From Hyundai to Nissan to GM, can Ewanick repeat his prior success?
Lingering over breakfast early Wednesday morning in sunny Los Angeles my mobile rang and I noted it was from a good friend who must remain nameless. The familiar voice said,
“It’s hitting the web now!”
What is?
“The news!”
What news?
“Joel Ewanick has left Nissan and is the new vice president of marketing at General Motors!”
You’re not kidding are you? Hell, he’s only been at Nissan about a month.
“Not about this.”
“Thanks. Will call ya back.”
Clicking off, the buzzer on my iPhone began to chatter as started landing with the breaking news just verbally delivered to me. Just about six weeks ago in a special MMM I heaped praise on Joel Ewanick for the work and accomplishments he had supervised at Hyundai and speculated on the remunerative rewards he was probably going to reap at Nissan.
Generous, er General Motors has obviously opened the seemingly unlimited coffers of our tax dollar-paid multi-billion dollar loan (that’ll probably never be a fully repaid loan) to bestow upon a very talented guy the keys to the new automotive kingdom they hope will come. I really don’t give a damn why he left Nissan, that’s his personal and professional business, not mine.
Audi's new salesman? Hoping for a big bump, the German luxury maker is betting on a big payoff from its tie-in to the Iron Man franchise.
This is more than a daunting task: it calls for a combination marketing magician and miracle worker. Take away the hype and spin there are more management, merchandising, management, marketing, advertising, promotional, public relations, dealer attitudes, ad agency disasters yet to come and marketing management problems, issues and potential disasters than can be enumerated here.
Joel’s job is Job light!
His new job calls for marketing magic based on good — make that great — cars from Chevy, Caddy and GMC, without exception. That’s a given. Will he come up with the sort of whizbang marketing to move the needle again? I hope so and wish him well. That noted, even with the depressed prices of really nice housing in the Detroit metro area, I’d probably advise Ewanick not to buy a home just yet. The revolving door at the new GM is still spinning isn’t it?
Chevy’s new slogan stinks
Add my vote to that of several current and former advertising and marketing mavens, practitioners and pundits whose objections were raised vociferously after checking out Chevy’s new campaign. It is an odious, repugnant and ridiculous theme. This from the folks who are taking over from Campbell-Ewald? And the man noted above must work with the new guys.
Transparent Transportation
Few really good car commercials are on the air now, but here’s one that while not a true car commercial does revolve around an automobile. To enjoy just click to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3HM1bQzubw&feature=player_embedded
Racy Rewarding Rodent
Zoom-zoom, squeak-squeak?
Smoother than a Rolls, quieter than a Bentley, faster than a Ferrari, no harmful emissions and it’s affordable. It’s the new 2011 Motormouse! A cute little racecar (note the palindrome) that replaces that boring mouse that came with your desktop that is far sleeker, smarter and fun to use. Only $49.95 from www.motormouse.us.com .
Audi’s Iron Man 2 Promotion
Never one to let a good tie-in go to waste Audi has mounted a big TV ad campaign (click to , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4azQFbzzN8 for the special commercial) and myriad of tie-ins – games, puzzles, games, merchandise and of course the new 2011 Audi R8 Spyder used by Tony Stark. The new movie is being released wide as they say in show biz today, May 7 and is expected to be the multi-million mega hit of the week. To watch the official trailer click to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siQgD9qOhRs
In fair warning there’s a Sony ad before the trailer … just like in the real movies. Popcorn is exta.