Joel Ewanick Has Left GM

by Michael Karesh

July 29th, 2012 5:25 PM

Automotive News is reporting that Joel Ewanick has left General Motors. Ewanick was hired away from Nissan (who had just hired him away from Hyundai) to bring fresh thinking to GM’s marketing and advertising efforts.

Ewanick led a major consolidation of agency work at GM and stated that he wanted to make Chevrolet more like Apple (perhaps not his most original thought). He was credited for Hyundai’s job loss protection program, and Chevrolet’s latest fixed price and return guarantee programs have his fingerprints all over them (though GM has tried both in the past). At the Cadillac ATS drive a few weeks ago the marketing people claimed that he was a major force behind their work (which anyone watching the Olympics has now seen many, many times).

So, why is he gone? AN’s Mike Colias blames GM CEO Akerson, who has replaced (or driven away) many high-level executives during his two years at the top.

#Chevrolet #Ewanick #GeneralMotors #Hyundai

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Caraholica on Jul 30, 2012

I cant believe that we've heard the real reason yet. The WSJ reporting on the soccer deal, just doesnt make sense. He may not have been everyone's favorite but the 'Chevy Runs Deep' thing wasnt bad enough to get him the axe and he was on the way to cutting more than his target from the ad budgets. If I had to guess my feeling is that he tried to move the old girl too much too fast for the tastes of some. Remember there isnt a smiling Mulally anywhere around the place to change the culture for him. Nothing adds up to me yet. I wonder if Nissan wants him back?

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- C170guy on Jul 30, 2012
  
  The WSJ also just did the aluminum Ford story, which got legs and has been syndicated across the internet and in print - while Ford motor company had to put out a press release calling it premature.(Now there's a fun PR/marketing problem for ya.) In other words, bogus and invented, and it has not been retracted/modified here or anywhere else really, but for one or two publications - a PR wire or two, and buried somewhere in that Californian car blog. Will there be more Al someday? Maybe - who knows, Sure why not? Nope, not yet. Pick one. So I can't really find them credible when it comes to the auto industry anymore. So some soccer sponsorship deal gone bad as the reason for this- who knows - I doubt the WSJ does. They just kinda print whatever comes to mind anymore.
  
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Buickman on Jul 30, 2012

let's make some changes that will yield results. your friendly Buickman has the answers, for example: let's begin August with the GM Extra Mile Program. first step is "America went the Extra Mile for GM, Now GM goes the Extra Mile for America". 1.) take delivery of a new GM vehicle and if the rebate/incentive goes up in the next 30 days, you get the money. Don't be afraid to buy a car today!". like it? let's do it. then we do step two. "All it takes is a good car and someone to sell it" J Flint

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Buickman on Jul 30, 2012

knowing how to ask for the dance increases the chance you'll head for the floor, even the door. :)

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DIYer on Jul 30, 2012

The guy couldn't move the GM metal, so he got canned. I don't think you necessarily need to have a good product, or a good price, to sell cars. What you need is good brand image, and GM doesn't have that except in their line of pickup trucks. Their car lineup is OK, but they aren't flying off the dealer lots. This guy did a good job at Hyundai creating brand image, and couldn't do the same for GM. Toyota is eating GM's lunch this year, even with all the accelerator and earthquake problems they had, they are back in a big way.

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