Big in Japan

GM Slow to React? (NYT slower..)

You may have read about GM's new do-it-yourself ad campaign for their new SUV.  Critics of the company, SUVs, Republicans and America in general hijacked the the effort to create negative ads.  The ads are fairly funny, but the interesting story is not the ads, but the reaction by the blogosphere.  

Greg Sandoval from CNET noted that GM was slow to react to these nasty ads released last night (Monday).  Slow?  It is now Tuesday morning and GM has not reacted.  I find it amazing that we live in a time where failure to immediately respond is a slow reaction.  The expectations is that companies must respond immediately (e.g. same day).  

Regardless of whether or not I am amazed; companies need to monitor and respond to the blogosphere or fail to do so at their own peril.  Other items about the ads include: GM hits credibility high with "negative ads", Why Chevy Tahoe was doomed before it launched, GM vs. the Edge, GM hosts ads attacking Chevy SUV, GM and Spike Lee, and Chevy Confirms it Gets Social Media.  

Update: TecDirt gets it.  According to Mike, so does GM (could it be true?).  Evidently GM understood that they knew they would get both positive and negative ads.  Mike explains:

"However, it seems like perhaps GM understood what would happen a lot more than the so-called "experts" in the article give them credit for. In this day, anyone opening up such a contest has to know that it'll be used for "anti" ads. It's happened so often that they must have expected it. In fact, by then being open about it, GM is getting even more mileage from this campaign, and making it appear that they are more open to listening to those who disagree with them. Rather than reflecting negatively on GM, as the experts (and the reporters) would have you believe, GM actually comes out of it looking pretty good. So, it's questionable as to whether or not GM was "slow to react" or if they are simply doing everything according to plan."

Update #2: NEW YORK TIMES SLOW TO REACT TO GM CONTROVERSY – it took the NYT all day to come up with a story about the DIY GM ads!  (tongue in cheek)

Posted by amuse | April 4, 2006 - 1:13pm2 Comments
Category: Uncategorized | Tags: Social Media