Ad of the Week: The Reinvention of GM

This week’s featured ad, isn’t sexy, amazing or hilarious. It’s just very relevant to the brand, their positioning and works well in this new world of transparency and social network commentaries. It’s the new spot for GM, called “The Reinvention of GM” featuring Ed Whitacre, the Chairman and CEO of GM. The ad was released in sync with GM’s payback of their Federal Government bailout loans, “in full, with interest, five years ahead of schedule.”

The ad opens with Whitacre speaking frankly to the camera while walking through GM plants. Much like the recent Domino’s campaign, GM talks straight about the bad feelings that the public has had about the company’s way of doing business. Whitacre states, “A lot of Americans didn’t agree with giving GM a second chance and quite frankly, I can respect that.”

You never would have heard a big three automaker making statements like that a few years ago. Like much of corporate America, they would never want to openly discuss anything that might reflect negatively on them. But, give GM credit they’re learning how to navigate this new world where the consumer has more say in your brand. At Future Midwest, GM’s Chris Barger talked about how a customer panel loved all the cars they were reviewing except one Buick model. The old GM would have ignored those comments. The new GM took them to heart and revamped the car. You can see the ad below or on YouTube.

“The Reinvention of GM”

So, we give this week’s Ad of the Week honors based more relevance and growth in how they run their company and their marketing efforts than outstanding creative. It is after all, a new marketing world we live in.

This week’s Ad of the Week was submitted by our senior art director. Thanks, Satch. Got a suggestion for Ad of the Week? Leave your comment here, send us an email at fans@yaffe.com, send us a tweet or post on our Facebook page.

Mike McClure, Exec Creative Director & Social Media Guy