Idea for a Chevy ad

[ToniCipriani]

I suddenly thought of this idea, like a "real life show" form of an ad. OK, first grab a Cobalt, COMPLETELY camoflauge the fact that it's a Chevy, i.e. like the spy vehicles, use like the vinyl wraps on the front grille, rear end, strip the badges from the steering wheel, use generic wheel covers at Tire Rack or Canadian Tire. Next, in the streets, stop people with Corollas and Civics. Particularly look for people who make negative comments about American cars, particularly. Do a brief interview with them, and record their phrases like: I LOVE my Corolla, it's like the best car you can get... blah blah blah.... Then, challenge them to test drive the stripped Cobalt. Don't reveal to them what car is it. Make sure that they are impressed, and record their comments. When they feel it does feel like a way better car than what they are driving, take the front grille camo off, and show them the Chevy grille. Again, record what they say. Show the whole thing on TV, and use Chevy's catch phrase: "Chevrolet: An American Revolution."

[99camaroSS]

pure genious, thats a great idea

[HarleyEarl]

Very inventive. Or better yet, tell them it's a new model from Japan and then see what comments they come up with and then reveal the true identity.

[Cory Wolfe]

Just make sure to grap people who aren't familiar with cars... Mostly women I'd presume. Otherwise, I think it would be a bit late to do that as it's been out for a while and the atleast half of the general public is now familiar with it. I think it would be a great idea to this when a car debuts, though...

[knightfan26917]

I like that idea ... very much!

Now, who is going to produce it?

;)


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
"There's so much I need to say to you" ... Phil Collins ... 'Take A Look At Me Now / Against All Odds'

[CARBIZ]

I don't know if GM would have the guts to do this. It is brilliant, though. We all know that it is the public's PERCEPTION of GM's vehicles (and the media being a blow box for Toyota) that is the real hurdle. I use this all the time. We own a Toyota store and I have walked many customers over and cross-driven the Corolla. The Cobalt rides better, handles better and has a lot better features than the Corolla. Any UNBIASED consumer would come to that conclusion. I've even used it on the Mazda 3, although less successfully. Putting the F-150 in the show room next to a Silverado would be another coup; however, most salespeople don't have the technical skill to pull it off. I am all for guerilla marketing. I used it very successfully in my previous life when I ran my own business. I wiped out 7 competitors in a few years by being consistent, fair and getting the message out. Price never sold anything. It only helps move dated prodcuct.

[Cremazie]

I don't know if GM would have the guts to do this.  It is brilliant, though.  We all know that it is the public's PERCEPTION of GM's vehicles (and the media being a blow box for Toyota) that is the real hurdle.
  I use this all the time.  We own a Toyota store and I have walked many customers over and cross-driven the Corolla.  The Cobalt rides better, handles better and has a lot better features than the Corolla.  Any UNBIASED consumer would come to that conclusion.  I've even used it on the Mazda 3, although less successfully.
  Putting the F-150 in the show room next to a Silverado would be another coup; however, most salespeople don't have the technical skill to pull it off.
  I am all for guerilla marketing.  I used it very successfully in my previous life when I ran my own business.  I wiped out 7 competitors in a few years by being consistent, fair and getting the message out.
Price never sold anything.  It only helps move dated prodcuct.

[post="15086"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Good job my man. I am yet to drive a cobalt. You are telling me that I would like it more than a Corolla? I'm going to do that today. (Though, it won't be a huge feat)

[Dsuupr]

Great idea! Then following it up with the IIHS results to prove how much better the Cobalt really is.

[Newbiewar]

I can see that on a nice Punked Show... that would work...

[Sixty8panther]

Great Idea. Brilliant. Not originla or groundbreaking however. Eagle did it back in the mid 1990s when they introduced the Vision TSi. ONe woman was shown saying "This HAS to be a top of the line Acura!" While some other guy quessed the car was a BMW. Still others guessed Lexus and Mercedes. Edited September 18, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[PontiacTechNJ]

The" Japanese cars are the most reliable things on the planet "drivel started with the ecology craze of the late 60s . Except they embraced VW , and they sucked , so it was on to a new car . Toyota and Datsun were novel , but datsun positioned alot of there cars as performance and raced , did not take with the ecology minded . No , there was one car that was embraced , as the singular greatest ever , yes , it was the HONDA CIVIC . Oh so intelligent , smartly styled , good on gas , CVCC was soooo advanced and clean , it did not even need a catlytic convertor ( loophole that was quickly closed ), why they even have a change holder and sunglass compartment . No Honda did not reinvent they wheel they actually still to this day build just a crappy a car as the next guy . they have just employed brilliant marketing personnel and ad agencies . It does not hurt to have an Anti American Anti Big Business media on your side . I bet you Honda ate up more automatic transmissions last year than the every model of GM cars combined!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

EXCELLENT IDEA!!!!

Chevy should run with this.

[Sixty8panther]

Toyota and Datsun were novel , but datsun positioned alot of there cars as performance and raced , did not take with the ecology minded .

[post="17461"][/post]

That's why I love Datsuns. If I had to be a fan of a Japanese car company it would be Nissan/Infiniti. Laugh if you will but I love my '84 Maxima.

It's RWD, has an IRS with LSD and a great 5-speed. (tired and worn but still engages like new) and when is the last time you saw a inline six cylinder engine in a compact car? Outside a 3-series Bimmer and an IS Lexus they're mostly an extinct breed.

Some Datsun eye candy:












Check out the custom headlight covers!

No Honda did not reinvent they wheel they actually still to this day build just a crappy a car as the next guy . they have just employed brilliant marketing personnel and ad agencies . It does not hurt to have an Anti American Anti Big Business media on your side .

You Sir, speak the God's truth. No feature/option/benefit/quality ranking can sell as many cars as effective advertising.

I bet you Honda ate up more automatic transmissions last year than the every model of GM cars combined!

I actually like Honda manuals, not the beset but not as bad as they say. The S2000s leaves a lot to be desired considering it costs $30,000 but it seems solid enough. Anyone who buys an automatic Honda is a little out of touch wiht eality anyway... but I'm very insensitive that way.

"You bought an Automatic Honda?
Didn't your Mother ever tell you two wrongs do NOT make a right?!" Edited September 24, 2005 by Sixty8panther

[rkmdogs]

What Gm needs to do is get back public recognition. By that, I mean the 2 second visual identification test. You have to be able to identify the brand and model of a car driving by in 2 seconds or less for public recognition. Since the General started copying Japanese cookie-cutter designs they have lost that major playing chip. Cadillac is the only brand to reclaim it with distinctive styling. Chrysler had it with their LH cars and have reclaimed it with their LX models! You don't mistake one of them for some Jap or Korean car! Now you have to look twice at something going down the street ----- and then you are not sure, 'cause you didn't see some distinctive visual sign............... Buick is trying....... with the revivial of portholes to be distinctive, but that is too little, too late and not stand-out enough! Chevy and Pontiac cars used to be identifiable a block away by a one-eyed 90-year old, or even a 5 year old who could spell! Not anymore, you have to be almost on top of a car and read its' badging to be able to tell who made it! Bring back distinctive styling, ---------- but not in the Aztec vein! :blink:

[knightfan26917]

Chevy and Pontiac cars used to be identifiable a block away by a one-eyed 90-year old, or even a 5 year old who could spell!
Not anymore, you have to be almost on top of a car and read its' badging to be able to tell who made it!

*nods*

Yep ... sadly, I know exactly what you mean....