NationStates Jolt Archive

They've just made Sean Hannity a spokesperson (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003155089).
GM’s multiplatform campaign combines Hannity’s syndicated radio show broadcast on more than 500 radio stations, including 50 in the top 50 markets, with his Web site, where listeners will be directed to register their names. During his radio show, Hannity will announce one contestant’s name per hour. Listeners will have until 6 a.m. the next morning to send Hannity an email to confirm they’ve heard their name read on the air. The contest runs for five weeks through Nov. 6, when the final car is given away.

I'll tell you what--the people who win those cars will have earned it. Having to listen to Hannity is worth more than a car. Worth more than a Chevy, that's for damn sure.

I wouldn't buy a Chevy because in 5 years GM won't exist.

Wow... how incredibly stupid.

I wouldn't buy a Chevy because in 5 years GM won't exist.
I think they'll hang on longer than that. The Roman Empire lasted for a long time after it became a shell of its former self, after all.

I think they'll hang on longer than that. The Roman Empire lasted for a long time after it became a shell of its former self, after all.

The barbarians are at the gates of Detroit. Five years and those brands will all be Toyota. Only real hope for the American auto industry is that Ford takes notice of what is happening to GM and prevents it from happening to itself.

He's got a broad listenership, who are generally composed of nationalists, who wouldn't buy a foreign car if it was the only type of vehicle you could buy.

No, it's a decent marketing move, sure, they're giving money to a shrill demagouge, but I dunno. It doesn't bother me.

Of course, I'm not going to be buying a Chevy any time soon for various quality related issues, so this doesn't really change the balance at all.

The barbarians are at the gates of Detroit. Five years and those brands will all be Toyota. Only real hope for the American auto industry is that Ford takes notice of what is happening to GM and prevents it from happening to itself.

It's certainly a mammoth task. Here's another article that talks about what GM is facing (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/02/20/8369111/index.htm):

Yet these rescue jobs surely pale in comparison to what it would take to turn around General Motors, this giant so large that in the FORTUNE 500's first half-century it ranked No. 1 on the list in 37 years. (In our last list it was No. 3.) One Wall Streeter deeply familiar with the company recently stated the challenge starkly: "I would say that turning GM around is a harder logistical and managerial task than the invasion of Iraq."And I would say that the heads of GM have taken to the task with about the same level of competence as the Bush administration has given to the Iraq War.

Ford is starting to work towards different fuels, but right now the cost is prohibitive for the average citizen. I wouldn't know about the quality of them though; I've never had one.

GM, though, don't get me started. Blegh.

It's certainly a mammoth task. Here's another article that talks about what GM is facing (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/02/20/8369111/index.htm):

And I would say that the heads of GM have taken to the task with about the same level of competence as the Bush administration has given to the Iraq War.

GM is our biggest client, and when they inevitably start cutting pensions my job will be living hell. They've certainly botched the company up good. These problems have been existing for years and they're only now starting to actually acknowledge them.

GM is our biggest client, and when they inevitably start cutting pensions my job will be living hell. They've certainly botched the company up good. These problems have been existing for years and they're only now starting to actually acknowledge them.

I don't know--it seems to me like they're still refusing to acknowledge the core, underlying issues. They're still stuck in the short-term profit mindset.

I don't know--it seems to me like they're still refusing to acknowledge the core, underlying issues. They're still stuck in the short-term profit mindset.

They sort of have to. They need to stabilize revenues and maintain a steady market share before they can even begin to worry about the underlying problems. If they bleed $6 billion a year then they don't have the ability to worry about the other problems. If they solve all of those other problems but the company still loses that much money each year, it won't matter that they've fixed everything else because the company will be bankrupt. It's a symptom of the hole they've dug themselves into that they now have to be so short-sighted about their future. It's a sad state.

May all car companies sink into the red and never emerge.

[/poorly reasoned fantasy]

May all car companies sink into the red and never emerge.

[/poorly reasoned fantasy]

The American car companies are certainly doing their best to fulfill your fantasy. I'm afraid, however, per current trends, that in 25 years the entire world will be owned by Toyota.

The American car companies are certainly doing their best to fulfill your fantasy. I'm afraid, however, per current trends, that in 25 years the entire world will be owned by Toyota.
It'll have to fight it out with google, in that case.

They sort of have to. They need to stabilize revenues and maintain a steady market share before they can even begin to worry about the underlying problems. If they bleed $6 billion a year then they don't have the ability to worry about the other problems. If they solve all of those other problems but the company still loses that much money each year, it won't matter that they've fixed everything else because the company will be bankrupt. It's a symptom of the hole they've dug themselves into that they now have to be so short-sighted about their future. It's a sad state.

Have they thought of makin cars that people want to buy?

The American car companies are certainly doing their best to fulfill your fantasy. I'm afraid, however, per current trends, that in 25 years the entire world will be owned by Toyota.

Which would suck, everything would be built three inches short.

If General Motors goes under, it will be completely deserved.

GM is our biggest client, and when they inevitably start cutting pensions my job will be living hell. They've certainly botched the company up good. These problems have been existing for years and they're only now starting to actually acknowledge them.
What do you do?

If General Motors goes under, it will be completely deserved.

One USian who gets it.

One USian who gets it.There's more than one of us.

There's more than one of us.

I agree, and I even live in the state where GM is the largest employer. GM's financial woes are hurting everyone here. A friend of mine has applied for 30 jobs in the last 2 months, and he hasn't heard anything back from anyone. And that includes fast food type jobs. GM (and Ford) is going to hell in a handbasket and dragging my state with it. Bastards.

They've just made Sean Hannity a spokesperson (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003155089).


I'll tell you what--the people who win those cars will have earned it. Having to listen to Hannity is worth more than a car. Worth more than a Chevy, that's for damn sure.

I'm sure the only thing worse than that would be walking in on your 90yr old grandpa giving it to you 86 yr old grandma.

I'm sure the only thing worse than that would be walking in on your 90yr old grandpa giving it to you 86 yr old grandma.

In vinyl BDSM gear. :eek:

I agree, and I even live in the state where GM is the largest employer. GM's financial woes are hurting everyone here. A friend of mine has applied for 30 jobs in the last 2 months, and he hasn't heard anything back from anyone. And that includes fast food type jobs. GM (and Ford) is going to hell in a handbasket and dragging my state with it. Bastards.

I know what you mean. Thankfully, Columbus and parts south aren't as badly affected by the woes of GM and Ford, but NE Ohio has been hammered by the plant shutdowns over the past 5-6 years; not to mention we have a lot of parts suppliers as well in the area, and they're going under as the plants close.

Ford and GM are going to drag a lot of people down with them...

They've just made Sean Hannity a spokesperson (http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003155089).


I'll tell you what--the people who win those cars will have earned it. Having to listen to Hannity is worth more than a car. Worth more than a Chevy, that's for damn sure.

tell ya what Nazz... if you refuse to buy something because of who the Spokesman is... :rolleyes:

tell ya what Nazz... if you refuse to buy something because of who the Spokesman is... :rolleyes:

I tell you what Junii, I'm going to boycott...YOU! :p

I tell you what Junii, I'm going to boycott...YOU! :p

In Soviet Russia, car boycotts YOU!

I know, I know...:(

tell ya what Nazz... if you refuse to buy something because of who the Spokesman is... :rolleyes:

What part of "another reason" did you misunderstand?

And why shouldn't who a company picks as a spokesperson play a part in what purchasing choices you make? A company that chooses a spokesperson I find reprehensible has decided that my business isn't as important as the business of their target audience, which is fine by me. Plenty of companies share--or at least pay lip service to--my values. There's no need for me to deny them my consumer dollars by puchasing from a company who spits on my values by hiring a numbnuts like Hannity.

What part of "another reason" did you misunderstand?

And why shouldn't who a company picks as a spokesperson play a part in what purchasing choices you make? A company that chooses a spokesperson I find reprehensible has decided that my business isn't as important as the business of their target audience, which is fine by me. Plenty of companies share--or at least pay lip service to--my values. There's no need for me to deny them my consumer dollars by puchasing from a company who spits on my values by hiring a numbnuts like Hannity.simple, the real purpose of adds is not to "sell" you the product, but to keep the name in your mind. for good or ill, as long as you remember the name of the product, get you to talk about their product, then their job is done. if by getting the most reprehensable name in show business does that then it works.

think about the most irritating add out there.. HEAD ON.. people remember the name, they remember the slogan and when they see the product, they will remember it. it will be familiar to them and guess what... most will buy it. that's what adds do.

so they hired Sean Hannity to push their product, and guess what... you made a thread about it. now people reading this thread also have GM and Chevy in their mind... the word is spread. :p

I tell you what Junii, I'm going to boycott...YOU! :phuh? who are you? ;) :p :D

GM's just stupid and deserves to die. While Ford is staring to deal with reality and is producing new hybrid models and more high MPG cars, GM is releasing a new Hybrid Silverado next year - that gets worse gas mileage than the standard model. They use the electrical assist to generate more power rather then better gas mileage. Now they choose not only a very polarizing spokeperson, but a person who is a cheerl;eader for one of the most unpopular presidents in history. You gotta wonder if they let the kids on the short bus run this company. I hope it doesn't actually take 5 years for them to die.

Here's the main reason not to buy a Chevy:
http://arabam.milliyet.com.tr/fuar/2005/cenevre/chevrolet_matiz.jpg

That's the shit they peddle over here.

simple, the real purpose of adds is not to "sell" you the product, but to keep the name in your mind. for good or ill, as long as you remember the name of the product, get you to talk about their product, then their job is done. if by getting the most reprehensable name in show business does that then it works.

think about the most irritating add out there.. HEAD ON.. people remember the name, they remember the slogan and when they see the product, they will remember it. it will be familiar to them and guess what... most will buy it. that's what adds do.

so they hired Sean Hannity to push their product, and guess what... you made a thread about it. now people reading this thread also have GM and Chevy in their mind... the word is spread. :p

So the Pontiac Aztec was just a slick marketing ploy?

Five years and those brands will all be Toyota.
Toyota doesn't buy random plants though. It'd be easier to just start a completely new one.

Toyota's strength is in their manufacturing and supply chains - why would you buy plants with crappy people in them, using crappy layouts and crappy methods, and then pay a huge extra sum to get everything sorted out.

The US Government is going to use the American taxpayer's money to finance GM, or to finance a takeover deal so that Ford can buy GM.

....or to finance a takeover deal so that Ford can buy GM.

What??? Only a non-native to Michigan could even imagine that.

There is way too much rivalry between the two companies for that to be considered. A top GM exec was quoted just last week as hoping that Ford would go under soon so that GM's market share would raise. Given GM's product line, that's probably the ONLY way its share would increase.

If only Ford would use it's product line-up in Australia HERE in the USA. Then they'd have some winners.

While we're on about reasons not to buy big dumb American cars:
http://images.ucomics.com/comics/td/2006/td060916.gif

The barbarians are at the gates of Detroit. Five years and those brands will all be Toyota. Only real hope for the American auto industry is that Ford takes notice of what is happening to GM and prevents it from happening to itself.

Actually, sadly, I read an article that Ford is actually doing WORSE off than GM!

http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/15/news/companies/ford_is_it_enough/index.htm

That much cuts and they're still not enough...it really shows how badly they're doing. Quite a stunner for sure. And as well, Ford's stock is $20 less per share than GM's, and that share of Ford's is at around $7. Talk about junk.

Toyota doesn't buy random plants though. It'd be easier to just start a completely new one.

Toyota's strength is in their manufacturing and supply chains - why would you buy plants with crappy people in them, using crappy layouts and crappy methods, and then pay a huge extra sum to get everything sorted out.

The US Government is going to use the American taxpayer's money to finance GM, or to finance a takeover deal so that Ford can buy GM.

Toyota won't buy the operations, but they will buy the brands. Names like Chevrolet are worth a lot to a company trying to sell cars to a part of the US that has an aversion to anything not Made in the USA.

a part of the US that has an aversion to anything not Made in the USA.

I think that particular sentiment is starting to die out. In the 80s in my state owning a Japanese vehicle would easily get you harassed or your vehicle vandalized. These days there are quite a few Japanese vehicles on the road, I bought one about six months ago and no one has said a single word to me about it and actually meant it. People joke with me about it, but they're not serious.

I think that particular sentiment is starting to die out. In the 80s in my state owning a Japanese vehicle would easily get you harassed or your vehicle vandalized. These days there are quite a few Japanese vehicles on the road, I bought one about six months ago and no one has said a single word to me about it and actually meant it. People joke with me about it, but they're not serious.

That may be true, but owning the rights to produce cars under names like Chevy or Pontiac would be worth a lot to a company like Toyota or Honda.

That may be true, but owning the rights to produce cars under names like Chevy or Pontiac would be worth a lot to a company like Toyota or Honda.

Chevy maybe. Pontiac not so much. ;)

You're absolutely right, though--the brand is what's left of GM's worth these days.