Chevy eyes Buick's regional ad style

DETROIT -- Chevrolet, seeking to reboot its approach to local and regional advertising, doesn't need to look far for a playbook that works. The template for Chevy's next regional, or Tier 2, advertising direction could come from sister brand Buick, Chevrolet's global chief Alan Batey said in an interview. Batey likes the alignment between Buick's national advertising campaign -- people who can't believe that the sleek Regal or Encore under their noses is a Buick -- and the regional commercials that use the same theme to advertise the latest offers. "We want to have all of our advertising have a certain look and feel, so the Tier 2 spots sort of play off" Chevy's national advertising, Batey said. "What Buick has done this year is a good example, with an umbrella ad that is then pulled down into Tier 2 to focus on specific products," he said. "Going forward, I want to see that linkage between our Tier 1 and Tier 2 advertising."
Batey: Likes Buick”s ad plan

Chevy's approach to its so-called Tier 2 advertising, under which regional dealer groups pool money to buy ads, is in something of a transition. Early this year, Chevy quietly phased out its "Under the Blue Arch" campaign. When the first commercials were launched in March 2012, a General Motors press release described the concept as "a TV show built around likable but quirky characters who work in a Chevy dealership," told in a series of 30-second commercials. The early spots were directed by Randall Einhorn, who directed some episodes of sitcoms such as "The Office," "Modern Family" and "Parks and Recreation." That campaign, set in a gleaming new showroom, was intended to showcase Chevy dealerships as inviting, lighthearted places. But some dealers panned the commercials, claiming they made salespeople look silly or unprofessional.

General Motors described the concept as "a TV show built around likable but quirky characters who work in a Chevy dealership."

Chevy's Tier 2 advertising this year has focused mainly on the Silverado pickup, redesigned for the 2014 model year. Regional commercials this summer and fall set to Kid Rock's anthem "Born Free" have been used heavily to plug Chevy's summer offers and backed its Truck Month promotion in both September and October. The launch of 4G LTE broadband connectivity across most of Chevy's lineup has absorbed much of the Tier 2 advertising focus in the second half of this year. Batey said the technology is being launched "as we would a new vehicle." With those launches winding down, Chev-rolet is hashing over a new direction for its regional advertising, Batey said. The "Blue Arch" campaign achieved "great awareness and breakthrough," and showcased Chevy's transformed dealerships, he said. Future ads will continue to prominently display Chevy stores but incorporate more of the DNA of Chevy's national advertising. "That blue arch was the star of those spots," Batey says. "From that perspective, we'll continue that theme."

You can reach Mike Colias at [email protected].

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12.12.2014
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