Propeller Anchor Commentary

Dakota:
According to Jean Halliday, Detroit Bureau Chief at Ad Age, Chevrolet’s advertisements have historically always been pro-American. “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” was the motto for commercials from the 1950s, while more recent ads used Bob Seeger's song "Like a Rock" to sell Chevy trucks, she notes.

But Halliday says that this recent advertising campaign takes the America theme “to a whole new level.”

“This is about the country and its history, and some of the problems that we have had and how we have bounced back,” she says. “Which is a lot to ask for in a 30-second commercial.”

Criticism of the ad doesn’t surprise Halliday, who adds that Chevrolet parent General Motors (GM) pays close attention to reaction to its new advertisements. In 2004, GM pulled a television advertisement that featured a young boy commandeering a flying Corvette after parents complained. By contrast, the same year, GM didn’t kill Silverado ads that ran in Spanish during the World Series even after viewers complained.

“I am sure GM is listening,” she says, referring to this recent round of criticism. “We will see what they do.”

Meanwhile, given the historical clips shown in the new Silverado advertisement, it’s likely that GM paid a hefty sum to produce the ad. Earlier this year, the New York Times estimated that GM inked a six-figure deal to use the Rose Parks images.

But it makes sense GM would invest heavily in advertising its new Silverado, says Halliday, since the truck is GM's best-selling model.

“It’s a very key product for the company,” she says, adding that promotion is particularly important for GM in light of anticipated competition from Toyota’s forthcoming new Tundra truck.

2006-10-10 17:05:48