When you are the nation's largest advertiser there is a lot expected of you. Luckily for Fritz Henderson General Motors now ranks only 3rd and expectations couldn't be any lower.
From a branding standpoint the bar is also quite low. While "Keep America Rolling" felt good in the wake of Sept. 11, I don't think "Employee Pricing" and "0% for 60 Months" did much to increase consideration. The incentive game is one that really can't be won by anyone because it simply reduces profit for all. At the same time the real story was how far could GM's market share drop, why do so many think GM products stink and how can Chevy Malibu become an import fighter instead of an Impala fighter?
Enter Mr. Henderson. From a marketing perspective the short- and long-term upside is enormous. GM will rightly re-brand itself. Think "New GM" or "America's Car Company". How ironic? America's Car Company, literally. (New) GM should start with it's own customers. Whatever attributes have drawn current owners should be nurtured very carefully. The good news is that today social media can do for a brand what used to take years of word-of-mouth marketing.
Next, GM needs to address the perception gap. This will be tricky because GM's perceived value varies greatly by geography. It'll be harder in California than in Indiana and Ohio. Also, media is more expensive in the coastal markets where GM has more work to do. Segmentation will need to be leveraged.
Most importantly GM will need to commit to long-term execution of a single brand communications strategy. Tactics can be revised but GM can't be impatient.
Outside of a Bear Stearns-like total evaporation it is almost certain that for General Motors the next 8 years will be better than the past eight. Let the excellent adventure begin.
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