GM's ad campaigns are like Paris Hilton. It always creates a buzz and gives you something to talk about. And in GM's case, the resluts are usually like Paris Hilton too. The marketing schemes they concoct generate lots of attention and put out quite well.
From a marketing standpoint, GM has come out with some brilliant and effective campaigns. Do they tarnish the image of GM? Hard to say. Some think Paris Hilton is still sweet and innocent and others think she is trash.
In GM's case, its not the marketing programs that have sullied the image of the cars and company, its the product itself.
It really simple. And Buickman, you ought to know this, if the damn car is overpriced vs. what the CONSUMER thinks its worth relative to anything else they can buy, then you just won't sell a lot. So you can try to preserve high MSRP and dealer margins all you want. But it ain't gonna do jack for you if no one is buying the car. Conversely, if they put incentives out on it, and it gets the price in line with what the consumer thinks its worth, then you are gonna sell assloads of them.
All the while, GM itself is trying hold the price of what it sells its cars to the dealer for. Considering how GM cheaps out on its content and quality in many areas already, I assume they are cutting their own margins to the bone. So then dealer margin likely ends up getting cut to keep the MSRP palatable to the consumer, but still keeping GM having a chance to make profit itself on the car.
So what everyone is forgetting here is the CONSUMER ultimately sets a fair price or average value for the car. Simply put, if the car was better it could be sold for more money and conceivable better profits for the dealer and GM. The incentives and marketing supports are needed to push dated and inferior product because people will buy something else otherwise.
I am case in point. Would I buy an Aztek if it weren't so damn cheap? yeah i would have loved something else, but the MSRP was over 26 grand and after all my GM rebates and incentives I paid 16 grand for it.
Either update the vehicle so folks want it or you gotta throw cash on the hood to move it. If I were a dealer I would stop my pissing and moaning about 'dealer margins' and spend more effort giving proper feedback to the decision makers at GM about what can be done to make the cars themsleves more attractive.