About time one of the Big 3 stepped up

[todras]

DETROIT– General Motors will tell consumers about the newest reason why they should put GM vehicles on their shopping lists through a fully integrated corporate marketing campaign that debuts Thursday.


Themed “Elevate,” the campaign will tell the story of how people who buy GM cars, pickups, SUVs and crossover vehicles will now be traveling on a “higher road” with a new level of confidence, thanks to GM’s new 100,000-mile, five-year powertrain limited warranty, which was announced today by GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner.

The new powertrain warranty features expanded powertrain coverage across all eight GM brands to 100,000 miles and five years, beginning with the entire 2007 lineup of cars and light-duty trucks. It is completely transferable, carries no deductible and is the best warranty of any full-line automaker. GM also has expanded its 24/7 roadside assistance and courtesy transportation programs to 100,000 miles and five years. Altogether, it’s the best coverage in the auto industry.

Wagoner said that the new powertrain warranty, combined with GM’s outstanding quality, competitive pricing, and a stable of successful new vehicles with relevant technologies such as OnStar and StabiliTrak, provide GM customers with an unprecedented level of value and peace of mind.

GM will begin to get this message out with a 60-second spot that will air during Thursday night’s NBC-televised NFL season opener between the world champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins. The spot also will air on a wide variety of premium network and cable sports, news and entertainment programming.

Created with GM by Deutsch Inc. in Los Angeles, the spot features several 2007 GM cars and trucks, which “elevate” above gridlocked traffic in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco. Once airborne, surprised drivers accelerate on this exclusive, alternate freeway. A voiceover states: A new level of strength. A new level of quality. A new level.. of confidence. Introducing the GM 100,000-Mile Warranty. With courtesy transportation and roadside assistance on every vehicle we make. It’s the best coverage in America, from the biggest brand in America. Music for the spot is “Get What You Need,” by Jet.

“The goal of the ‘Elevate’ campaign is to tell people that GM is now offering the broadest, largest, most value-driven coverage in the industry,” said Mark LaNeve, GM North America vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing. “Our comprehensive coverage demonstrates we’re serious about the quality and reliability of all of our vehicles. And we have an integrated marketing campaign that showcases that belief clearly, strongly and consistently.”

In addition to the television component, the “Elevate” campaign will have a heavy online presence, an experiential out-of-home component in several major markets across the United States, print advertising in newspapers and point-of-sale materials. All communications will carry the “Elevate” theme and will, in a variety of creative ways, show GM vehicles on the exclusive elevated highway.

“There’s a remarkable gap between the perception of GM quality and the reality,” said Eric Hirshberg, president and chief creative officer of Deutsch. “We found that the best way to deal with that was simply to ignore it. If you tell people, ‘We’re better than you think we are,’ they don’t believe you. Whereas if you come from a place of utter and complete confidence, people feel it and respond. So we shed the baggage and went on offense.”

About GM
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries More information on GM can be found at http://www.gm.com.

About Deutsch Deutsch Inc. is a full-service integrated marketing and communications company. Part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), Deutsch offers clients an array of services including advertising, direct marketing, Interactive, media buying and planning, design, public relations, promotions and branded entertainment. More information is available at http://www.deutschinc.com.

Also...


The new warranty will apply retroactively to 2007 GM cars and trucks already sold.
Warranty repairs at dealers have decreased 40 percent during the past five years.
Two GM brands, Buick and Cadillac, placed in the top five in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study released last month.

GM swept the large pickup segment, placed 11 models in the top three of their segments and had two models top their segments in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study released earlier this year.

In the Strategic Vision 2006 Total Quality Index Study, five GM models topped their segments – more wins than any other manufacturer for the second consecutive year.

GM dealers also rank among the leaders in the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Consumer Service Index study, which measures customer satisfaction among new vehicle owners with the dealer service department during the first three years of vehicle ownership.
GM’s Buick brand ranked second in the American Customer Satisfaction Index study released last month, administered by the University of Michigan's National Quality Research Center .

[Kremithefrog]

Now only if the other 2 will follow suit, which I don't see how they can't give better warranties if they expect to compete.

[todras]

Ford changed warranties but can't recall to what.

[ZoomZoom Diva]

I believe 5/60 and 5/70 for Lincoln.

I wish they would have suck with Mazda's 4/50 bumper-to-bumper instead or extended full coverage versus just powertrain.

[Kremithefrog]

Yeah ford is 3/36 bumper 5/60 powertrain (and 100k miles for certain cars sold in certain places and I think powerstroke as well). Which ain't horrible and wouldn't make me not get one, but a lotta people will see that GM has the "best" warranty (other than korean cars) and go to them over say, Ford.

[Hightower GT]

Oh snap! My Saab has a better bumper-bumper warranty! (100k/6yr)

Saab Certified Used FTW!!!

[TexasRealtor]

.
Two GM brands, Buick and Cadillac, placed in the top five in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study released last month.

Anyone else ever own a Caddie? I believe the exact wording of the study was "problems reported by owners during the first 60 days of ownership."

[TGO]

i'll be impressed when they offer hyundai's warranty. It's funny how much less american auto manufacturers offer in terms of quality than foreign automakers, yet seem surprised as their sales drop more every year. Then they offer something that is still less than what others are offering and hype it like it's the next big thing.

[MapOfTaziFoSho]

i'll be impressed when they offer hyundai's warranty. It's funny how much less american auto manufacturers offer in terms of quality than foreign automakers, yet seem surprised as their sales drop more every year. Then they offer something that is still less than what others are offering and hype it like it's the next big thing.

I've worked on a few and Hyundai's suck! Or perhaps it is the owners of those vehicles, but every single on that I see is FUBAR'd beyond all belief. And the engineering in those cars is rather primitive. To have your headlights filled with an inch of standing water in an 03 is just retarded.

[TheAlmightyMe]

Anyone else ever own a Caddie? I believe the exact wording of the study was "problems reported by owners during the first 60 days of ownership."

the study the press release is referring to is JD Power's Long Term Reliability. It encompasses 3 to 5 years of ownership. Most here may be happy to know Mercury ranked number 2 under Lexus.