GM Is Back On Facebook

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

GM will resume advertising on Facebook, nearly a year after it ceased running ads on the social network.

The return to Facebook will also bring with it some new marketing strategies, as Automotive News reports. Chris Perry, Chevrolet’s head of U.S. marketing is quoted as saying

“Today, Chevrolet is launching an industry-first, ‘mobile-only’ pilot campaign for the Chevrolet Sonic that utilizes newly available targeting and measurement capabilities on Facebook.”

The issue of targeting and metrics is significant. As previously reported on TTAC, GM had expressed concerns regarding the efficacy of Facebook advertising. Simple tools like third party tracking apps for Facebook ads were not allowed on the social network, something that rightly aroused concerns from many marketers. While Facebook briefly allowed them as a beta project, the program was quickly shuttered – sources say that this was because it proved that Facebook ads weren’t really effective.

Word is that former CMO Joel Ewanick had the right idea about Facebook. Rather than emulate Ford and blindly chase meaningless online metrics like “impressions”, Ewanick took a critical view of many online marketing programs and questioned what kind of ROI they brought GM. But we also hear that the current crop of marketing guys are desperate to scrub any remnants of Ewanick’s legacy at GM, and the astute stand on Facebook marketing is a casualty of that. Perhaps things have changed at Facebook and their clients are more empowered with regards to transparency. Or maybe GM has decided to go down the typical road and use Facebook just because everyone else, and they don’t want to be left in the cold.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Unfortunately, Facebook doesn't have a DISLIKE button. Not that I dislike GM - I'm just sayin...

  • ToxicSludge ToxicSludge on Apr 10, 2013

    zzzz.....huh? Did I miss somethin'?

  • Thomas Kreutzer Thomas Kreutzer on Apr 10, 2013

    GM was right to exit facebook and stupid to be wasting their time there now. It takes money, effort and man-hours to keep up a quality presence on any social media site and there really is no proof that advertising products on Facebook will equal sales. Most people use social networking for chatting with friends and maintaining their social contacts. If you have a business like a restaurant and you want people to come and meet one another there, then advertising on facebook makes sense. The software monitors the conversation and suggests places close by that fit the desires and interests of the conversants, right? When you are talking about large products, people don't use facebook for research and they don't pay much attention to the ads. If you want to get people talking about your products, I think the best way to get that is to appeal to blog sites like this one and let them carry the water. When the regular readers find something of interest written by people they know, like and trust they will share it with their friends. It works. Back that up with a kick ass website and you have done something good, I think.

    • See 3 previous
    • Buickman Buickman on Apr 10, 2013

      @sunridge place your comments here are spot on.

  • Hummer Hummer on Apr 10, 2013

    People still use facebook? The few teenagers that still use facebook don't exactly have the money to buy anything GM advertises

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