GM to Channel Its 8 Brands Seperately

[wildcat]

Chicago Tribune auto reporter Jim Mateja reports that "GM To Channel Its 8 Brands Seperately." Click here for the entire story, including a mention of Buick's upcoming "Super" series.

[balthazar]

General Motors has decided to promote its eight vehicle brands individually rather than that one big entity called GM.

....GM will be an ingredient, not the message

H A L L E L U J A H !!!!

I have avocated this before and it makes absolute sense. It was one of the key factors in the long-running successes of GM's history: individuality & division pride. Hopefully this will lead to other sensible, well-thoughtout, long-overdue ideas, like Divisional Engineering Departments, authoritative Division general managers and the elimination of the "GM" badge on doors/ fenders [shudder].

I have watched in growing dismay as critics spread their fast-n-loose 'facts' over the entire Corporation like thick greasy butter, always gravitating towards "GM" rather than the division they were talking about. It never used to be that way; General Motors was an organizational & financial overseer, not a vehicle manufacturer. You never read or heard 'GM introduced the new Pontiac Bonneville...' it was only ever 'Pontiac introduced the new Bonneville...'

Many of you will shrug, not realizing the significance of that slight difference, but it went (and goes) a LONG way toward feeding the perception that 'all GM vehicles are the same rebadges'. It did N O T H I N G but damage to perceptions & reputations.

I fought it for a long time publically, but the mindset is strong and the media relentless.

It is high time for the Divisions to reassert themselves! There cannot be success without this vital component- the Divisions MUST be (at least somewhat) autonomous and self-governing. A glimmer of hope is lit in my heart- someone up there in the Tubes has his head screwed on straight

Edited March 4, 2006 by balthazar

[Northstar]

GM apparently agreed because it now will now promote Chevrolet, Buick-Pontiac-GMC, Saturn, Cadillac-Hummer-Saab.

So now we have CHS and BPG? I don't ever recall GM trying to combine Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab as it did with the other three.

Those little GM logos added to each vehicle for 2006 will stay glued to the sheet metal, "But rather than sell GM, we're going to sell the brands because selling GM clutters our message," he said.

Is this not contradictory? Does putting the GM badge on every car not clutter the image?

It sounds like the LaCrosse Super will debut in about a year.

Was the other "Special Series" Buick line the 'Reserve'?

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Man, are the big-wigs at General Motors confused about what they should do with the GM name, etc., or what? The whole reasoning behind gluing those damnable "GM" badges to the fenders/doors of the division they now want to oversee instead of all-out, no holds barred, balls to the wall own was to give themselves (the GM name) recognition and now -- oh dear God! -- they don't want it.

Well, I am glad that GM will let Pontiac be Pontiac and Chevrolet be Chevrolet instead of vice versa. I just hope these stop-gap rebadges, like the Pontiac G5, will be very, very, very short-lived and dead by three years time.

GM has a good thing started...lets just hope they stick with it.

[regfootball]

does this make the cars themselves any better?

[buyacargetacheck]

"GM To Channel Its 8 Brands Seperately"

I read the article, but I don't understand the headline.

If GM were to truly "channel" its eight brands separately, it would allow new stand-alone retail stores for Buick or Pontiac. This isn't the plan nor has it been for some time. Good idea, though, to have the field sales people concentrate on one nameplate.

[balthazar]

I do not see the dealer situation being the governing or critical factor here. The Divisions & vehicles must stand tall- whether there are Buicks & Pontiacs in the same showroom really makes no difference. Multi-line dealers have been with us since the '60s. Pride, individuality & accomplishment hasn't.

[El Scorcho]

does this make the cars themselves any better?

Great point.

[balthazar]

Did renaming JDM hondas as 'acura's make those cars any better?

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Cadillac-Hummer-Saab has always been a sort of GM P.A.G.

That's why the dealerships are combined in some places...

Personally, I think Saab should be sold with Saturn and Hummer with Cadillac or, more radically, Buick.

"PURE American cars, PURE American trucks at your local Buick/Hummer dealer."

Anyway, this is a good move... BUT, we must not forget about the corporation as a whole. The sheer massiveness of it is a seling point in and of itself IMO.

In a way though, I can see how the "divisions" were merely reduced to "models" in the old GM advertising.