GM will not support the release of Transformers 2 with a Transformers-like barrage of commercials. Why? Just call it Revenge Of The Carpocalypse.
Despite the company's overwhelming presence in the film, including a Chevy Beat or Chevy Spark or whatever, Camaro and a Corvette Stingray Concept, the company has decided not to buy a large amount, if any, commercial time with advertisements connecting their products to the movie. Especially as the movie is essentially one long GM commercial. There are two main factors at work here:
1.) GM's slashing its marketing budget by $800 million in 2009. There simply isn't the same pool of marketing dollars the company had back in 2007, when the original Transformers launched.
2.) GM is predictably gun-shy after plane-gate and the Citibank/Mets deal left many wondering if the new Mets Stadium should be called "Taxpayer Field" while the company takes a bailout.
This move reduces the impact Chevy might get out of the launch of the 2010 Chevy Camaro and may increase the burden on Paramount to fork over dollars to support their expensive blockbuster. Maybe Optimus Prime or a strategic use of web advertisement can save them. It'd certainly save us. Optimus Prime that is. We love a long-nosed semi, what can we say.
[via Ad Age]