: Bob Lutz "Craps All Over" GM Ad Campaigns, Flies To Caribbean
Bob Lutz should have been canned when the company went through bankruptcy. He is old school GM and needs to be tossed.
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FlakJack promoted this comment blondnga was starred blondnga was unstarred

EMPM, Esq.
07/27/09

@blondnga: Agreed. Out with the old, in with the new. Results speak volumes. The company went into the shitter while he had a prominent position. Doesn't matter if it was his fault or not, there is plenty of talent out there. Time to let him go for good.
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