The Battle Of The Marks Round 1

[Guest Josh]

N othing like a war of words to show the general public and the restructuring-weary at GM's RenCen and Ford Motor Co.'s Glass House that a few of them can still muster enough passion to play offense.

In General Motors Corp.'s corner stands Mark LaNeve, 46, a former linebacker from the University of Virginia with roots in Pennsylvania's hardscrabble steel country, who helped revive Cadillac and now is the automaker's North American vice president for sales, service and marketing.

In Ford's corner there's Mark Fields, 44, a Harvard biz school grad who, despite tours as president of Mazda Motor Corp. and Ford's premium brands in Europe, still carries the faint swagger of New Jersey in his job as Ford's president of the Americas.

Without actually naming GM, Fields says "some competitors out there" are guilty of sales gimmicks that amount to "irrational actions" Oh, yeah? Well at least GM, LaNeve counters, isn't wrapping itself in the flag with an "America's car company" shtick.

This battle of the Marks, the first round of which played out last week in Los Angeles, portends a welcome new tone for GM and Ford at this year's North American International Auto Show and it's this: Detroit's big two beleaguered automakers, basically given up for dead by Wall Street, want to open this year fighting, lest deepening self-pity, even desperation, suffocate them and whatever promise their cars and trucks may hold.

Quiet deliberation, political supplication and media stonewalling are out because, Lord knows, none has boosted market share, soothed the bond market, enriched investors, controlled news or comforted employees and retirees. Candor, fighting back, touting cars and trucks and calling out competitors are in.

Finally.

Full Read: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...389/1148/AUTO01

[usa1]

Well at least GM, LaNeve counters, isn't wrapping itself in the flag with an "America's car company" shtick.

What would you call "American Revolution"? There some flag wrapping going on there.

LaNeve should STFU. He's been an complete failure in his new job.

Mark

[Newbiewar]

What would you call "American Revolution"?  There some flag wrapping going on there.

LaNeve should STFU.  He's been an complete failure in his new job. 

Mark

he's learning, and i fully believe once he gets comfortable and familiar with his area in the industry he will help GM recover dominance in the market place...

an American Revolution, stresses Revolution, as in change, according to the american heritiage dictionary of the english language "a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving" it wouldnt really be very worth while to call it a revolution without something to move forward or change... as in "America" "An American Revolution" is no different then Toyota's slogan "Moving you forward" they mean the same thing... where as Ford always preaches, "America's Car Company"

Toyota and Ford wrap themselves with the US Flag, one is a bit undeserving... and the other is relitively traditional.

not trying to correct you, just giving my thoughts on the subject

[haypops]

Newbiewar: I really like your signature. It is attractive and informative. When I get in the market I just might drive down from Altadena to see you.

[Robert Hall]

To compliment the 'American Revolution' ad campaign, Chevrolet's ad campaign in Europe should be the 'Korean Revolution'.

[daves87rs]

In honesty, these two really need to go at it .

For one, it will show they are still in the fight.

Two, some good stuff could come out of this....

Camaro vs. Mustang race at the autoshow, anyone?

[Houze968]

Without actually naming GM, Fields says "some competitors out there" are guilty of sales gimmicks that amount to "irrational actions" Oh, yeah? Well at least GM, LaNeve counters, isn't wrapping itself in the flag with an "America's car company" shtick.

Funny, they still followew suit to these "sales gimmicks".

GM Employee Discount to the public? Yeah, they did it too!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Well at least GM, LaNeve counters, isn't wrapping itself in the flag with an "America's car company" shtick.

Ford's new marketing campaign is excellent and FAR, FAR better than most of what GM has come up with...

The fact tht Ford takes it's proud American heritage seriously is NOT "flag wrapping" and the fact that they ocassionally think to remind an ever a.d.d infested public that they STILL contribute greatly to this country is NOTHING to kick dirt on.... In fact I think GM would be well served to do the same... Hell, it'd even be nice if GM had publicly acknowledged a theme, mission, or some sort of other description to even let us know WHAT exactly the company is and stands for.

This battle of the Marks, the first round of which played out last week in Los Angeles, portends a welcome new tone for GM and Ford at this year's North American International Auto Show and it's this: Detroit's big two beleaguered automakers, basically given up for dead by Wall Street, want to open this year fighting, lest deepening self-pity, even desperation, suffocate them and whatever promise their cars and trucks may hold

'bout damn time..... Now lets see some cut-throat tactics aimed at the aisians and stop this STUPID, tired and irrelevant feud between these two companies. It's "us" verses "them" not "us" verses "us"

Candor, fighting back, touting cars and trucks and calling out competitors are in.

Finally

I'll believe it when I see it.

Cynics might see this, with justification, as the triumph of hope over experience. Detroit has a long history of talking a good automotive game, collapsing in the market place and then casting blame -- on the union, on Washington regulators, on the Japanese yen, on gullible consumers or all of the above.

And at one time or another all of those have been to blame.... INCLUDING the cynics--the media, which is more often than not.

Realists will see it as necessary because it is. The alternative -- staying low-key -- is worse.

Someone should underline this about 9 times and dump about 50,000 copies on the GM renaissance Center....Seriously!

"We think 'buying American' is the last reason you should buy a GM car," he said in L.A., jabbing at Ford's new claim to being "America's car company" under the moniker of "Red, White & Bold."

I think you're wrong.

"We've got the best cars, the best fuel economy in the most segments, the best pricing, dramatically improved interiors. Our quality ratings are well above many of the major Japanese competitors."

AND:

1) No one in the media gives a damn, so why are you wasting your breath? If they did then your sales would reflect it instead of the MYTHS that they perpetuate.

2) Maybe if you, the corporation actually INFORMED the consumer of any of this it ***MIGHT*** make a difference. But until then, it'll be the best kept (sometimes deliberately) secret in the industry and in america.

CASE IN POINT:

Never mind that GM's sales results, towering losses in North America and recall history suggest otherwise

And never mind that Ford's aim isn't the resurrection of a tired "buy America" campaign so much as it is positioning itself (precariously, to be sure, considering that Ford's hot new Fusion is built in Mexico and five of its eight brands are foreign)

Oh what's that I hear?!?!?!?!?! The proliferation of the imports are built here propaganda????? Why, yes it is.

alleged historical inevitability of foreign automotive pre-eminence

"alleged"......Funny....

Their companies may fail, though that's far from certain.