GM's New Ad-Over The Line?

While currently engaged in an inquiry into a possible corporate alliance with Renault/Nissan, GM has begun a daring new strategy to market its large pickup truck, the Chevrolet Silverado.  The new ads will attempt to capitalize upon consumer patriotism.

Apparently, no longer Like a rock, an unfortunate choice of words for promoting any vehicle, the new ads will attempt to raise the Silverado to the level of national truck. The ads will carry the line Our Country, Our Truck.  A number images will be featured, some of questionable taste.

The first of the ads is filled with images of historic moments in recent American history -- Rosa Parks on the bus, Martin Luther King speaking, the aftermath of Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina's devastation -- and ends with the tagline: "This is our country. This is our truck."

I'm starting to feel the need for a shower already.

But GM isn't just after market share.

"Our goal is to own the hearts of the American pickup buyer," said Kim Kosak, G.M.'s general director of advertising and sales promotions.

Owning their wallets isn't a part of this strategy.  No, absolutely not.  So this would likely be irrelevant, right?

"G.M.'s full-size pickup line is the single largest contributor to the company's profitability," said John Casesa, an automotive analyst and managing partner of Casesa Strategic Advisers in New York. "It's the backbone of the company's North American business.  It makes a real difference if sales are up or down 5 percent."

And Texans will get special treatment.

The new Silverado and Sierra are scheduled to arrive at dealerships next month. They will be shown publicly for the first time Wednesday at the State Fair of Texas. (As proof of how important Texas is for pickup sales, the campaign will feature a television spot created specifically to run in Texas.)

Now isn't that special?