GM brought out Olympic gold medalists Carl Lewis,
Kristi Yamaguchi, Dorothy Hamill and others yesterday as it
launched its "latest" advertising and marketing campaign
based around the Olympic Games, according to Carol Teegardin
of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. GM will lead up to the 2000
Sydney Games with 17 months of advertising to start around
the NBA Finals next month. GM VP/Corporate Marketing &
Advertising Phil Guarascio: "This early ad launch is a way
of avoiding the Olympic clutter with other sponsors -- be
there where they ain't." GM also introduced its "The Team
Behind The Team" program, where it, along with United Auto
Workers, will provide vehicles to 100 Olympic athletes and
their families (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 5/12). The vehicle
giveaway "is expected to cost" $3.5-4M, and USA TODAY's
Melanie Wells writes it is one of GM's latest efforts to
support its USOC partnership and its media deal with NBC
reportedly worth $500M. Although Guarascio "refused to
discuss details of the ad campaign, it is expected to
spotlight" the car giveaway, which GM developed to "help
athletes who hope to compete" in the Games through 2008.
The ad campaign will be handled by Berlin Cameron &
Partners. Guarascio added that GM has "refined its Olympic
marketing strategy" after the '96 Games, and instead of
linking "many of its 54 models to the Sydney Games," it has
chosen "a few to advertise and promote." After studying
marketing research, GM picked "eight models whose
advertising will be linked" to a sport. Guarascio: "What we
learned in 1996 .... is that we tried to force too many
brands into the Olympics" (USA TODAY, 5/12).
YOU WANT A CAR, YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR IT: A "panel" of
previous U.S. Olympians will pick which U.S. athletes and
families will receive vehicles. GM also retained NJ-based
JK Group to screen "for worthy candidates" in the giveaway
which could begin in October. Guarascio: "We want to make
sure the decisions are based entirely on need." GM also
hopes to provide 100 vehicles to athletes for the 2002
Games. On the early start-up to the sponsorship, Guarascio
said, "The key [is to] market our sponsorship between the
Games as well, 52 weeks a year (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/12).
GM'S NEW NBC AFFIL AGREEMENT: GM also announced a more
comprehensive deal with NBC which includes buying ad time on
13 O&Os covering "nearly" 30% of the U.S. With the deal,
U.S. auto competitors "will not be able" to advertise on
NBC, MSNBC and CNBC through the 2008 Games. NBC Sports
Chair Dick Ebersol said GM's NBC deal makes it "ambush-proof
in the major markets in this country" (REUTERS, 5/12).
AT THE NGB LEVEL: GM also signed deals with 37 NGBs
around which it will market its cars (REUTERS, 5/12). In
Philadelphia, Ron Reid writes that two GM brands -- the
Pontiac Grand Prix and the GMC Envoy -- will be linked to
the U.S. Track & Field Federation. Pontiac will title
sponsor the five-meet Golden Spike Tour and both brands will
support nine TV broadcasts in '99 (PHILA. INQUIRER, 5/12).
ANY RESIDUAL EFFECT FROM SALT LAKE? In N.Y., Robyn
Meredith notes that GM is "stepping up its advertising and
marketing plans" to leverage its 10-year Olympic sponsorship
worth roughly $900M. GM is "running the long-term
sponsorship and advertising campaign much like a political
campaign. Its marketing decisions have been based on near-
constant telephone polling about its customers' interests."
Research showed that the Salt Lake City bid scandal did not
impact people's view of GM, because it didn't involve the
athletes. Guarascio said GM is going ahead with its
advertising and promotion as people have differentiated
between the "business side and the sports side" of the Games
(N.Y. TIMES, 5/12). The AP's David Goodman writes that GM
"pulled out all stops at [yesterday's] news conference to
show its continued confidence -- and investment -- in the
Olympics" (AP, 5/12).
