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Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 1
Breakdown of Chevrolet Campaigns Over A 100 Year History
By
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington
Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 3
Timeline of Chevrolet 4
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis 7
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo 8
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo 11
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo 14
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo 17
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt 20
Reflections 23
Works Cited 25
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 3
Executive Summary
For our final project we chose to study Chevrolet and write about some of their most
prominent campaigns throughout the years Chevrolet was founded in 1911 by William C
Durant and Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet Chevrolet first used
the lsquobowtiersquo emblem as their logo in 1914 During the 1950rsquos Chevrolet established themselves
as big influencers in the automotive industry coming out with their flagship Corvette the
Chevrolet V8 Small Block introduced in 1955 which is still in use today and their first fuel
injected engine in 1957 Chevrolet is a very successful company today with over 300000
employees worldwide and presence in six different continents With many vehicles on the
market from sedans to SUVsrsquo to trucks Chevy has something of interest for everyone
Establishing themselves as an American brand has been their aim from the beginning 100
years later Chevrolet still has an image of American Pride and an impressive history to go along
with it We are going to explain how they achieved their image by talking about some of their
most memorable campaigns from the ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo to ldquoLike a Rockrdquo to ldquoChevy Runs
Deeprdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 4
Timeline of Chevrolet (McCluskey Chevrolet 2011)
1911 - Chevrolet is founded and the Series C Classic Six is unveiled priced at $2150
1914 - Chevrolets iconic bowtie logo is used for the first time The Model H launches with a
durable four-cylinder engine that helps build Chevroletrsquos reputation as a dependable car The
engine would power Chevrolets through 1928
1917 - Chevrolet becomes a division of General Motors
1918 - Chevrolets first trucks are introduced one based on the Model 490 chassis and a heavy-
duty 1-ton chassis
1935 - The Suburban is introduced offering three rows of seats and generous cargo space It
marks its 76th anniversary in 2011 and is the oldest continually produced vehicle in automotive
history
1942 - Chevrolet stops building civilian vehicles and dedicates its production facilities to
manufacturing armaments for World War II
1953 - The Corvette is introduced Only 300 of the fiberglass-bodied sports cars are produced
that first year but they launch an American icon that is still going strong nearly 60 years later
1955 - The ubiquitous small-block V-8 is introduced in the redesigned 1955 Chevrolet line
ushering in a new era in affordable performance and establishing a legacy that continues to this
day in the LS family of small-block V-8s found in Chevrolet trucks SUVs and performance cars
1950-1960rsquos - The Dinah Shore Chevy Show launches as a one-hour TV show with Shore
singing See the USA in your Chevrolet at the close of each show The show grew out of
Shores earlier 15-minute programs and she was the first woman to host her own TV show
Shore had sung See the USA since the early 1950s and the song was used in Chevrolet
advertising after Shores show ended in 1963
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 5
1957 - Fuel injection is offered for the first time
1960 - Junior Johnson wins the Daytona 500 in a Chevy the first of 21 Chevrolet victories at
NASCARs premier race (through 2010) the most of any manufacturer
1962 - The Beach Boys record 409 an ode to Chevrolets powered by the 409 engine which
were burning up the quarter-mile at drag strips across the country
1967 - The Camaro is introduced offering a wide range of personalization options as well as
high-performance engines that would immediately establish it as a muscle car to contend with
1975 - The tagline Baseball Hot Dogs Apple Pie and Chevrolet is introduced
1987 - Chevrolet in fall 1986 introduced The Heartbeat of America as its full-line national
campaign for 1987 models
1990 - The Corvette ZR-1 smashes a trio of speed-endurance records including averaging more
than 175 mph for 24 hours (including pit stops)
1991 - The Like a Rock advertising campaign is launched for Chevrolet trucks with Bob
Segers song of the same name serving as its foundation The campaign ran through 2004 and
is regarded as one of the auto industrys most successful
1994 - Jeff Gordon wins the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR race at Indianapolis driving a
Monte Carlo race car
1997 - The Gen III small-block V-8 - dubbed the LS family of engines by enthusiasts-debuts in
the redesigned Corvette
2007 - Transformers is a blockbuster movie and introduces Bumblebee a character that
transforms into a yellow Camaro
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 3
Timeline of Chevrolet 4
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis 7
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo 8
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo 11
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo 14
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo 17
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt 20
Reflections 23
Works Cited 25
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 3
Executive Summary
For our final project we chose to study Chevrolet and write about some of their most
prominent campaigns throughout the years Chevrolet was founded in 1911 by William C
Durant and Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet Chevrolet first used
the lsquobowtiersquo emblem as their logo in 1914 During the 1950rsquos Chevrolet established themselves
as big influencers in the automotive industry coming out with their flagship Corvette the
Chevrolet V8 Small Block introduced in 1955 which is still in use today and their first fuel
injected engine in 1957 Chevrolet is a very successful company today with over 300000
employees worldwide and presence in six different continents With many vehicles on the
market from sedans to SUVsrsquo to trucks Chevy has something of interest for everyone
Establishing themselves as an American brand has been their aim from the beginning 100
years later Chevrolet still has an image of American Pride and an impressive history to go along
with it We are going to explain how they achieved their image by talking about some of their
most memorable campaigns from the ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo to ldquoLike a Rockrdquo to ldquoChevy Runs
Deeprdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 4
Timeline of Chevrolet (McCluskey Chevrolet 2011)
1911 - Chevrolet is founded and the Series C Classic Six is unveiled priced at $2150
1914 - Chevrolets iconic bowtie logo is used for the first time The Model H launches with a
durable four-cylinder engine that helps build Chevroletrsquos reputation as a dependable car The
engine would power Chevrolets through 1928
1917 - Chevrolet becomes a division of General Motors
1918 - Chevrolets first trucks are introduced one based on the Model 490 chassis and a heavy-
duty 1-ton chassis
1935 - The Suburban is introduced offering three rows of seats and generous cargo space It
marks its 76th anniversary in 2011 and is the oldest continually produced vehicle in automotive
history
1942 - Chevrolet stops building civilian vehicles and dedicates its production facilities to
manufacturing armaments for World War II
1953 - The Corvette is introduced Only 300 of the fiberglass-bodied sports cars are produced
that first year but they launch an American icon that is still going strong nearly 60 years later
1955 - The ubiquitous small-block V-8 is introduced in the redesigned 1955 Chevrolet line
ushering in a new era in affordable performance and establishing a legacy that continues to this
day in the LS family of small-block V-8s found in Chevrolet trucks SUVs and performance cars
1950-1960rsquos - The Dinah Shore Chevy Show launches as a one-hour TV show with Shore
singing See the USA in your Chevrolet at the close of each show The show grew out of
Shores earlier 15-minute programs and she was the first woman to host her own TV show
Shore had sung See the USA since the early 1950s and the song was used in Chevrolet
advertising after Shores show ended in 1963
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 5
1957 - Fuel injection is offered for the first time
1960 - Junior Johnson wins the Daytona 500 in a Chevy the first of 21 Chevrolet victories at
NASCARs premier race (through 2010) the most of any manufacturer
1962 - The Beach Boys record 409 an ode to Chevrolets powered by the 409 engine which
were burning up the quarter-mile at drag strips across the country
1967 - The Camaro is introduced offering a wide range of personalization options as well as
high-performance engines that would immediately establish it as a muscle car to contend with
1975 - The tagline Baseball Hot Dogs Apple Pie and Chevrolet is introduced
1987 - Chevrolet in fall 1986 introduced The Heartbeat of America as its full-line national
campaign for 1987 models
1990 - The Corvette ZR-1 smashes a trio of speed-endurance records including averaging more
than 175 mph for 24 hours (including pit stops)
1991 - The Like a Rock advertising campaign is launched for Chevrolet trucks with Bob
Segers song of the same name serving as its foundation The campaign ran through 2004 and
is regarded as one of the auto industrys most successful
1994 - Jeff Gordon wins the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR race at Indianapolis driving a
Monte Carlo race car
1997 - The Gen III small-block V-8 - dubbed the LS family of engines by enthusiasts-debuts in
the redesigned Corvette
2007 - Transformers is a blockbuster movie and introduces Bumblebee a character that
transforms into a yellow Camaro
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 3
Executive Summary
For our final project we chose to study Chevrolet and write about some of their most
prominent campaigns throughout the years Chevrolet was founded in 1911 by William C
Durant and Swiss race car driver and automotive engineer Louis Chevrolet Chevrolet first used
the lsquobowtiersquo emblem as their logo in 1914 During the 1950rsquos Chevrolet established themselves
as big influencers in the automotive industry coming out with their flagship Corvette the
Chevrolet V8 Small Block introduced in 1955 which is still in use today and their first fuel
injected engine in 1957 Chevrolet is a very successful company today with over 300000
employees worldwide and presence in six different continents With many vehicles on the
market from sedans to SUVsrsquo to trucks Chevy has something of interest for everyone
Establishing themselves as an American brand has been their aim from the beginning 100
years later Chevrolet still has an image of American Pride and an impressive history to go along
with it We are going to explain how they achieved their image by talking about some of their
most memorable campaigns from the ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo to ldquoLike a Rockrdquo to ldquoChevy Runs
Deeprdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 4
Timeline of Chevrolet (McCluskey Chevrolet 2011)
1911 - Chevrolet is founded and the Series C Classic Six is unveiled priced at $2150
1914 - Chevrolets iconic bowtie logo is used for the first time The Model H launches with a
durable four-cylinder engine that helps build Chevroletrsquos reputation as a dependable car The
engine would power Chevrolets through 1928
1917 - Chevrolet becomes a division of General Motors
1918 - Chevrolets first trucks are introduced one based on the Model 490 chassis and a heavy-
duty 1-ton chassis
1935 - The Suburban is introduced offering three rows of seats and generous cargo space It
marks its 76th anniversary in 2011 and is the oldest continually produced vehicle in automotive
history
1942 - Chevrolet stops building civilian vehicles and dedicates its production facilities to
manufacturing armaments for World War II
1953 - The Corvette is introduced Only 300 of the fiberglass-bodied sports cars are produced
that first year but they launch an American icon that is still going strong nearly 60 years later
1955 - The ubiquitous small-block V-8 is introduced in the redesigned 1955 Chevrolet line
ushering in a new era in affordable performance and establishing a legacy that continues to this
day in the LS family of small-block V-8s found in Chevrolet trucks SUVs and performance cars
1950-1960rsquos - The Dinah Shore Chevy Show launches as a one-hour TV show with Shore
singing See the USA in your Chevrolet at the close of each show The show grew out of
Shores earlier 15-minute programs and she was the first woman to host her own TV show
Shore had sung See the USA since the early 1950s and the song was used in Chevrolet
advertising after Shores show ended in 1963
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 5
1957 - Fuel injection is offered for the first time
1960 - Junior Johnson wins the Daytona 500 in a Chevy the first of 21 Chevrolet victories at
NASCARs premier race (through 2010) the most of any manufacturer
1962 - The Beach Boys record 409 an ode to Chevrolets powered by the 409 engine which
were burning up the quarter-mile at drag strips across the country
1967 - The Camaro is introduced offering a wide range of personalization options as well as
high-performance engines that would immediately establish it as a muscle car to contend with
1975 - The tagline Baseball Hot Dogs Apple Pie and Chevrolet is introduced
1987 - Chevrolet in fall 1986 introduced The Heartbeat of America as its full-line national
campaign for 1987 models
1990 - The Corvette ZR-1 smashes a trio of speed-endurance records including averaging more
than 175 mph for 24 hours (including pit stops)
1991 - The Like a Rock advertising campaign is launched for Chevrolet trucks with Bob
Segers song of the same name serving as its foundation The campaign ran through 2004 and
is regarded as one of the auto industrys most successful
1994 - Jeff Gordon wins the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR race at Indianapolis driving a
Monte Carlo race car
1997 - The Gen III small-block V-8 - dubbed the LS family of engines by enthusiasts-debuts in
the redesigned Corvette
2007 - Transformers is a blockbuster movie and introduces Bumblebee a character that
transforms into a yellow Camaro
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 4
Timeline of Chevrolet (McCluskey Chevrolet 2011)
1911 - Chevrolet is founded and the Series C Classic Six is unveiled priced at $2150
1914 - Chevrolets iconic bowtie logo is used for the first time The Model H launches with a
durable four-cylinder engine that helps build Chevroletrsquos reputation as a dependable car The
engine would power Chevrolets through 1928
1917 - Chevrolet becomes a division of General Motors
1918 - Chevrolets first trucks are introduced one based on the Model 490 chassis and a heavy-
duty 1-ton chassis
1935 - The Suburban is introduced offering three rows of seats and generous cargo space It
marks its 76th anniversary in 2011 and is the oldest continually produced vehicle in automotive
history
1942 - Chevrolet stops building civilian vehicles and dedicates its production facilities to
manufacturing armaments for World War II
1953 - The Corvette is introduced Only 300 of the fiberglass-bodied sports cars are produced
that first year but they launch an American icon that is still going strong nearly 60 years later
1955 - The ubiquitous small-block V-8 is introduced in the redesigned 1955 Chevrolet line
ushering in a new era in affordable performance and establishing a legacy that continues to this
day in the LS family of small-block V-8s found in Chevrolet trucks SUVs and performance cars
1950-1960rsquos - The Dinah Shore Chevy Show launches as a one-hour TV show with Shore
singing See the USA in your Chevrolet at the close of each show The show grew out of
Shores earlier 15-minute programs and she was the first woman to host her own TV show
Shore had sung See the USA since the early 1950s and the song was used in Chevrolet
advertising after Shores show ended in 1963
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 5
1957 - Fuel injection is offered for the first time
1960 - Junior Johnson wins the Daytona 500 in a Chevy the first of 21 Chevrolet victories at
NASCARs premier race (through 2010) the most of any manufacturer
1962 - The Beach Boys record 409 an ode to Chevrolets powered by the 409 engine which
were burning up the quarter-mile at drag strips across the country
1967 - The Camaro is introduced offering a wide range of personalization options as well as
high-performance engines that would immediately establish it as a muscle car to contend with
1975 - The tagline Baseball Hot Dogs Apple Pie and Chevrolet is introduced
1987 - Chevrolet in fall 1986 introduced The Heartbeat of America as its full-line national
campaign for 1987 models
1990 - The Corvette ZR-1 smashes a trio of speed-endurance records including averaging more
than 175 mph for 24 hours (including pit stops)
1991 - The Like a Rock advertising campaign is launched for Chevrolet trucks with Bob
Segers song of the same name serving as its foundation The campaign ran through 2004 and
is regarded as one of the auto industrys most successful
1994 - Jeff Gordon wins the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR race at Indianapolis driving a
Monte Carlo race car
1997 - The Gen III small-block V-8 - dubbed the LS family of engines by enthusiasts-debuts in
the redesigned Corvette
2007 - Transformers is a blockbuster movie and introduces Bumblebee a character that
transforms into a yellow Camaro
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 5
1957 - Fuel injection is offered for the first time
1960 - Junior Johnson wins the Daytona 500 in a Chevy the first of 21 Chevrolet victories at
NASCARs premier race (through 2010) the most of any manufacturer
1962 - The Beach Boys record 409 an ode to Chevrolets powered by the 409 engine which
were burning up the quarter-mile at drag strips across the country
1967 - The Camaro is introduced offering a wide range of personalization options as well as
high-performance engines that would immediately establish it as a muscle car to contend with
1975 - The tagline Baseball Hot Dogs Apple Pie and Chevrolet is introduced
1987 - Chevrolet in fall 1986 introduced The Heartbeat of America as its full-line national
campaign for 1987 models
1990 - The Corvette ZR-1 smashes a trio of speed-endurance records including averaging more
than 175 mph for 24 hours (including pit stops)
1991 - The Like a Rock advertising campaign is launched for Chevrolet trucks with Bob
Segers song of the same name serving as its foundation The campaign ran through 2004 and
is regarded as one of the auto industrys most successful
1994 - Jeff Gordon wins the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR race at Indianapolis driving a
Monte Carlo race car
1997 - The Gen III small-block V-8 - dubbed the LS family of engines by enthusiasts-debuts in
the redesigned Corvette
2007 - Transformers is a blockbuster movie and introduces Bumblebee a character that
transforms into a yellow Camaro
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 6
2010 - Chevrolet introduced its new ad theme from Goodby Silverstein in October 2010 in
Game 1 of the World Series Chevy Runs Deep In addition to TV the campaign included
digital print out-of -home and social media
2011 - The Volt is launched ushering in a new age of electrically driven automobiles with
extended range
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 7
Chevrolet SWOT Analysis (Zigu 2012)
Strengths
1 Research and development in the automobile segment- Long history with a lot of income
2 Efficient HR- Over 300000 employees globally
3 Global presence- Chevy is present in 6 continents
4 Has a huge variety of models ranging from sedans to suvrsquos to trucks
5 Present in professional Racing- Many Chevy cars in Nascar
Weaknesses
1 Chevrolet was greatly affected by bankruptcies of GM
2 Tough competition from international auto brands- Honda and Toyota who offer affordable
quality and dependable vehicles
3Less developed brand presence compared to companies like Ford Honda etc
Opportunities
1 Development of hybrid and fuel efficient cars such as the Volt
2Building a bigger global brand by developing products with good gas mileage like Hondarsquos
3Fast growing market for automotive companies
Threats
1 Government policies- such as minimum mileage for new vehicles (trucks)
2 Fuel prices continue to rise astronomically
3 Ongoing competition with tough global automotive companies- Honda Toyota
4 Public transportation- Itrsquos becoming harder to afford gas which drives people to utilize public
transportation
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 8
Mini Case Study ldquoSee The USA in Your Chevroletrdquo
Background
In 1950 Chevrolet announced that $51 Billion would be spent on advertising including
television commercials This was the greatest outlay for advertising in the history of the
automotive industry (AdAge 2011) Chevrolet was taking a big risk because at the time only 9
of US households had a television (AdAge 2011) This was really the beginning of Chevroletrsquos
ldquoMade in the USArdquo roots and the start of the deep heritage that Chevy has today Automotive
companies had never felt the need to use celebrities in advertising until Chevrolet did in 1951
Objective
The Dinah Shore Show started in 1951 on NBC and would be known as the Dinah Shore
Chevy Show Chevrolet signed a deal to sponsor Dinah Shorersquos TV show which was a bold
move considering the small amount of Americanrsquos that actually owned a television By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet hoped to instill a relation between Dinah Shorersquos likeability
and personality to the Chevrolet brand Building a brand image is very important and
Chevrolet was looking to build an All-American image that they could build on in the future
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo was the campaign they decided to employ Chevrolet used this
slogan in hopes of connecting Chevy with American consumers and a celebrity of the times
Dinah Shore
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 9
ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign was put in place to start an era for Chevrolet
that would celebrate the American spirit To achieve their objective of making Chevrolet an
American icon they used Dinah Shore and her TV show Dinah was the embodiment of
American values said Leo Burnett Co Exec VP Group Creative Director Greg Taubeneck It
was such a natural tie between her personality and Chevyrdquo (AdAge 2011) This was a perfect
opportunity for Chevrolet
Execution
Dinah Shore sang a jingle that included the words ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo at the
end of every one of her shows Dinah Shores See the USA in your Chevrolet became the
most famous closer in TV and it had Chevys name on it every time (AdAge 1996) By
sponsoring Dinah Shore Chevrolet had their name associated with the popular entertainer for
ten years Dinah Shore and Chevrolet are probably one of the most remembered carstar
associations of all time as Dinah hosted her show 599 times from 1951 until 1961 (AdAge
1996) The amount of exposure that Chevrolet got during Shorersquos show really gave them a
chance to build their American image
Results and Outcome
The aim of this campaign was to associate Chevrolet with a celebrity who in turn would
associate Chevrolet with the American Heritage ldquoSee the USA in your Chevroletrdquo campaign
embodied the American spirit that Chevrolet wanted to associate with their brand Ad Age
ranked See the USA in your Chevrolet No 5 among the top 10 ad jingles of the 20th century
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 10
(AdAge 2011) This campaign was so successful that it is still remembered as an important part
of Chevroletrsquos deep American roots that everyone knows today Ad Age put the campaign as
No 41 among the top 100 ad campaigns of the century (AdAge 2011) The campaign was a big
risk but it was executed very well considering no automotive companies had dared sponsor a
celebrity because barely any Americans had televisions According to USA Today ldquoSee the USA
in your Chevroletrdquo is one of the three most unforgettable ad campaigns and slogans that
ldquotugged the heartstrings of America (USAToday 2010)rdquo After a few failed ad campaigns after
this Chevrolet recognized that the ldquoAmerican Heritagerdquo image they tried so long to embody
was where they needed to move toward again They reused the ldquoSee the USA in your
Chevroletrdquo theme again in 1999 for the Impala and again later for the Super Bowl Speaking on
the decision to use the theme again Marc de Swaan Arons chairman of Effective Brands a
New York branding firm said Its really consistent with their roots and constancy helps build a
strong brand Consumers dont like brands making big switchesrdquo (WSJ 2010) This really
speaks volume on how successful the original campaign was once Chevroletrsquos image was
attained it really stuck
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 11
Mini Case Study ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Chevrolet is a brand that has been around since 1911 If there has been one thing that
Chevrolet has been known for it is American Chevroletrsquos advertising hasnrsquot always been this
way In the great depression Chevrolet took measures to ensure that it was making the best
quality product for the lowest price and conveying that to consumers (Johnson 2011) Along
the way it has also advertised specifically to women with families
It is true that the rugged hardworking dependable American stigma has been attached
to Chevrolet vehicles since World War (Johnson 2011) This slogan created in 1984 would
serve as the campaign in 1986 for Chevrolet vehicles providing the starting ground for the way
Chevrolet would brand itself as the Americanrsquos vehicle in years to come
Background
Prior to this campaign Chevrolet had not run an ad campaign that embodied all that
Chevrolet vehicles do for the people that drive them (Johnson 2011) The ads prior to this
depicted new vehicles or the new additions the company had made to these vehicles to make
them more fuel efficient cheaper or more powerful
The early 80s saw one of Chevroletrsquos first attempts at a jingle that would stick ldquoOH
yeah thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead You bet thatrsquos a Chevy up ahead Some cars lead and some
are led and heres that Chevy up ahead (Johnson 2011) The jingle did convey that Chevrolet
was in the lead when it came to building great vehicles but it was such a long catch phrase that
it was sure to get lost in the minds of some consumers
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 12
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo was the previous campaign to ldquoHeartbeat of Americardquo Campbell-
Ewald and advertising agency that developed the last campaign would be in charge of heading
the next Chevrolet campaign (Halpert 2011)
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to gain customer loyalty by positioning Chevrolet as
an important part of the All American lifestyle With the success of the previous campaign
ldquoTodayrsquos Chevroletrdquo the only direction for the next campaign was to keep the All-American
theme (Halpert 2011)
Strategy
Displaying Chevrolet as the heartbeat of America is clever not just because it gains
customer attention but it gains loyalty that will last longer than an ad campaign If you look at
America as a human body which the slogan suggests then Chevrolet is arguably the most
important part of the body Without a heart a person would not survive and without the cars
made by Chevrolet Americans would not be able to do their daily duties
Execution
The company implemented the strategy with well thought out advertisements including
print radio and television Dannielle Huddlier who began as Chevroletrsquos advertising manager
saidrdquo the music embodied the campaign It would have been good but not great without that
music (Halpert 2011) A lot of music featured in car advertisements in the 80s was a bit corny
so finding the line of what was catchy but not over the top was a tight rope to walk
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 13
The iconic ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo slogan was displayed as an image similar to
Footloose and many other popular dance movies of the 80s The slogan ldquoThe Heartbeat of
Americardquo was displayed as a neon sign with the word heartbeat underlined and in pink and the
rest of the letters were in blue capitalized text
Results and Outcome
Finding information that justified whether or not the campaign was a success was
difficult With the influx of more automobile brands into the United States market is it difficult
to judge numbers and define them as success or failure In 1987 Chevrolet vehicle sales within
the US totaled 2675000 and their percent of the US market share was 18 (Johnson 2011) In
1990 Chevrolet US vehicle sales 260000 and their percent of the market share was 188
(Johnson 2011) In this time span their total sales stayed around the same but their market
share increased by 8 The increase in market share is more impressive than total sales due to
as previously stated the incoming competition in automobiles
According to (Halpert 2011) It became so popular that a Vietnam vet asked if Huddlier
could send him the music so it could be played at his wedding Thats when you know youve
touched people she said In addition the campaign was so popular among dealers that they
wanted the right to continue with it even after GM moved to another campaign (Halpert 2011)
With These points in mind the campaign ldquoThe Heartbeat of Americardquo kept the All-American
feel that Chevrolet had developed in previous campaign and overall lead to a successful six year
campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 14
Mini Case Study ldquoLike a Rockrdquo
Background
As vehicles were being improved overtime consumers were drawn towards vehicles that
were proven to be tough and long lasting Chevroletrsquos previous campaigns were more of a
broad focus on the entire line of Chevrolet vehicles highlighting the All-American aspect
Chevrolet brought to the table According to (Krisher 2011) cheap gas and a healthy economy
in the 1990s helped give birth to the truck and SUV boom which in turn gave Chevrolet back
some of its prominence
This campaign would focus on Chevrolet trucks as opposed to their entire line of
Chevrolet vehicles According to (Halpert 2011) ldquoChevrolet General Manager Kurt Ritter Chevy
truck ad director Mac Whisner and Chevrolet Marketing Director Jeff Hurlbert spent six months
researching Chevys attributes Ritter saidrdquo Out of this research they found that Chevrolet trucks
were considered to be some of the longest lasting and most dependable trucks on the market which
would lead Chevrolet to a campaign that would last for over a decade
Objective
The objective of this campaign was to once again instill hope within the American
people that the product they were going to purchase was going to be All-American and long
lasting While it may seem easy to say this Chevrolet was looking for a way to provide the
information and allow its potential publics to come to the conclusion by themselves
Strategy
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 15
With gas prices low and a healthy American economy consumers were purchasing
trucks and Chevrolet was looking for a way to set their trucks apart from the competition At
the same time Chevrolet was looking for a way to capitalize on the fact that their trucks held up
for a very long time (Halpert 2011) Chevrolet needed a slogan and campaign that would prove
to potential customers and reinforce these ideas to those already loyal customers that their
trucks were durable and long lasting just like the hard working Americanrsquos that were going to
drive them
Execution
According to (Halpert 2011) the actual campaign slogan ldquoLike a Rockrdquo was developed
when Don Gould Campbell-Ewalds truck creative director was listening to a Bob Seger album and
heard the song Like a Rockrdquo General Manager of Chevrolet Kurt Ritter thought ldquoLike a Rockrdquo wasrdquo
over the moonrdquo and that it captured the physicality of the truck (Halpert 2011) Still one
difficult aspect remained Chevrolet had to persuade Bob Segar to give Chevrolet permission to
use the song in its ads Segar initially refused the offer but retracted his statement after he was
asked in a barrdquo When are you going to do something for the auto-workersrdquo (Halpert 2011)
Once the Chevrolet had permission to use Segarrsquos song in advertisements and as the
campaign slogan advertisements hit print radio and television The advertisements usually
focused on the hard working All-American whose truck was an essential part to the success of
his work These ads included construction workers loading heavy equipment into the back of
their pickups a Chevrolet truck driving through the mud up a steep hill or over treacherous
rocky terrain all with ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing in the background Having like a ldquoLike a Rockrdquo playing
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 16
in the background was extremely important to the image of the trucks it provided the icing on
the cake for viewers who were skeptical about Chevroletrsquos dependability
Results
The results of the execution were the most impressive For 13 years Chevrolet was able
to feature their trucks in television print and radio advertisements with the slogan and idea
that Chevrolets were ldquoLike a Rockrdquo It was clear that the American people were responsive to
American Icon Bob Segarrsquos song like a rock as the reassurance they needed to purchase a
Chevrolet truck
The objective of the campaign to convince the American people that the truck they
were going to purchase was going to be long lasting and durable were directly met with
Chevroletrsquos execution of the campaign The numbers of sales and other measurable outcomes
were not available but the campaign was so successful that Chevy stuck with it for 13 more years
(Krisher 2011)
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 17
Mini Case Study ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo
Background
Campbell-Ewald has been the agency in charge of all the advertising for Chevrolet but
that all changed in 2010 Chevrolet was looking for a change as Joel Ewanick became
Marketing VP officer for GM on May 24 2010 As soon as Ewanick started he hired Omnicom
Groups Goodby Silverstein amp Partners as agency for all Chevrolet US advertising (AdAge
2011) According to Ewanick he believed that ldquoGoodby Silverstein amp Partners had the
creativity and ability to take the iconic Chevrolet brand to the next level and do it fastrdquo
(AdAge 2011) Ewanick has worked with the Silverstein group at Hundai before moving to
Chevy and admires the work they provide The hiring of the Silverstein group led to the
highlighting of Chevroletrsquos ldquodeeprdquo history while celebrating Chevyrsquos 100-year anniversary
Objective
Chevrolet was founded in 1911 and in order to draw their new image as an iconic
American brand thatrsquos been around 100 years they needed a new campaign to rebound from
their bankruptcy in 2009 This led to the ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo campaign Within this campaign
the hope was to achieve a new brand image in a new era by tapping into the past and the
heritage that Chevy has built According to Chris Perry vice president of Chevroletrsquos marketing
ldquoThe goal is to bust Americans misperceptions of the brandrdquo He believes that a lot of
Americans based their perceptions or misperceptions on the car they had in college or their
neighbors Chevy that kept breaking down (Autotrader 2010) The goal was to show that the
bowtie Chevy logo has been there throughout Americans lives and present in the most valuable
moments of their lives
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 18
Strategy
To achieve the new brand image they were trying to emulate it was going to take some
heartfelt advertising Trying to rebound after bankruptcy Chevy decided to advertise on a
program that they knew would have many viewers In their attempt to stage a new era for
Chevrolet they debuted their new theme ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo on the MLB World Series with a
60-second advertisement on the program The advertisement included black and white video
of workers assembling GM vehicles in the 1940rsquos houses being built in the 1950rsquos young
couples in the 1960rsquos driving Chevyrsquos full of hope and then it moved on to show modern
Chevyrsquos like the Malibu and Cruze (Autoblog 2010) The entire commercial is voiced by the
actor Tim Allen from Home Improvement
Execution
By choosing Tim Allen as the ldquovoicerdquo of the new Chevrolet brand they are relating the
brand to a well-known and respected actor Elaborating on the new technology Chevrolet is
using Tim Allen says Chevy is ldquoinventing new ways to get around the planet while preserving
itrdquo (Autotrader 2010) This campaign was meant to create emotions with consumers while
showing Chevyrsquos lsquodeeprsquo heritage and history and connecting it with the history of the US To do
this they dug up old images and video of people with their old Chevy cars and had Tim Allen
speak on the strong heritage that Chevy has built throughout the years one customer at a time
The actual campaign was delivered very well Even though the main part of the ad campaign
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 19
was to advertise on TV during the World Series the campaign also included print ads digital
and social media (Adage 2011)
Results and Outcome
The effect this campaign had on the success of the lsquonewrsquo brand of Chevrolet is
debatable 2009 was a terrible year for automakers especially Chevrolet coming out of a
recent bankruptcy However the first nine months of 2010 after this campaign Chevy sold
1174 million vehicles which was a hefty 19 rise from 2009 (Autotrader 2010) Experiencing
some success in vehicle sales slowly stopped and some of the advertising work done in the
campaign didnrsquot connect well with consumers because a lot of people didnrsquot really know what
the slogan meant (Bloomberg 2011) The campaign was delivered to the public very well but
the meaning was not communicated well ldquoWhere we fall down is we have not done a good
job of bringing that idea to liferdquo Ewanick Marketing VP said ldquoWe havenrsquot really elaborated
what we mean by that (Connecting consumers emotionally)rdquo (Bloomberg 2011) In the end
Chevrolet managed to rebound quickly from the confusing ads of this campaign as they came
out with the ldquoSaluterdquo Ad placed on Memorial Day weekend A soldier drives up in a Chevy to
his two sons waiting on the porch and at the end of the commercial it says ldquoBringing heroesrsquo
home for generations another reason Chevy Runs Deep (Bloomberg 2011)rdquo
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 20
Mini Case Study Chevrolet Volt
Background
The Chevrolet Volt was designed as a car that would save Americans gas money In the last ten
years gas prices have climbed from under two dollars in 2001 to just under four dollars in 2013
(Gasbuddy 2013) The Chevrolet Volt was released in North America in the fall of 2010 The
Volt was Chevroletrsquos version of an electric hybrid It is the worldrsquos first mass-produced electric
vehicle with a gasoline-powered extended range that provides up to 379 miles of total range
(Chevrolet 2013) That means Volt provides the benefits of an electric vehicle without the
range limitations associated with other electric vehicles
Objective
The Chevrolet Volt was a new chapter in the automobile advancements Chevrolet has made
throughout its 100 year history Chevrolet was looking for a way to convey to viewers the
technological advancements that have been made on the Chevrolet Volt as compared to other
electric hybrids Viewers needed to be informed of all that the new Volt was capable of
Understanding all that was the Volt was Michelle Malcho communication manager for the
Volt believed would gain public attention and properly brand the Volt (Wilson 2013)
Strategy
The strategy of the Chevrolet Colt campaign would be to position the Volt as technologically
superior to its competitors By telling the publics about the Voltrsquos technology and its leadership
in the field of technology Chevrolet hoped to convey to its viewers what it meant to go electric
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 21
(Wilson 2013) The Voltrsquos features would be displayed and viewers would know exactly what
the Volt was
Execution
For the first 12 to 18 months of the campaign Chevroletrsquos communication was based
around its specificrsquos and capabilities (Wilson 2012) Chevrolet used both traditional and
nontraditional media to convey the Voltrsquos superior technology This message was used to pull in
automotive bloggers who write about what really makes a car work It was also necessary to
invite environmental commentators who are interested in gas mileage and ecological impact
The message viewers received about the volt was information about how the battery worked
how the engine operated without a transmission and other technology specifics (Wilson 2013)
After the Voltrsquos slow start Chevrolet changed their campaign from being about what the
Volt is to focusing on telling stories of the Voltrsquos consumerrsquos lifestyles Once the campaign focus
changed from being all about the Volt to being about its consumers the customers became the
number one marketing source for the vehicle (Wilson 2013)
The advertisements shown on TV werenrsquot focused on the Volt and what it could do they
changed to fit the Chevrolet Volt lifestyle Volt owners shared their experiences with the Volt
which made the car more personable and less confusing than previous advertisements
Results
Chevrolet had a planned strategy to convey to its publicrsquos that the Volt was superior in
technological terms to its competitors which it did As Malcho pointed out after a period of
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 22
time that story didnrsquot resonate so they made the correct decision and focused on the
consumer (Wilson 2013)
The consumerrsquos involvement in the Voltrsquos campaign is proof that Chevrolet made the
right decision in changing its message Although social media can only be a mere glimpse of a
campaignrsquos success the Voltrsquos online presence has increased thanks to its fans The Voltrsquos
website started out as a communication tool for the Voltrsquos numerous features Now itrsquos
composed of Volt owners and fans who share their experiences blogging or in video form
Finding stories about the Volt is not difficulty either The social media presence of the
Voltrsquos fans can be observed when the communication team posts a story because it is usually
followed by many more (Wilson 2013)
Perhaps the most visible point of success can be viewed by the recent federal
investigation into the Voltrsquos battery safety What would have been a crisis for most brands drew
the Voltrsquos fan base to save its image by voicing their support In summary the Volt
communications was successful in conveying to publicrsquos that the Volt was technologically
superior to other hybridrsquos and the later change to focus on the consumerrsquos experiences proved
to be the best marketing tool the Volt had available
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 23
Reflections Jacersquos Reflection
I enjoyed taking a look into the campaigns that Chevrolet had run over their 100 year history I
can remember when I was younger knowing the ldquoLike a Rockrdquo song and identifying it with
Chevrolet trucks I think that throughout the years Chevrolet has made the right decisions in
where to go with their campaigns They rode the All-American wave for most of their overall
campaigns and while it is still very relevant in American culture to be patriotic they are touching
on other aspects of American culture By producing the electric ndashhybrid Volt Chevrolet has
opened up business from the up and coming Millennials who worry about the environment and
are not as concerned with having a large gas guzzling truck due in part to the recent spike in
gas prices They have accepted the role that social media plays in their brand and their
strategies have been effective I cannot think of anything I would change about Chevroletrsquos
campaigns They were always well thought out and pulled on Americarsquos heartstrings in some
way
Chance and I handled this project well together We divided the work evenly and ended
up with what I think is a great breakdown of campaigns Chevrolet has put together
throughout the years If I were to give chance a grade I would give him an A You might be
saying an A that stands for excellent right That is correct I believe that Chance did an excellent
job in this project and the work he has to show for it proves my point
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 24
Chancersquos Reflection
We chose to do our project on Chevrolet because of their intricate history and heritage
and I thought that it went pretty well We found a Timeline and Swot analysis online then we
fixed what we had to and elaborated on what we wanted to convey We chose what we felt
were the most prominent campaigns that Chevy has done throughout the years At first I had a
difficult time researching my first campaign and getting enough information on it but ended up
finding a few very helpful sources especially in Ad Age I think we split the responsibilities very
well and Jace was easy to work with which made it helpful to get things done in a timely
manner Overall Irsquom pretty satisfied on how well the project went it took quite a while to do
but went relatively smoothly I enjoyed the project because I learned a lot about the deep
history of Chevrolet and the heritage that is Chevrolet
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 25
Works Cited
Wilson M (7 March 2013) Chevy Volt Changes Messaging Sales Go Up Retrieved from httpwwwprdailycomMainArticles13998aspx
Halpert J (31 October 2011) ldquoChevys Most Enduring Advertising Campaigns How the Ideas Took Rootrdquo Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100chevy-s-campaign-ideas-root230682
Gas Buddy (2013) Historic Gas Prices Retrieved from httpgasbuddycomgb_retail_price_chartaspx
Krishner T (02 November 2011) Like a Rock Chevy celebrates 100th anniversary Retrieved from httpwwwstandardnetstories20111102rock-chevy-celebrates-100th-anniversarydisqus_thread
Chevrolet (2013) Retrieved from httpwwwchevroletcomvolt-electric-carhtmlseo=goo_|_GM+Chevy+Retention_|_GG-RTN-Volt-Electric+Car-BP-SN-BMM_|_Volt+Electric+Car_|_2Bvolt20electric20car
Johnson B (2011) From See the USA in your Chevrolet to Like a Rock Chevy Ads Run Deep Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlespecial-report-chevy-100100-years-chevrolet-advertising-a-timeline230636
Welch D (Aug 31 2011) GM Looking to Reboot Chevrolet Advertising Campaign after Slow Start Retrieved from httpwwwbloombergcomnews2011-08-31gm-looking-to-reboot-chevrolet-advertising-campaign-after-a-slow-starthtml
Halliday J (Oct 29 2010) Chevy Runs Deep- A new campaign for GMrsquos biggest brand Retrieved from httpwwwautotradercomresearcharticlenew-shopping73773chevy-runs-deep--a-new-campaign-for-gms-biggest-brandjsp
Kiley D (Oct 27 2010) The Why Behind ldquoChevy Runs Deeprdquo slogan Retrieved from httpwwwautoblogcom20101027the-why-behind-chevy-runs-deep-slogan
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml
Chance Pruiett Jace Bullington Spring 2013 Term Project Chevrolet Campaign 26
Terlep S and Vranica S (October 28 2010) GM Pouring Ad money into Chevy brand Retrieved from httponlinewsjcomarticleSB10001424052702304173704575578073119960604html
Meier Fred (October 2010) Tell us Can lsquoChevy runs deeprsquo tagline recapture the heartbeat Retrieved from httpcontentusatodaycomcommunitiesdriveonpost201010chevy-digs-deep-for-new-ad-slogan1Uaa9wZxdATA
McDonough J (Jan 8 1996) Dinah Shore for Chevrolet Retrieved from httpadagecomarticlenewstop-left-dinah-shore-chevrolet-vivian-vance-william-frawley-ford-ricardo-montalban-chairmen-board-lee-iacocca-frank-sinatra-chrysler-buick-30s-reminded-hollywood-tastemaker-auto-styling-100-years-auto-ads-auto-marques-a-star-shunned-big-celebrities-stage-screen-songby-30s-prominent-role-selling-car-proletariatte80631
McCluskey Chevrolet (2011) Chevy Runs Deep ndash for 100 Years Timeline Retrieved from httpwwwmccluskeychevroletcomchevy-runs-deephtm
Zigu (2012) Chevrolet Retrieved from httpwwwmbaskoolcombrandguideautomobiles1132-chevrolethtml