GM announces, Joel Ewanick, the Global Chief Marketing Officer has resigned, effective immediately. GM is giving no details regarding this news, other than Alan Batey, Vice President of U.S. Sales and Service will take over Ewanick’s duties in the interim. Mr. Ewanick joined GM in 2010, according to the New York Times, Ewanick left Nissan to help remake GM’s image. Ewanick was responsible for spearheading some shocking advertising and marketing decisions in recent months.
Forbes reports that GM spends about $40 million per year on Facebook marketing and according to the Wall Street Journal, GM in May decided to pull the advertising, they had on Facebook. GM states “We regularly review our overall media spend and make adjustments as needed. In terms of Facebook specifically; while we currently do not plan to continue with advertising, we remain committed to an aggressive content strategy through all of our products and brands, as it continues to be a very effective tool for engaging with our customers.”
GM also dropped a bombshell when they announced per Ewanick early this summer that they would not be advertising on the upcoming Super Bowl, which will be aired Sunday, February 3rd, 2013. This decision according to the Huffington Post was based on cost; CBS was charging approximately $4 Million for a 30 second advertisement. At the time, Ewanick said in a statement “We understand the reach the Super Bowl provides, but with the significant increase in price, we simply can’t justify the expense.”
In regards to the Super Bowl decision, Edmunds.com analyst Michelle Krebs states “It feels premature for GM to make such a big decision, since GM will be launching a new line of 2013 full- size pickup trucks and full size SUV’s around Super Bowl time. Super Bowl is ideal for those vehicles and the timing is right.”
Only time will tell what the impact of these GM marketing decisions will be on the 2013 GM sales. In the meanwhile, GM dealerships around the country continue producing local ads in which owners, like Scott McCorkle of Scott McCorkle’s Liberty Buick GMC in North Carolina are featured. Local spots continue to be significant, regardless of what GM decides to do with the National advertising and marketing and dealers like McCorkle are counting on a big 2013 payoff.
Shelia Brabham Brumlow
Staff Writer
