»
General Motors insists that its do-it-yourself viral ad campaign for a Chevy SUV is a success, although some GM critics have hijacked the campaign, flooding the web with negative ads about the company, writes CNET (via MarketingVox). In a partnership with the “The Apprentice” TV show, GM launched a contest last month to promote the Chevy Tahoe SUV, calling on consumers to create a digital commercial about the SUV at Chevyapprentice.com.
Over the weekend, hundreds of people apparently began to circulate thousands of videos that charged GM with contributing to global warming, protested the war in Iraq or criticized the Tahoe’s quality. Some contained profanity or sexually explicit messages. Late Monday GM announced that it would screen the ads for “offensive and inflammatory” content but said it would not remove material just because of a “negative tone” toward the company.
GM spokesperson Melisa Tezanos called the contest a success as a marketing campaign. “There are many different opinions and many different people, and we recognize that,” Tezanos said, and noted that more than 80 percent of the commercials are favorable.
Users have submitted more than 21,000 ads and have emailed ads over 40,000 times; the site has generated 2.4 million pageviews; and the average visit to the site lasts more than 9 minutes, she said.
Volvo will become the first automaker to offer HD Radio as standard equipment in all but one of its 2009 models. The running change becomes effective next month on the 2009 Volvo model lineup.
“Our drivers expect the highest quality…
The current issue of Cottage Living will be its last. Time Inc., in the midst of a major restructuring, is closing the books on the title.
The magazine had a solid start four years ago and managed to boost circulation…
Macy’s is hoping to drum up excitement about its famous annual Thanksgiving Day Parade by handing out flip books featuring familiar parade scenes, including Santa’s arrival at the parade during the grand finale.
The flip books were created by Flippies,…
Project Runway is still deadlocked in legal tangles that could keep the show off the air indefinitely.
The program, originally on Bravo, was slated to move to Lifetime in January for its sixth season, but Bravo parent company NBCU is suing producer…
Forbes is combining its print and web staffs and reorganizing its sales and marketing teams in a move that will better enable the magazine to “weather the current economic storm,” says chairman-CEO Steve Forbes
The switch will mean a 43-job reduction,…
An overwhelming majority of mothers in America (90%) saw the economy getting weaker even before the collapse on Wall Street, and more of them now (40%) feel stressed about their current family life than feel good about the way things…
