BOB LUTZ ON CONSUMERS' PERCEPTION OF GM PRODUCTS!

By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman

At the risk of repeating what I’ve already posted, I must share what’s top of mind today, and that is GM’s consumer consideration levels.

This issue, this question of how do we increase awareness, improve our image, and enhance public opinion of our cars and trucks, is weighing on everyone’s mind in this company, from the plant floors to the boardroom. We are all weary of hearing that “GM doesn’t have any vehicles that people want” or that GM “doesn’t excite anyone” or doesn’t have any products that are “relevant.”

Our cars and trucks have clearly improved, and continue to do so. And so has our quality and reliability. We have documented countless surveys and awards that bear this out, often right here on this blog but elsewhere as well, from Strategic Vision to J.D. Power to the Harbour Report to awards from various publications and organizations.

This month alone, we had two vehicles win MotorWeek Driver's Choice Awards (Solstice and Corvette Z06), two win Intellichoice Best Overall Value Awards (Corvette and Chevy Express 1500) and one of our brands, Hummer, take home the Autobytel Consumer Choice Award as the marque that saw the biggest increase in requests at its website and affiliations.

Our launch vehicles are continuing to do well in the marketplace, and we have high hopes for the upcoming launches too, like the Saturn Sky and Aura, for example. And yet, the coverage of our financial state continues to point out our alleged lack of cars and trucks that people want. All the while more than a quarter of the vehicles sold in America are ours.

Yes, we’d like it to be more than that, no question, and we’re working hard to increase the total. But the deeper issue is this question of our image, and this perception that nobody’s interested in our products. We can and will do a better job of advertising and communications in the traditional sense, but we need to step up our non-traditional communications and word of mouth, and get our message directly to the people on a grass roots level. This blog is one example — but we need more avenues, and bigger ideas. What do you think?