do you think maybe Chevrolet is backpedaling a little bit ????
http://detnews.com/article/20100610/AUTO01/6100449/1148/rss25 Last Updated: June 10. 2010 1:00AM
General Motors: 'Poorly worded' Chevy memo not meant for fans
New York Times News Service and Detroit News staff reports
General Motors today backtracked from a memo discouraging the use of “Chevy” to describe its Chevrolet brand.
On Tuesday, GM sent a memo to Chevrolet employees at its headquarters, promoting the importance of "consistency" for the brand, which was the nation's best-selling line of cars and trucks for more than half a century after World War II.
But in a statement issued today, General Motors said " 'Chevy' will continue to reflect the enthusiasm of customers and fans.""Today's emotional debate over a poorly worded memo on our use of the Chevrolet brand is a good reminder of how passionately people feel about Chevrolet. It is a passion we share and one we do not take for granted," it said.
"We love Chevy. In no way are we discouraging customers or fans from using the name. We deeply appreciate the emotional connections that millions of people have for Chevrolet and its products."
But the automaker noted that "in global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process."
In Tuesday's memo, the automaker asked that "whether you're talking to a dealer, reviewing dealer advertising, or speaking with friends and family, that you communicate our brand as Chevrolet moving forward." It was signed by Alan Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, and Jim Campbell, the GM division's vice president for marketing.
Chevrolet said that "when you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding.
"Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer."
Although the memo cites Coke, it does not note that Coke is shorthand for Coca-Cola -- or that Apple is not commonly used in reference to its products, which are known simply as iPads, iPhones and MacBooks.
One expert on branding said GM's effort ran counter to a trend in which corporate names had become more casual. The consultant, Paul Worthington, head of strategy for Wolff Olins, amarketing and branding firm, noted that FedEx had replaced Federal Express, KFC had supplanted Kentucky Fried Chicken and "even RadioShack has evolved into the Shack."
Regardless, if Chevrolet plans to puts the Chevy genie back in the bottle, the task could prove harder than climbing out of bankruptcy.
If taken to its logical conclusion, Chevrolet would presumably need to ask Jeff Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion who currently races a Chevrolet Impala, to change the website address -- jeffgordonchevy.com -- for his dealership in Wilmington, N.C.
And what about rolling back the popular culture references to Chevy? Elton John, Bob Seger, Motley Crue and the Beastie Boys have all sung about Chevy, and hip-hop artists rap about "Chevy Ridin' High" or "Ridin' in My Chevy."
Worthington, the branding expert, said Chevrolet seemed unclear what the brand stood for. But ultimately, he said, consumers "will call you whatever they want to call you."
But not Chevrolet staff members. A postscript to the memo says a sort of cuss jar -- a plastic "Chevy" can -- has been situated in the hallway.
"Every time someone uses 'Chevy' rather than Chevrolet," the note said, the employee is expected to put a quarter in the can.
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