General Motors is jumping back into advertising during the Superbowl. GM will likely spend $15,000,000 on ads focusing on its Chevrolet brand.
Many car companies like Ford Motor Company are using social media and Internet-based advertising more and more. But analyst Ed Kim of AutoPacific says Superbowl ads still generate a lot more buzz.
"Any automaker advertising during the Superbowl is certainly going to have a whole lot of exposure to a whole lot of people all across America," says Kim.
Kim says GM's current marketing czar, Joel Ewanick, used to work for Hyundai, so he has experience using the Superbowl to improve a car company's image and sales. At the peak of the recession, Hyundai began a highly successful campaign which allowed people to return Hyundai cars if they lost their jobs. Kim says Hyundai used the campaign to good effect in its Superbowl ads.
GM did not advertise during the Superbowl last year and the year before. The automaker does plan a social media campaign in conjunction with the Superbowl. GM will release its Superbowl ads early to its Facebook fans.
Kim says that will generate some extra buzz for GM.
The ads will focus on the Chevrolet brand. Chevy generates about 70% of GM's sales in the U.S.
