GM makes Advertising Hall of Fame for Creative Firsts
DETROIT — The American Advertising Federation is inducting General Motors into the Advertising Hall of Fame tonight during ceremonies in New York City. GM joins Procter & Gamble Co. as the only corporations selected in the federation’s 62-year history.
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GM has established marketing benchmarks for more than a century, beginning with the first hit song about an automobile and continuing with pioneering sponsorships of television shows and major sporting events, building the most popular thrill ride at Walt Disney World’s Epcot attraction, and creating landmark ad campaigns such as “See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet.”
“GM today is building on our heritage of inventiveness and creativity with aggressive advertising and targeted marketing,” said Chris Perry, GM vice president, U.S. Marketing. “Most importantly, we have great cars, trucks and crossovers in the market.”
GM advertising “firsts” include:
- The first car song to make it big, “In My Merry Oldsmobile”
- Sponsorship of television programs including “The Dinah Shore Show” and “Bonanza”
- Sponsorship of a major sporting event, the PGA tour
- Sponsorship of an attraction at Walt Disney World, “Test Track presented by General Motors”
- Partnership with “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to give away 276 Pontiac G6 cars in one show
- Iconic ad campaigns such as “See the U.S.A. in Your Chevrolet” and “Like a Rock”
- Landmark product integrations in movies such as “Transformers”
“Throughout its storied history, GM has continually set new standards in advertising, promotion and marketing,” said James Edmund Datri, president and CEO, American Advertising Federation. “For its outstanding history of excellence in all phases of advertising, the AAF is proud to induct General Motors into the Advertising Hall of Fame.”
