GM Pulls Out of Oscar. So To Speak.

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

Anyone who thinks GM isn't in a cash crunch better come up with some serious spin stat. The American automaker has officially confirmed that it's withdrawing from the Oscars. No, I don't mean it's removing itself from contention for "The Most Shameless Product Placement in any Movie Since Cinema Was Invented" Oscar. We're talking about ad sponsorship. As in no more. Which also means the Autoblog gallery-filling pre-Oscar stars and our cars "Style" event is toast. The Wall Street Journal makes the contrast with years past. "Not only has GM — the maker of brands such as Cadillac, Chevrolet and Saturn — aired a slew of commercials during the popular awards show, it also has paid extra to be the exclusive auto advertiser during some of the Oscar broadcasts. GM's marketing around the program has included on-the-ground promotions, such as giving the show dozens of GM vehicles to shuttle celebrities to the event and to Oscar-related parties." What, no Escalade Hybrid limos? Nope. And no Emmy sponsorship. And the next Olympics will not have anything shiny and blue paying the bills. It would be nice to think that all this money saved will be going towards new product development. But it's not. It's what the non-technical analysts call throwing shit overboard to stop the ship from sinking.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Toxicroach Toxicroach on Aug 18, 2008

    Sorry if I talked to much zarba. Its one of those issues I get excited about.

  • Netrun Netrun on Aug 18, 2008

    GM not pitching cars at Oscar-time, I think, is a terrible move. I don't know about any of you, but my wife and her friends watch every minute of the Oscars as if their lives depended on it. Sticking a Caddy in front of them is important so that they know that the things exist. Without this product placement, I'm afraid that GM is going to lose out even more to the foreign brands. Where, exactly, do they expect sales to come from? 1) Word of mouth isn't kind to them as lots of people with current product have negative stories (and I live in Detroit, where there are more pro-GM people per square mile than anywhere else) 2) Cobalt/Aveo buyers will not trade up to a Chevy the next time they are buying. Rather, they will flee from the Chevy experience. 3) GM retirees, mad as hell from getting their healthcare cut-off are already declaring war. 4) Current GM workers are the only remaining buyers in any serious quantity that I can see that are left. And they keep retiring/firing more and more of them every month. Not good for future sales numbers.

  • Lynn Ellsworth Lynn Ellsworth on Aug 18, 2008

    If GM just advertised particular Chevy and Cadilac models would the franchisees with Pontiacs, Buicks, Saturns, and GMCs have a right to sue? Perhaps GM is spending (wasting) ad money on non-existing products and overall good will because it is the only way to avoid lawsuits. Are GM dealers as hostile to GM as they are to their customers:-)?

  • Zarba Zarba on Aug 18, 2008

    toxicroach: No flaming intended. I was actually impressed with your reasoning and arguments. You nailed it.

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