Did you see the New York Times article where — believe it or not — there was a memo circulating around GM HQ instructing their employees to “communicate our brand as Chevrolet”?
In other words…NOT as “Chevy.” Good grief.
How would your organization like to have a nickname…a BRAND, for goodness sakes…as universally known as Chevy is for Chevrolet?
My friends at Chevrolet dealerships know a lot more about this than I would ever claim…however, it seems to me this is another example of a big corporation removed from its customers and the good people who sell and service their products in cities everywhere.
An op-ed piece in the Times said yesterday the memo was a “rough draft,” and that GM had “backtracked.” Yet, it also noted Alan S. Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, was one of the two executives who had signed the original memo.
I wrote in “Collapse of Distinction” that we spend more time thinking about brand building and positioning — in part — because it’s often more interesting and easier to do that, rather than working hard to enhance experiences for customers. I think that’s exactly the case here.
If executives at Chevy are spending time sitting around contemplating whether or not their classic, historic nickname deters the building of the brand…they’ve got too much time on their hands.
My simple suggestion to them would be that their efforts would be better spent working with their dealers to create and execute the steps required to deliver “Ultimate Customer Experiences” ® to the customers and prospects of Chevrolet.
Not a bad way for ALL of us to spend a bit more time…
Too much time…
June 14, 2010 · 5 comments
Did you see the New York Times article where — believe it or not — there was a memo circulating around GM HQ instructing their employees to “communicate our brand as Chevrolet”?
How would your organization like to have a nickname…a BRAND, for goodness sakes…as universally known as Chevy is for Chevrolet?
My friends at Chevrolet dealerships know a lot more about this than I would ever claim…however, it seems to me this is another example of a big corporation removed from its customers and the good people who sell and service their products in cities everywhere.
An op-ed piece in the Times said yesterday the memo was a “rough draft,” and that GM had “backtracked.” Yet, it also noted Alan S. Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, was one of the two executives who had signed the original memo.
I wrote in “Collapse of Distinction” that we spend more time thinking about brand building and positioning — in part — because it’s often more interesting and easier to do that, rather than working hard to enhance experiences for customers. I think that’s exactly the case here.
If executives at Chevy are spending time sitting around contemplating whether or not their classic, historic nickname deters the building of the brand…they’ve got too much time on their hands.
Not a bad way for ALL of us to spend a bit more time…