Chrysler’s new advertisements may have been replaced by this video as the automotive marketing gaffe of the moment. When asked in a Fastlane webchat why GM had approved this questionable video, Sales and Marketing supremo Susan Docherty managed to come across as even more clueless and incompetent than she would have if she’d been prancing front and center:
I have to be honest I haven’t yet seen the Chevrolet Volt song and dance but it sounds like I need to spend some time tonight on the web viewing this. Thanks for the heads up. Do you have any suggestions for us?
Yeah, here are some suggestions: first off, it’s not the roaring twenties, Busby Berkeley. Kill the dance numbers. Suggestion number two: if you’re the head of sales and marketing, you should at least be aware of the existence of “promotional” materials like this. Third: if GM doesn’t take the Volt seriously, nobody will. Keep that in mind when approving marketing ideas.
27 Comments on “Volt Birth Watch 179: The Mystery Dance Number...”
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I defer to my previous comment when I first only laid ears this abomination… “What the #@&* was THAT!?!”
–I think my eyes are bleeding.
I know my ears are. Oy vey.
A little background- This routine appeared live at the L. A. Auto Show this December.
Why? Simple- As ‘American Idol’ proves, there are thousands of people ready willing and able to perform live for little or no money. This may be the cheapest auto show presentation EVER.
Yea, it’s stupid.
However, in GM’s defense this isn’t any worse than the Ram Maga Cab wearing a giant cowboy hat or the time that Ford hired a guy to sing Rawhide in front of a F150 King Ranch a few years ago at the NAIAS.
WTF? Amateur hour?
Where did they find those girls? Is this a spoof? Susan, you need to go. Now.
oh gawd, i just vomited a little bit…
Is that CFO Young spinning on his head?
“E” is for Eccentricity, “V” for Volatility, in a car that may not launch
“E” is for Egregiously, “V” for a Vasectomy……
That jingle kind of sticks to the brain.
“That jingle kind of sticks to the brain.”
In the way a hole in the head sticks to the brain…
I was just imagining using that jingle for torture. Waterboarding is nothing, they should try that jingle 24/7 at Guantanamo.
As was taught back in High School and College speech classes; Know your audience, you have to know your audience. Since this was done at the L.A. auto show…. well it’s pretty self explanatory.
They nailed it!!
My eyes and ears hurt after watching that video. It sounded like something Barney might do. What’s with the puffy shirts the girls are wearing? Guess they have never seen Seinfeld.
When I was a kid in the 70’s, we went to a Cadillac preview at the Detroit Auto Show. They had some guy at the podium making balloon animals and relating them to the new Cadillacs. The only one I remember was the swan – “the new Cadillac is as graceful as a swan”. Even as a kid, it seemed so lame.
Proof positive that the budget cuts have not been made to the ‘shrooms and blow fund at GM Creative…
Auto show routine. There have been worse.
WIll we see the same routine at NAIAS?
I’m planning on attending on the 22nd with some friends, care to join us and see???
This was a terrible marketing idea. But, I also doubt this was at Susan’s desk for approval. But OMG, who would think that was a good idea?
Who’s surprised? I mean GM have been totally clueless marketing-wise for years. As nothing has really changed in the way this sinkhole for taxpayer dollars operates, this type of stuff should come as no surprise to anyone. Also, the fact that Susan Docherty was apparently unaware of this masterpiece is par for the course.
This is almost as good as Saturn… but don’t tell Roger Smith… the king of sweaters and robots would not be happy.
I was at the LA Auto Show. I saw this dance. It was as abhorrent in the flesh (as it were) as it is watching this video. Nothing was lost in translation to YouTube. Frankly, I was embarrassed for the dancers, but I suppose a job’s a job. What really struck me was that the song isn’t good and the dancing isn’t good, but the two are so completely mismatched that it turns into pure awful.
You know what? If they were smart, they would have a song made by The Go! Team if they have to have a song. The oddball enthusiasm of the songs they release would be perfect for this car given the irrational exuberance they’re trying to project (and that’s not sarcasm.) The song “doing it right” might be a good choice (here)
Actually, I think they should go retro. Hire DEVO, but make sure they show up in appropriate “Duty Now for the Future” regalia.
Here, check this out (start the video on the left first)
This isn’t the kind of marketing material you would expect Docherty to approve. It’s YouTube fodder. It’s not like it is ever going to run on television.
Reminds me of a song and dance on YouTube for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign. Called Hillary4U&Me, it was very similar in quality to this. Amateur hour.
I want my 39 seconds back.
Who killed the electric car AGAIN??
Ya know…
I know this blows…
But somehow Id like to know who the three talking heads are behing the girls with nothing else better to do.. than dance for a “cheap eletric car.”