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New Slogan: "Pontiac is CAR"?

pow

By pow
in Heritage Marques

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balthazar

balthazar

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hyperv6 >>"Pontiac needs a rehash they have not seen since Bunkies day. If he had just targeted the Pontiac fans in 1957 Pontiac would have not ever seen the GTO and a new wave of younger buyers.

You need to give the people under 40 some reason to look as of now they no longer we build excitment after the last 20 years. The new cars like the G8 deserve bettter than a con line for a FWD Grand Am."<<

Thing of it was, is, Pontiac didn't really use much in the way of advertising taglines in '50s advertising, it wasn't until Wide-Track of '59 that a running tagline was used in print advertising. No slogans pulled people in for the '57s, in fact, sales did not eclipse '55 & 56s until '62.

The pre-'57s get undue flak (and in turn- the '57s get a bit too much credit), when in actuality, the '55-56s were very popular once the V-8 came on board; it was the pre '55s that were 'Pontiac ol skool'.

Anyway... the break for '57 was all product-sourced, not advertising (actually, '57 advertising was on the light side AFA frequency went). If the G8 turns out to be all that to a healthy slice of the consumer base, then the tagline will be immaterial once again.

That said, I'm with Camino RE: Ponti-action and Fuel for the soul" -- two real good ones.

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The O.C. Newbie

The O.C.

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Posted (edited)
New divisional slogans:

Pontiac: "We build Chevrolets and Holdens that look just a little sportier but pretty much drive the same"

GMC: "Chevrolet Trucks with different grills sold at different dealers"

Buick: "Cushier Chevrolets"

Saturn: "Rethink what was Oldsmobile - a Chevrolet or an Opel with prettier tail lights"

Saab: "Born from Opels"

Hummer: "Dressed up Chevys for imperial wannabes or rich MILFs in lousy marriages or dudes with small..."

Chevrolet: "The Toyota brand of General Motors North America but with pushrods"

Cadillac: "30 years of chasing the Germans. We're trying alright!? Give us a break!"

Even though this was an attempt to be funny (and it was) there is alot of semi-truths here........GM has recently really sucked at their slogans. This is one part of their marketing efforts that has been totally mismanaged over the years. You pick a winning tagline and product slogan and you build upon it. Don't abandon it just because sales take a dip. I'll suggest some slogans for us.....

Buick: "Premium American Motorcars"

Cadillac: "Standard of the World"

Pontiac: "We Build Excitement"

Chevrolet: "Heartbeat of America"

Saturn: "A Different Kind of Car.....A Different Kind of Company"

Yeah.....I know these all have been used before.....but IMHO, these were all AWESOME taglines....that if just had been nurtured and adhered to, we might see a much different kind of GM today. Think of the impact of these taglines if they had all been used consistently over the last 20-30 years......

I know....I know.....some of today's products don't necessarily adhere to the tagline (Pontiac G5? "We Build Excitement?" and Cadillac DTS "Standard of the World?") But consistency with these brand slogans would only help the solidification of your product portfolio in the marketplace.

(re.....BMW's "The Ultimate Driving Machine......" It's in everything they do....and has been....for how many decades?) There are many cars now that are beginning to, or have, rivalled BMWs now for driving pleasure.....but (edit: many) people in the marketplace will ALWAYS associate BMWs as the ultimate driving machines.....

Edited by The O.C.
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z28luvr01 Newbie

z28luvr01

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"Pontiac is Car" is moronic.

Ponti-action and Fuel for the soul were much, much, better.

Hopefully, this will be a short-lived slogan.

I've always thought "Fuel for the Soul" was the best slogan GM had used in a long time, and was dumped waaaay too soon.

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buyacargetacheck Newbie

buyacargetacheck

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Buick never did better than "Wouldn't You Really Rather Have a Buick?" It rolled off the tongue nicely and, more importantly, it defined Buick as an aspirational product. Like "Standard of the World" or "We Build Excitement," GM ad men couldn't get away with using it now with a straight face. It's hard to see how any car sold and serviced in the same outdated facilities where Savanna work vans and Vibes are sold is aspirational. Simply from a distribution standpoint Buick will never match Lexus ES/RX. If GM was serious it would have dualled Buick and Cadillac. But it obviously isn't.

Even though this was an attempt to be funny (and it was) there is alot of semi-truths here........GM has recently really sucked at their slogans. This is one part of their marketing efforts that has been totally mismanaged over the years. You pick a winning tagline and product slogan and you build upon it. Don't abandon it just because sales take a dip. I'll suggest some slogans for us.....

Buick: "Premium American Motorcars"

Cadillac: "Standard of the World"

Pontiac: "We Build Excitement"

Chevrolet: "Heartbeat of America"

Saturn: "A Different Kind of Car.....A Different Kind of Company"

Yeah.....I know these all have been used before.....but IMHO, these were all AWESOME taglines....that if just had been nurtured and adhered to, we might see a much different kind of GM today. Think of the impact of these taglines if they had all been used consistently over the last 20-30 years......

I know....I know.....some of today's products don't necessarily adhere to the tagline (Pontiac G5? "We Build Excitement?" and Cadillac DTS "Standard of the World?") But consistency with these brand slogans would only help the solidification of your product portfolio in the marketplace.

(re.....BMW's "The Ultimate Driving Machine......" It's in everything they do....and has been....for how many decades?) There are many cars now that are beginning to, or have, rivalled BMWs now for driving pleasure.....but (edit: many) people in the marketplace will ALWAYS associate BMWs as the ultimate driving machines.....

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Dark Phoenix Newbie

Dark Phoenix

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Posted
I know....I know.....some of today's products don't necessarily adhere to the tagline (Pontiac G5? "We Build Excitement?" and Cadillac DTS "Standard of the World?") But consistency with these brand slogans would only help the solidification of your product portfolio in the marketplace.

Well... that kinda gets into "what is excitement?". Is it only RWD? Is it only big power and low cars?

I think that "excitement" can be more. It depends on the market. I know that we seem to be RWD people here (hence the aspersions cast at the FWD Grand Ams), but there is a huge "tuner" market out there that either doesn't care which wheels drive the car, or worse, actually LIKE FWD.

And in that case, it's not really all that far off. The G5 is a great tool to lure in the import crowd. Pontiac is into ALMS and drifting now, they just need to start hanging out at NOPI events and start blowing the doors of Hondas in the various events with the G5, and listen to input from the crowd. But above all, don't expect it to be a huge seller (and most of that "input" should be channeled into dealer installable upgrades, since most of these cars are bought on the cheap, or by these kids parents because it's felt that they can't get into much trouble with a civic).

The Vibe, is another good one. It should be cut to only 2 models - the FWD base, and the GT, and the GT should be the AWD model. And even then, the FWD should be treated like the 1LE F-Body option - ignored. People should have to request the FWD model, and little to no mention or emphasis should be put on it. The GT should be AWD and if not turboed, then at least some sort of S/C or turbo should be a dealer installable upgrade. This would compete against the Scion Xa & Xb, the new Imprezza, and the Mazda 3. For those so-inclined, it could be a "lifestyle vehicle" (ala Aztek or Xb), or a cross-over, like the Mazda 3, or a rip-roarin' beast like the WRX and STi. If the WRX can remain in the fight agains the Evo with it's new hatchback form, then the Vibe can CERTAINLY play in that space. Supposedly it's already built to GM spec, so change the spec to focus on performance and move the drive torque to a rear bias with front assist. The WRX should be an easy mark to chase and beat. (so do it the way that the Corvette team tested against a Ferrari and such)

The G6 should probably be dropped. It's a really cool car, but if the G5 takes the FWD, I'm not sure what a larger version would accomplish. However, a RWD G6 hard-top 'vert could be interesting. Could go up against the M-B 230's and Kompressors and such.

The G8 is obvious. Make the V6 the Caddy DI engine, and leave the rest as it is. (well, other than adding a manual)

The Solstice is another obvious one, roadster is kicking ass and taking names, and has all but run Mazda out of the North American market. The coupe should bolster that quite a bit. Be a perfect Exige fighter (in the glaring absence of the Fiero).

Not everyone needs a big cross-over, or little SUV, but... even though I would have said just last week that the Torrent should go, reading the review of gm4life who got one, I may be swayed on that. Seems even that can be "exciting". So why not embrace it and go all the way? Chase the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne. Again, AWD with a 50/50 split or RWD bias, and a supercharger or turbo. It doesn't have to smoke the big Cayenne, but it could be the lower cost alternative to it and just get within range of it's performance. (then just work deals with the aftermarket to make Cayenne killers)

But something is still missing.... The Trans Am. It has been aggressive and in your face, and it has been sleek and futuristic. Whether you go with the GTA mentality, or the LS1 WS6/455 SD 2nd Gen mentality, or even the '89 Anniversary path, it's presence is required. Stuff all the gear and goodies in that you can before Cadillac cries, refine the ride like the G8s (comfort with a clear bias toward performance), just with a little MORE bias toward performance. As long as a fully worked out model falls below the base Corvette, it's good. The top dog, the beast for people who want V8 growl and grunt, coupe styling, and every goody and doo-dad out there (whereas the Solstice is about the raw simply driving experience), offer it in T-Top and Hard Top models only, and only 1 or 2 variants (maybe a Formula, and a Trans Am, the former as stripped out as possible, for people who won't by a Solstice coupe due to it's I4 engine).

Acutally, the Holden Coupe 60 is the perfect platform. Put a '78-like front end on it, and drop an LS3 in it and you're golden. People who want to spend less can get a camaro or drop down to the little brother Solstice. The 2002 WS6 Trans Am re-born. Loud, aggressive, in your face, and intimdating. With performance to back up the looks and the bark. (just keep it maxed out in goodies, more-so than the camaro, it should be as KITT-like as possible, that's been the Trans Am's thing since '82)

THAT would be Driving Exitement that is Designed For Action and Fuel For The Soul. Get On Your Pontiac and Ride!

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hyperv6 Newbie

hyperv6

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Does a slogan really matter as long as they start to give us cars like the G8?

That car and the Solstice coupe say we are starting to bring better cars just as the first CTS did for Caddy.

They can make what ever slogan they want but till they get at least 2 more good none will matter. In todays market product speaks louder than any cheesy markting slogan.

A replacment for the G6 and G6 would domore than any words can say.

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Dark Phoenix Newbie

Dark Phoenix

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Was watching Setup last night, and I still think that this is a good campaign. But so many people are railing against it, maybe it's not as "obvious" as a good campaign needs to be.

"Car" is not meant to be a reference to an automobile. That clearly would not make sense. But Car as a concept is something totally different. Think of it this way, car = cool. Use them interchangably and it makes more sense. "Yo, that is totally car!" Sounds weird, yeah, but we're not used to it, and in the right context (ie, Pontiac commercial), it works much better.

I like SuperSport's idea - "Pontiac - For Those Who Get It". It perfectly explains the lower sales volume too as most people in general just clearly don't get it. lol And it's actually reminiscent of the old Packard slogan "Ask the man who owns one"

Pontiac -

- Try to Keep Up (both a demand to the buying public (to "get it" better), and a taunt to it's competitors)

- Attitude

- Passion

- Fire

- Born from Tracks (nod to saab - how can you cite jets an imply performance when everything is FWD? :banghead: )

- For Serious Drivers Only (yes, inspired by VW's "Drivers Wanted")

- Weapons Grade Fun (Weapons Grade referring to the arrow head, double entendre)

- Tracked Widely (lol, just a joke, inverted Wide Track)

- Yes! It's a Pontiac (lol many said that was the response to the reaction the first pre-production Solsti got on the streets)

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