GM's 230: Viral Overload
Mostly, no.
It has come to the surprise of no one that GM was (and is) in need of a makeover. Bad press following the bailout ordeal provided enough fodder, but lagging sales and a bloated car line was hardly helping. Following government ordered contingencies, GM set out to become a leaner, greener company and shuffled around executives within the company. To that, they now call themselves the ‘new GM.’
So, what’s so new? Well, they did indeed get down to basics, focusing on four core brands: GMC, Buick, Cadillac and, their proudest story thus far, Chevrolet. Chevy is especially intriguing because it was the only company out of the overstuffed GM lineup that seemed to heed the environmental call of duty (did you really think Hummer was going to release a hybrid anytime soon?).
(What is 230? I don’t know, but I like free t-shirts!)
Naturally, General Motors decided to play up Chevrolet’s upcoming electric charging vehicle, aptly named, Volt. The Chevy Volt runs something like a hybrid, but can be plugged in to recharge the internal lithium-ion batteries. The claim from the EPA is that the Volt’s mile per gallon is 230 miles. Wow, right?
Hardly.
The 230 MPG factors in only the city MPG, thus only using electric. In reality, the numbers for highway use and mixed use will probably be somewhere around 40 to 50 MPG, much like other hybrids on the road today.
What about the viral campaign itself though? Did it garner enough attention in a positive manner?
Again, no.
From the start, every marketing guru was pointing to an AdAge column that basically stated GM was behind the hoopla. Furthermore, trending topics on Twitter under the search term ‘#whatis230” started appearing, but disappeared just as quickly.
(Photo Source: AP News)
When you have a big announcement, you also have to direct the flow of word-of-mouth and social networking to some degree. With GM, they created a campaign out of mystery. When nobody knows what is going on, people can assume or become confused. Nobody wants to figure this out, and even if they did, a simple Google search provided them enough hints back to GM to yawn at.
Now, that isn’t to say General Motors has failed here. They are clearly trying to embrace social media by creating new blogs, new Facebook accounts and new Twitter accounts. Maybe it is too little, too late though, as Ford has been pioneering this for nearly a year now.
So, some main points to consider when embarking on a viral campaign:
1) Make sure your product can actually match your hype. Everyone hates to get excited for something that disappoints.
2) Create intrigue, but not confusion. Even if you are getting hits, that doesn’t necessarily equate into a successful campaign.
3) Set up tangible milestones for your audience to follow. The 230 campaign stated a date when everything would be revealed, but they would have been better suited if they had dropped little hints, or had clues show up on a daily basis. Not to mention, this car doesn’t even come out until next year!
4) Keep your audience guessing. If everyone can easily find out what you’re supposedly secret campaign is, what’s the point of even trying this tactic?
5) Use social media... wisely. SoMe allows networks to communicate quickly and efficiently. If you make a misstep, you will become exposed just as quickly and efficiently. Plan accordingly and never try to influence based on a roadmap, because you’ll have to be a lot more dynamic than micro-blogging.
Think you know how GM should have campaigned the Volt? Want to dispute one of my main points? Or, do you think this campaign is actually a success? Click ‘leave a comment’ below, and let me know what you think!
A New Hope
Well, a few ground rules. I will probably keep more personal information out. If you want to get to know me better, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or good ol’ email. I’ll do my best to contact you back in a prompt manner, but bribes go to the top of the pile (ha!).
So instead, this blog will focus on my journey from student to professional. Salem State has provided a wonderful education; one that gave me hands on experience leading to my own professional campaigns, while still in school. In just a few months, I’ll have accomplished a long journey that leads me to the next major chapter in my life, whatever that is.
I hope this outlet will lead to networking with new people, but surely I’ll be ranting and raving soon enough. Please, stay tuned and like Mario says, ‘here we go!’
(My recent purchase from NYC - love it!)