Jalopnik 
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Detroit, 1:33 AM
Mon Nov 30
13 posts in the last 24 hours
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08/20/09
That is, why no amount of creative marketing or product massaging can budge the overwhelming public opinion of Buicks as cars for people who'd be dead if it was the 19th century.
08/19/09
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08/19/09
That's received a thousand times more bad press than a few twats, or twits, or tweets, or whatever you call them.
I'm sure it feels nice to massage your ego some more and believe you had some influence, but let's face it, it's far more likely someone actually just realized what a bad business move it was.
08/19/09
08/19/09
The Head of Design Review: Okay kid, show me what you got.
Young Product Designer: Well sir, see this old Saturn Vue?
The Head of Design Review: Uh Yeah…
Young Product Designer: Well, we thought if you...
The Head of Design Review: Dammit,...this better not be some of that badge engineering crap....I’m just warning you
Young Product Designer: Uh… Well sir…. Well, we thought if you just take some Buick badges here and stick them here where the old Saturn Vue badges go....
The Head of Design Review: You’re fired!!!
Head Product Designer: Sir,... hold on now...I think the kid is on to something here.
The Head of Design Review: Well then you’re fired too...anybody else think this is a good idea?
Other Product Designers in Unison: No we…. uh… uh…. told them not to do that.
I’m pretty sure this would eliminate badge engineering.
08/19/09
08/19/09
Of course, that's how we got the Bangle butt, but still...
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08/19/09
+1
08/19/09
Friends might tell you to try it, but, like jumping off a bridge, you don't need to try it to know that it's bad for you.
Just say no!
08/19/09
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08/19/09
You got to be careful with some of these designer sights, they carefully desguise the truth.
08/19/09
08/19/09
but Jalopnik keeps on asking me to.
What should I do?!?!?!?
08/19/09
08/19/09
I JUST DON"T WANT TO. (help me)
08/19/09
08/19/09
No, my friends. It shows that GM execs are too busy following up on Twitter to actually look at the proposals they are confronted with at the beginning. Are the captains of industries so tasteless and/or oblivious to such things that it takes a form of social uprising to show them what was visible from the start? Or is it because marketing is the million pound gorilla in the corner, a behemoth pulling its weight around to exert its opinion, thereby forcing everyone else to do as it says, only to be noticed by following the pulse of the exact consumers that it flings its dire excrement upon?
I understand the need to follow up on society. That's how the right products make it to us consumers. What I don't understand is how it takes a system of coffee twitting, breakfast tweeting, shit twatting and look-at-me tweataratting to see that while everyone is entitled to their opinion, it shouldn't take a gazillion voices twasterblabbling to wake the fuck up.
Yep, I still hate twitter, or rather, what it stands for. I should go facebook about it or something, as everyone should know this...
Edit: and yes it took me quite a while to write this comment, hence the appearance that I am re-stating what so many others have stated. That makes me feel good, as I see I am not alone in this.
08/19/09
08/19/09
Porsche has stuck to their basic ideology enough to create a consumer base comprised of Porsche-ists. And they listen to them. While Porsche leadership manages to get away with interesting projects (such as the boxster/cayman) quite successfully, They are already targeting a willing market, and even providing feedback in the form of products (remember that time with the 911 and the bumpy road and understeer?).
It is because they have listened for so long, maintained there executive appeal, driving dynamics and interesting innovations (which is what buyers want), that they appear to be not listening. Others have been turning their deaf ear for so long, they have forgotten how to hear.
08/19/09
But I disagree with you here. The bangle 7-series was their best selling ever. I-drive never slowed sales a bit and is aped by Audi and Merc. I can't stand the X6 but the damn thing is everywhere in my city. They get away with anything they want.
And I don't know how many Porsche purists asked for the Cayenne or Panamera (both are hideous) but there doesn't seem to be any downside for them at all.
08/19/09
First things first, thanks for the nominations...
Best selling for a 7 series still isn't selling a lot of cars. Worst selling for a 3 series is a significant hit. And VW just bought Porsche, didn't they (although they have been playing that cat and mouse game forever).
I agree, marques like these get away with a lot more than others, but if they abandoned their followers completely and churned out bland, badge-engineered, dissonant crap for too many extended periods, I have faith in us buyers that they would encounter the rude awakening that GM did eventually.
08/19/09
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08/19/09
Unless they bring the Vuick.
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08/19/09
Anyway, thanks Ray for helping to eighty-six this turd.
08/19/09
I have to say, the next logical step instead of waiting to see whether or not people will Tweet is to just come right out and ask them what they think. You know, get a big group of people together and just ask them what they think.
I shall call my new idea, "The Focus Group".
08/19/09