Chevy Volt Campaign Book

Developed by Vim Elite

Something Unexpected

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Index

Situation Analysis....................................3-16 Research Director, Kelsey Cleland Campaign Strategy.............................17-24 Account Manager, Brian Prather Creative Plan.......................................25-32 Creative Directors, Taryn Grisham and Kelsey O’Brien Public Relations Plan...........................33-46 Public Relations and Promotions Director, Josh Parulski Media Plan...........................................47-54 Media Director, Ryan Blair

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Situation Analysis

>> by Kelsey Cleland

Company History

Industry Trends

Chevrolet, also known as Chevy, is an American automobile brand produced by its parent company General Motors.

General Motors is one of the largest car manufacturers in the America and makes other brands such as Buick, Cadillac and GMC. General Motors is an international automobile competitor owning leading brands such as Opel, GM Korea, Holden and Vauxhall.

The automobile industry faced several challenges over the past decade, while new technology and customer needs have also had an impact. Over the next three years, the American automobile manufacturing industry is expected to reach $73.4 billion, a 25 percent increase from five years ago.

General Motors was founded in 1908 by William Durant. Durant bought out several other car manufacturers, but lost control of the company due to debt. He was able to regain control by founding Chevrolet with race car driver Louis Chevrolet in November 1911. This gave him a majority interest in GM.1 For the next several decades, Ford and its Model T were the major competition in the automotive market, but by 1927 GM was the industry leader. This was mainly due to its variety of models and colors that it made available, compared to the generic Model T. Chevrolet had a large influence on the American market in the 1950s and 60s, especially with the release of the Corvette in 1953. Chevy continued to push the boundaries with technology and by 1963 one out of every 10 cars owned in America was a Chevrolet.2 During the 2007-2010 recession, American car manufacturers Chrysler, GM and Ford faced daunting challenges. GM suffered the greatest annual loss in automotive history, losing almost $39 billion dollars in 2007. General Motors had to file for bankruptcy and ultimately received $49.5 billion dollars from the U.S. government in a controversial bailout. To help the company cut costs and move forward, GM downsized the workforce and sold off or discontinued less popular brands like Hummer, Saab and Saturn.3 In order to advance technologically and compete with Asian and European auto companies, GM began focusing on fuel efficient and eco-friendly cars. GM has tried producing an electric car, and In 1996 it released the all-electric EV1. This model never took off and in 2000 it was pulled from the market. After this, there was a focus on the more profitable trucks and sport utility vehicles.4 In late 2010, the plug-in Chevy Volt was released in small volumes and won many awards, including the 2011 and 2012 North American Car of the Year, 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year and the 2011 World Green Car of the Year.5

The market for new cars is growing at a significant rate. The forecast shows by 2015 the auto industry will have a value of almost $300 billion, an increase of 52% since 2010 (IBISWorld). Of all new cars sold, 16.5 percent are made by industry leading Toyota.

Sales slowed in February 2013. Auto sales still grew in February 2013 by 3.7 percent compared to February 2012. The vice president of GM says that this growth is affected by recovering housing prices, affordable and available credit, and consumers gaining confidence regardless of tax increases. Even trucks are doing well despite high gas prices, with trade workers such as electricians, builders and plumbers benefitting from the housing recovery.

GM did comparatively well, with the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra sales up 25 percent and both outsold the Ford’s F-Series.

The green industry promises growth and change. Consumers are looking to hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) to help minimize the cost and environmental consequences of traditional gas vehicles. HEVs are expected to begin infiltration of the light vehicle market more while producers compete to reach new green customers and meet stricter fuel economy standards.

Reducing dependency on gasoline is still a concern for car drivers, despite the recent stabilization of gas prices. Gas prices will continue to rise steadily in the future and could again become erratic.6 The HEV market is expected to nearly triple in demand to 680,000 units by 2016 in the U.S., with contribution to the popularity of the Toyota Prius and continuing commercialization of plug-in vehicles like the Chevy Volt.

GM is established in the green market, but it is considered lagging in terms of environmentalism and hybrid technology. It wants to distinguish itself from this image (mintel).

General Motors plans to increase Chevy Volt and plug-in manufacturing in 2013 by 20%, up to 36,000 units.

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Competitive Analysis

Consumer Analysis

The Chevy Volt has many competitors, from the rising number of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), technologically advanced cars, and higher end luxury cars. Since the Volt is a combination of these categories, the competitive analysis is broad.

Utilizing Simmons Choice III data from 2010, we were able to start understanding some of the demographic and psychographic consumer patterns of potential markets. Starting with basic demographics, there are some important trends in age segments. 35-44 year olds are more likely to get a new car every 2-3 years, and 18-34 year olds are more likely to respond that they will pay anything for a product they want. Compared to 55-65+ who are less likely. People that are most likely to make a big purchase soon are in the 45-54 year old age range, as well as upgrade most options.

The Toyota Prius is the household name for hybrids, and now comes in many different models. The biggest threat to the Chevy Volt in the Prius family is the new Prius Plug-In. It uses the same type of electric technology, while being cheaper and having the household Prius name. The traditional hybrid Prius is also still an industry leader.

The Nissan Leaf is an all-electric vehicle, which, like the Volt, scores high in customer happiness. Commercials for the Leaf have even featured the Volt parked at a gas station with the Leaf driving away. The Volt has outsold the Leaf in the past, but in recent months the Leaf has taken back some of the momentum by slashing its price to $28,800.7 Now with the new supertech Tesla out on the other end of the price scale, the Volt might have trouble with these two to find a place in the market.

The BMW 3 series are luxury cars in a price range similar to the Volts. Consumers that are looking for a car in this price range might not consider a Volt because it has been boxed in with HEVs, and not luxury vehicles. In particular, the 355 sedan is a top ranking midsize car that maintains BMW excellence. It has a roomy interior, rated high for its technology and performs well.8

An interesting market we researched are males in the 25-34 age group. They are more interested in what goes under the hood of a car and say one’s car should express their personality. Also, about 30% of 25-34 year olds choose a car based on looks.

Males in this age range are extremely likely to have and keep up with the latest advances in auto technology and technology in general. This market would be beneficial to the Volt because they already believe that American car companies set the standard for engineering.

The personality of this 25-34 male group is important too. They are the types that enjoy driving for pleasure, which would be a nice match for the Volt because with a charging station, a short, relaxing drive would cost pennies. This group likes risks, bring in control of their life, and are generally workaholics. Family is important to this group, but not nearly as much as friends.They also like to stand out, speak their mind and take risks. They see themselves as brave, courageous, daring and adventurous, which all could be useful in this campaign’s creative strategy.

The next area of research we focused on was trends with hybrid vehicles. People that own hybrids are more likely to be early adopters and enjoy buying new gadgets. They also are more likely to pay just about anything for a new electronic product they want. Chevrolet owners on the other hand, are less likely to pay anything for a new electronic product. The 65+ crowd is most confused by computers and 55+ like to ask for advice about the technology they buy. The older generation is less likely to enjoy buying technology.

When it comes to regions, of people that own hybrids, about 30% live in the west. There is no significant difference of people in regions who recycle. In relation to some of the political backlash, we looked at some of the trends in political ideologies. Republicans are much likely to own a hybrid, with only around 14% owning one, while 37% of democrat respondents own one.

In our primary research, we surveyed 132 participants about their demographics and specific opinions on potential creative ideas. Of our respondents that reside on the north west coast, 80% make more than $75,000 a year and 20% already own a hybrid. All of the respondents in the 35-44 year old category had higher levels of education, and 85% of them were married.

Lastly, 96% of all participants are familiar with the movie “Back to the Future,” which is a potential creative concept for our strategy.

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Primary and Secondary Target Consumers There are some promising trends in the data that will help us focus our target market. Males in different age ranges show positive data when it comes to technology. They are more likely to be the person that people go to for advice about technology. Younger males are especially well versed in technology and identify as early adopters, where older males are more likely to have the money to buy any kind of technology they want. Seeing as the Volt is a piece of cutting edge technology itself, we want to focus on groups that seek what is new and tech-oriented. A campaign would be more successful if geared towards democrats and people living on the west coast. The ideal income would be around $100,000, as these consumers like to get a new car every 2-3 years and enjoy buying new gadgets regularly.

The secondary consumers could be couples without kids or an only child, who are also interested in enjoying some higher quality things in life. These consumers value safety when buying a new vehicle, and similarly enjoy getting a new car every 2-3 years. Both the primary and secondary consumers will targeted more in urban areas, so as to get the full appreciation for the short distance value of the Volt.

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Brand Analysis Chevrolet recently celebrated its 100th anniversary as an American car company and brand. The landscape of the American automobile industry has dramatically changed and has presented Chevrolet with new challenges. A once strong brand has been weakened by numerous external factors. Customers and car critics alike have responded well to Chevrolet’s new products, but the Chevrolet brand has not yet aligned with the new Chevy models.9

Chevrolet Brand The Chevy brand is confused and a major problem for the company and its products. Chevy products range from high performance trucks like the Silverado to small sports cars like the Corvette.10 Other automobile manufacturers, such as Toyota and Honda, have done a nice job creating a consistent image across their numerous car brands, so having a wide range of products is not the problem. The “Find New Roads� campaign may be a step in the right direction. Chevy has historically been associated with gas guzzling heavy steel cars.11 This image worked for a long time, but hybrids and electric cars are meant to be a smart alternative in a new era of American transportation. The current challenge for Chevrolet is to rebrand itself from a classic American brand into a modern, globally relevant brand. Chevrolet also needs a concise and understandable image that emphasizes the character of the new Chevy models.12

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Customer Perception of Chevrolet The 2013 Car-Brand Perception Survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that Chevrolet remains a leading brand, but that the gap between top brands like Chevrolet and less popular brands is beginning to decrease. Allow a leading brand, Chevrolet trails Toyota, Ford and Honda-- which Chevrolet views as its main competitors-- by a substantial margin.13 In order of importance, the most important factors for consumers buying a new car are quality, safety, value, performance, design, technological innovation and environmental impact. In terms of brand perception, Chevrolet is fifth in quality and value, not in the top five for safety, design, technological innovation and environmental impact, and third in performance.

Allow fourth overall in brand perception, this breakdown shows that the Chevrolet brand is not where it used to be and not where it wants to be.14

Chevy Volt Brand The Chevy Volt line is young, but customers have enjoyed the advanced engineering, technology and minimal dependency on fuel. The customer perception of the Volt is that the interior controls are difficult to learn, storage space is limited and the battery drains in bad weather. The 2013 Volt is ranked eighth among upscale midsize cars.15 Customers gave the 2013 Volt 4.8 out of 5 stars on Cars.com.16 One owner, allroad5volt13, pointed out how different the Volt is from past Chevrolet products, “The Volt has overcome GM’s countless decades of lethargic design, boring ingenuity and lackluster performance.”17 Another customer describes the high-tech powertrain as “A no compromise ride.”18 An owner from Cincinnati loves the car for its technological wonders but worries about the cars longevity, “Driving the Volt is like driving an iPod. The technology is amazing and (has) used almost no gas. The bonus is how well it rides/handles.

Driver seat is a bit uncomfortable and I worry about all the electronics working well in 5 years but so far it’s an amazing car.”19

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Creative Analysis The Chevy Volt initially began advertising the vehicle as “More Car than Electric.” Over the course of 2010, Chevrolet began to integrate marketing the Volt as an “extended range electric vehicle,” putting them into the running as a top hybrid car.20 The Volt’s first main advertising campaign was centered on a commercial called “The Anthem” that was shown at the World Series, that highlighted the American culture of Chevrolet. Recently, Chevy Volt has used “real owners,” or “Happy Owners” of the car in their commercials to show the practicality and technology of the Volt.21 In 2010, Chevrolet released a new campaign slogan, “Chevy Runs Deep”.22 Critics deemed this campaign ineffective, as it did not represent the Chevrolet brand in a meaningful way. More recently in February 2013, Chevy replaced this unsuccessful campaign with “Find New Roads.” General Motors hopes that this new campaign will allow for use across all brands, while also being easily translatable to a global scale.23 Chevrolet released a 90-second commercial for the “Find New Roads” campaign that showcases five Chevrolet vehicles and their different personalities.24 This commercial illustrates the cleverness and imagination that has always lived in the Chevrolet brand. “Find New Roads” aims to provide more consistency internally with employees and externally with customers. Both of these groups will continue to grow globally as the Chevy brand expands with the production of new vehicles. “Find New Roads” creates a new consistent theme for the Chevy brand and serves as an external message that works in a variety of markets.

The Chevy Volt has taken a bold approach to its advertising. A mock coming-out advertisement featuring three Chevrolet vehicles acting as parents and their child – the “child” being the Chevy Volt, exclaiming, “Mom, Dad, I’m electric!” in the center – shows the brand’s support of the LGBT community. This ad received much praise from the Motor City Pride edition of the Michigan LGBT newspaper Between the Lines, and was also nominated in the 2012 Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Amplifier Awards.25 This advertisement, coupled with many others featuring families and the Chevy Volt, shows Chevrolet’s support of all models of the American family.

Up until recently, the Chevy Volt’s strategy has been to sell the Volt as “More car than electric.” Although this is true - the Chevy Volt drives just like a car with a traditional gas engine - this makes the hybrid-electric Chevy Volt seem like anything but an eco-friendly vehicle.

Through the “Happiest Drivers on the Planet” campaign, advertisements showcase the Volt owners that make up the growing population of happy drivers.26 These commercials feature eight different Volt drivers, all discussing a different topic related to the Chevy Volt, including but not limited to gas stations, technological intuitiveness, sound and the infatuation they have with their vehicles. A significant feature of the Chevy Volt that is addressed in these commercials is the combination of electric and gas that creates a empowered driver. Drivers do not need to choose between gas and electric, as they have the option of using both. Though the ads may seem overly enthusiastic, the fact that they come from real Volt owners is a unique attribute of the advertising campaign.27

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Public Opinion and Stakeholder Analysis The Chevrolet Volt is the top selling plug-in car in America, sizably ahead of its main competitor, the Nissan Leaf. While, in reality, there isn’t a tremendous market for electrical cars, the Volt more than tripled its sales in 2012.28 The promising numbers help to demonstrate the Volt’s reliability and ability to compete long-term with the Toyota Prius, its largest competitor in the hybrid car category. The Volt’s MSRP suggested starting price of $39,185, significantly higher than that of the Prius and the Leaf, puts the car in a different price echelon than other hybrids and electrics. Cost aside, the Volt is arguably the most fuel-efficient car on the market.29 One of the most interesting aspects of current Chevy Volt ownership is the Volt’s contentious place in American politics.

While President Obama has touted the car as a positive aspect of the 2009 bailout of GM and environmental causes, political rivals have used it as an exemplifier of government excess.30 Further negative perception of the Volt may stem from a temporary recall in 2011 due to battery fire risks in the vehicle. Although an NHTSA investigation ultimately revealed that no defect actually existed in the Chevy Volt, the recall and initial media reports were enough to cause many to falsely associate the car with safety issues.31 Even though some in the general public may view the Volt with a critical eye, due to misperceived safety issues and political associations, many car enthusiasts and critics have come to understand the Volt and appreciate its innovative edge. The Volt has stockpiled an impressive amount of awards over the past few years, with its most recent being the 2012 European Car of the Year.

Spreading this understanding will be a key step towards increasing the public’s opinion and awareness of the Chevy Volt.

Chevrolet is in the midst of an overall rebranding, highlighted by its “Find New Roads” slogan. The rebranding showcases the variety of new, largely environmentally conscious cars that GM is now producing. For the Volt, this means a place of prominence in the Chevy line-up.32 With the right marketing strategy and a continued use of social media, the Chevy Volt can become the centerpiece of both the electrical and environmental car markets.

Stakeholders 1) General Motors Company and Shareholders General Motors in the owner and distributer of all Chevrolet vehicles and products, therefore the success of the Volt is of obvious importance to them. GM has invested strongly in the Volt, a trend that continued this past year. The Volt will remain the centerpiece of their environmental, climate-conscious efforts moving forward.

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2) Chevrolet Employees The American public has often heard how much the auto industry means to the Motor City, Detroit. Chevrolet employees, largely stationed in Detroit, all contribute to making the Volt a one-of-a-kind vehicle. These workers take pride and find identity in the cars that they make. The Volt’s success plays an essential role in shaping each employee’s personal success in a city that greatly needs a thriving auto industry.

3) Chevy Volt Owners, Consumers For many Volt owners, the exclusivity of Volt ownership makes their car an all-encompassing entry to a global fraternity.

Online and through social media, they post pictures and tell stories of what the Volt is capable of. As they drive the vehicle and gain an understanding of the vehicle better than anyone else, their feedback becomes invaluable to Chevrolet.

4) United States Government The bailout of General Motors was and still is a polarizing move politically. Since the day it happened, GM’s numbers have been tracked for potential successes and failures. For the Obama administration and the U.S. Government as a whole, the success of the Volt and GM is not only a vital demonstration of a successful economic policy and plan, but also of vast importance economically to a government that now has a huge stake in the company.

5) Environmentalists Simply put, the Chevy Volt is a perfect exemplifier of an ideal electrical car. For environmentalists, a successful Volt means a demonstration of the plausibility of all electrical cars. It will be an argument for why people should wean off of gas and progress towards electric moving forward.

6) Electric Utility Companies If the Chevrolet Volt continues its rise, it will mean a larger dependency on various electric utilities to help the car reach its full potential. Innovators everywhere will be searching for the next big break to make electrical cars more efficient, longerlasting and cheaper to charge. Although it may not be big oil, it likely would be big money.

7) Potential Buyers If the Volt continues its growth and becomes the main electrical car, potential buyers everywhere will take notice. As these buyers face a variety of options, their business would help spearhead the Chevy Volt’s future success. This group of people provides Chevrolet with an opportunity to study potential buyers and develop marketing strategies that will ultimately draw new customers.

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Media Usage Analysis

SWOT Analysis

Today’s media landscape is rather more complicated than in the past. Consumers have a lot of choice when it comes to when, where and how they consume their media. Despite this variety of choices, the traditional television is still the primary means of media consumption.33 Around the world, television is now considered a necessity, even in poorer nations.34 Americans spend, on average, 5 hours per day watching television. Additionally, 41% of people who own televisions have four or more of them.35 But, television is not the only medium out there for consumers to utilize. Americans spend an average of 1.2 days out of every month online surfing the net.36 Social media is also a large portion of online users. Adobe reports that 69% of consumers use social media.37 The internet has also expanded onto our phones, and mobile video watching is on the rise.

Last year, the smartphone officially achieved majority status in the mobile phone market with 56% of phone owners having one.38 Nielson reports that 33.5 million people watch video on their mobile phones.39

Consumer Opinions

Strengths • • • •

Strong Voltage community New, cutting edge technology Award winning Happy owners, 92% of people who have the Volt would buy it again

With television still on top, it’s not surprising that 66 percent of consumers believe that traditional television commercials are more effective than online advertisements.40 The internet provides advertisers with a very large audience. However, Adobe reports that 68 percent of consumers find online advertisements annoying and distracting and 54 percent say online banner advertisements don’t work. Despite this fact, however, only 30 percent of consumers believe that online advertising isn’t effective.41 Finally, with social media came a great opportunity for advertisers. However, consumer opinion on social media advertising isn’t all positive. One-third of social media users find advertising on social media more annoying than general advertisements online. Of consumers, 17 percent believe that social media connects them more to brands.42 The idea of “liking” a product or an advertisement on social media is attractive to advertisers, but while it generates attention for a product; this attention does not translate into sales. Only two percent of consumers responded that they would buy a product because a friend “liked” it.43

The Chevy Volt The Chevy Volt was revealed to the public for the first time during a filming session for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.44 The Volt officially began advertising in 2010 with a print ad that ran in the New York Times, among other places, and a thirty second commercial for television.45 From there, Chevy got Volt ads placed in the 201146 and 201247 48 Super Bowl and has appeared in programs like Criminal Minds, Dallas, Glee and How I Met Your Mother.49

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Weaknesses • Confused Chevy brand image and culture • Price: $39,145, many comment that it is above their price point • Only seats 4 • Negative brand image caused by GM bailout • Electric range reduced in cold weather • Limited inventory

Opportunities

Threats

• Consumer’s perception on high gas prices • Government tax incentive: $7,500 rebate • New car buyers coming out of recession • Growth of eco-friendly automobile industry

• New and confusing hybridelectric vehicle (HEV) market • Charging stations only available in select areas • Increasing competition in the HEV market • Oil lobbying and politics of changing industry • Foreign company penetration • Uncertainty of economy

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Key issues and implications Chevrolet is facing a brand identity crisis that is hampering it from being as successful as it could be. It gives off conflicting messages, causing buyers to be apprehensive to make the Volt their final car choice. In the past, Chevy has been associated with heavy-duty trucks and the gas-guzzling Hummer brand. Chevrolet has to fight these preconceived notions of their brand. In the campaign, the strategy needs to consider carefully how it will address this important issue.

The green market is expanding in many product areas, including automobiles. Toyota has led the hybrid market for the last decade, but its dominance is in question as the market grows. The market is being flooded with new eco-friendly cars, bombarding the consumer with new options that overwhelm them. The Volt is unique in a number of ways: technology, green technology, drivability. The strategy will need to pick a focus and figure out how to make the Volt stand out from the crowd.

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Campaign Strategy

>> by Brian Prather

Primary TargetJack, The Silicon Valley Professional

Why Jack?

Meet Jack. Jack is a 30 year old hardware engineer for Intel in sunny Santa Clara, California. After graduating college, Jack secured a job with Intel and feels very assured about both his stability at the company and chances for future advancement. As an engineer, Jack makes an impressive $90,000 a year.

Jack is willing to spend almost anything on new technology.

The Volt will be a large purchase for Jack, but he thinks it is worth it.

Jack lives by himself 30 minutes from the Intel headquarters in a comfortable apartment. He is not yet ready to marry and thinks it will be a few years until he gets serious about finding his soul mate.

Jack lives in a West Coast city.

West Coast cities like Sana Clara have numerous charging stations.51 It is warm year-round, so the electrical charge does not drain ultrafast like it does in colder climates.52

Jack loves having the latest technology and shows off his gadgets to his friends, who are extremely important to him. He enjoys standing out in a crowd and feels high-end gadgets make him more noticeable.

Jack is interested in the engine of his car and keeps up with the latest advances in auto technology. He believes American car companies are the leaders in auto engineering.

There is no need to convince Jack that the Chevy Volt is an engineering feat. He understands and cares about this.

In his free time, Jack enjoys sports and popular culture. He is a huge fan of the San Francisco Giants and tries to go to a few games a year. When not busy at work, Jack can be found at movies and out with his other single friends.

Jack truly loves life and is not afraid to speak his mind. He works extremely hard, is adventurous and does not like compromise.

Jack can afford the Chevy Volt.

Jack is single.

The Chevy Volt is a compact car that is not suitable for families.

Jack believes cars should and do express the driver’s personality. He likes to stand out.

A high-end, impressive car like the Chevy Volt will certainly turn heads.

Profile of ‘Jack’

Attitudes and Behaviors

• Male

• Early adopter of technology

• Single

• Easily understands technology

• 25-34

• Likes risks and standing out

• Annual salary above $80,000 car buyers should, at the absolute most, lease a car worth half of their annual salary.50

• Prefers cars with MP3 connection capability

• Resides on West Coast, especially urban areas in southern California. This is where a lot of charging stations are and the people are more receptive to green technology.

• Understands technology

• Purchases Chevy products at the same rate as national population

• Friends are more important than family • Career focused • Influenced by sport and celebrity endorsements • More likely to buy a new car every two or three years

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Secondary TargetThe West Coast Power Couple

Why The West Coast Power Couple?

The West Coast power couple is rather unique.

Whether together through a traditional marriage or a more progressive agreement, the West Coast Power Couple consists of two high octane individuals. They are each 50 years old and are childless.

The couple has no kids and rarely has passengers.

The Volt is not a passenger friendly vehicle.

The couple lives near Los Angeles. At least one partner works in the city and is within a 60 mile drive of his or her occupation.

The couple loves new technology.

The Volt has some of the latest technology available.

The couple brings in over $150,000 a year. They both a full-time job and are confident about their careers.

Neither person travels much for work and almost never has more than one passenger in the car. Each earned a college degree.

The power couple cares what others think of them and believes that products such as cars can tell a lot about the owner. Both individuals love being surrounded by technology and seek out new technology whenever possible. They try to buy eco-friendly products whenever possible.

Profile of the West Coast Power Couple • Couple in a long term marriage or commitment • 45-54 years old

The couple can afford the Volt.

The couple lives in Los Angeles.

Like Jack, the couple is surrounded by charging stations. The area is suitable for a Volt and viewed as prestigious.53

Attitudes and Behaviors • Likely to be driving with either one or no passengers • Not influenced by endorsements • Early adopter of technology • Willing to pay any amount of money for new technology • First among friends to have new gadgets • Alright with having numerous gadgets • More likely to buy a new car every two or three years

• Makes over $150,000 a year • Likely to live on the West Coast

Narratives and profiles based on research from Simmons OneView, spring 2011 report

• Both are employed • College graduates

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Campaign Objective

Selling and Branding the Chevy Volt

Overview- This campaign seeks to establish the 2013 Chevy Volt as an industry leading electric/ gas car. It will show targeted audiences the many advantages of the Chevrolet Volt, such as the unique and innovative electric motor that can also be powered by a gasoline-driven generator. If successful, this venture will translate into an improved performance in sales.

The Chevy Volt has a unique place among competitors because it is incredibly fuel efficient, has an extended range, drives extremely well and is high-tech. A major strength of the Volt is that it does not compromise anything. It will be sold as not only fuel efficient, but also high-tech and easily drivable. Other cars outperform the Volt in one or two of the categories, but never all at once. This will be done by selling the car as a high-tech superior car that “just happens to also be electric.”

Communication Goals-The brand awareness of the Volt should be high, especially in targeted regions and demographics.

This campaign seeks to raise the awareness by 10 percent. The campaign also seeks to continue to emphasize the technology of the car and better emphasize its drivability and the pleasure of owning a futuristic car.

Business Goals- A sales increase of 10 percent.

How this will be done- This campaign will show targeted audiences that the Chevy Volt fits their lifestyles and does more than what they expect a car can do. Emphasizing the unexpected drivability of the car will be done through strong and original creative and PR strategies. The campaign will showcase and clarify the auto technology of the Volt as well as the myriad other technological components, such as the touch screen controls and high-tech powertrain.54 By doing so, the Chevy Volt will be more competitive with other plug-in hybrids, hybrids and high-tech midsize cars.

The Chevy Volt Advantage Fuel efficiency: The 2013 Chevy Volt gets 98 MPGe. The Volt is the only plug-in hybrid or hybrid with an average annual gasoline cost under $1,000, according to the EPA.55 Extended range over electric vehicles: Owners of electric cars are concerned about how far their cars can drive. The industry term for this is range anxiety. Experts predict that to break this anxiety, a vehicle must be able to travel at least 120 miles per charge, which no reasonably affordable vehicles can accomplish at this point.56 The Chevy Volt shatters this 120 mile marker by have a gasoline generator backup which can power the Volt for approximately 380 miles per tank.57

The Volt will be differentiated from other hybrids by emphasizing the Volt’s higher MPGe over other hybrids. This will be done because traditional hybrids are much cheaper than plug-ins, so it is imperative to inform potential buyers of this difference. Highlighting the car’s higher quality powertrain will separate it from other hybrids. By doing both of these, the car will simultaneously be differentiated from other high-tech luxury cars by being much more fuel efficient.

The Chevy Volt will be sold as the high performing, high-tech plug-in hybrid that it was meant to be. The Chevy Volt will be the car for those that do not want to compromise any of the latest advances in auto technology.

Current brand position The Volt gets lost in the hybrid market dominated by the Prius and its maker, Toyota.61 The current brand position is inadequate, evidenced in the underwhelming sales of the Volt.

The newness of the plug-in hybrid market confuses consumers.

People have some understanding of its electric capabilities, but are uncertain of how fuel efficient the Volt is, mainly because of the brand perception of Chevy itself. The Volt’s drivability and technology, though, are viewed generally well received.

Technology: The 2013 Chevy Volt has other excellent technological components besides its engine. The Chevy Volt drives extremely smoothly because of a high-tech powertrain.58 The Volt has interior LED displays and touch screen controls for tech-heavy interior. The 2013 Volt comes with Chevrolet MyLink, Bluetooth technology for phones, OnStar with a mobile app and Sirius XM radio capabilities.59

Desired brand position The desired brand position of the Chevy Volt is that of an incredibly fuel efficient plug-in hybrid that, despite it being a plug-in, does not sacrifice performance and technology. This position is extremely desirable for the Chevy Volt, because no other current car can truly claim all these attributes all at the same time. The Chevy Volt will be positioned as the car for those who do not want to give up anything.

Chevy Voltage Community: Chevy Volt owners are proud owners. This community includes mobile apps to measure how fuel efficient the owner’s volt is, social media pages and handles and well as a blog and website.60 A strong community like this allows the Volt to be more creative in its public relations and creative strategies because of this built in support group/ fan base.

Owners of the Chevy Volt have been surprised by how much they enjoy driving and owning the Volt. Along with Chevy’s confused brand image, the Chevy Volt has a great opportunity to capitalize off of the skepticism about the Volt and generalizations about Chevrolet. Mixed in with this will be the community building that the Volt is involved in. The car will be branded as too good to miss out on for early adopters because it is the hot new tech gadget.

Tax Credit: Chevy Volt owners can get up to a $7,500 tax credit.

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Current brand personality The Chevy Volt is the well-off, penny pinching and ecofriendly person car. The price of the Volt is much higher than other hybrids, so the personality of the Volt needs to be expanded. Volt advertising has focused mainly on the plug-in technology, but it is not strictly an economic car choice. It would take years of fuel saving to makeup this difference. The penny pinching, rich man personality that works for traditional hybrids cannot successfully be applied to the Volt.

Geography

Desired brand personality The Volt would thrive as the proud and stubborn innovator that can provide the best technology available. The Volt sacrifices nothing. It is truly an innovative piece of technology and-- just like its target audience-- wants to have everything first. The Volt is focused on the future.

• Advertising should focus more on the West Coast than anywhere else, especially in cities. This is where the target audience is located and where charging stations are widespread.

Emotions and Values of The Chevy Volt: • Surprising- The Volt is surprising because it can do so much more than people expect before they drive or own a Volt

• Advertising will be concentrated in areas where public charging stations are available. The prevalence of charging stations is focused mainly on the West Coast and, to a lesser degree, the East Coast. Urban areas throughout the country, though, are beginning to have a substantial number of stations, such as Chicago, DC and Orlando.63

Budget • Frequency will be emphasized over reach. The audience for the Volt is small, while the Volt is an extremely high involvement product that is also complex. A high frequency of exposure will allow potential buyers to be confident in the technology they are purchasing. This is important for complex products.

• Uncompromising- The Volt does not give up anything even though it is a plug-in hybrid

• Visual media should be prioritized over non-visual media. Seeing the sleekness and technology of the Volt is a huge advantage.

• Cutting-edge- The Volt has some of the most modern auto technology available

• Online advertising should be used, along with new media technologies such as online radio and social media.

• Proud- Volt owners are proud of Volt and the Volt should be a proud brand

• A large portion of the budget will be used on Television. Print advertising in magazines and newspapers will take up the next largest portion. Onilne advertisements will also be heavility utilized. This is mainly based on costs of the advertisements and the media habits of the audiences.

• Efficient- The Volt is energy and fuel efficient • Flexible- The Volt can either be used as an electric car in the city setting or as a traditional hybrid for longer trips

Scope of the Campaign Timing • The campaign will run for a year, starting in June 2013. The campaign will begin in June to establish awareness of the brand before new models are released. This campaign will use pulse advertising. Volt purchases in 2012 were focused in March, the fall and December.62 This will be capitalized on by buying time slots mainly in the summer, November and in February to get customers excited and aware.

The Big Idea: “Something Unexpected” Our “Big Idea” is to showcase all of the attributes that the Chevy Volt has that might be unknown to a consumer, using the tagline “something unexpected.” Many drivers assume hybrids to be merely eco-friendly vehicles, but the Chevy Volt couples that with new technology and a fan base of “happy owners” that truly makes this car “something unexpected”. We want consumers to embrace and be aware of everything the Volt has to offer, especially the smooth drivability other hybrids cannot claim. Its sleek exterior and innovative technology distinguishes itself from other hybrids. We will provide images of these features of the vehicle, adding an element of surprise. The technological aspects and overall appearance of the Volt will speak directly to the target market. The campaign will claim that both their desire to own a vehicle that fits their lifestyle and is top of the line can be satisfied by owning a Chevy Volt.

• Television, print and online advertising will be utilized throughout the week, but will be concentrated towards the end of the week-- most cars are bought over the weekend.

• Television advertising will be bought during sports events and shows enjoyed by 25-34 year old males. There are only a few shows that capture this lucrative demographic, and these timeslots will be invaluable to the campaign.

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Creative Plan

>> by Taryn Grisham and Kelsey O’Brien

Selling Premise

Emphasis on Brand Properties

The Chevy Volt has a series of emotions and values attached to it. As our tagline suggests, the Chevy Volt is truly “something unexpected.” The Chevy Volt surprises many drivers, because it can do so much more than people expect. Along with its element of surprise, the Chevy Volt is uncompromising, as it gives drivers the best of everything, even though it is a plug-in hybrid. The Chevy Volt is also cutting-edge. It has some of the most modern technology available from MP3 connection to a number of screens showing the charge of the car’s electric power and fullness of its gas tank. The Chevy Volt is both energy and fuel-efficient. Because it can power itself with electricity and gas, the Chevy Volt has the ability to operate as an electric car in the city setting and as a traditional hybrid for longer trips. As a hybrid with so much to offer, there is no wonder why a strong community of proud owners backs the Chevy Volt.

Chevy Volt’s advertising campaign emphasizes the pioneering technology and the tranquil and easy drivability of the car. The technology is of the main driving forces for consumers to purchase the Volt. The gadgets and electric and gas powered feature make the Volt one of the most technologically advance hybrid on the current market. Our print and radio advertisements highlight these unique features. The second unique property of the Chevy Volt is its drivability. In the radio advertisements, featuring Buster Posey discussing his personal experience as a proud owner, he discusses the ability to travel 380 miles on a full charge and full tank of gas, ability to switch from gas and power without a sound and his faith in the car to get him from point A to point B.

Campaign Theme

The creative adds to the brand’s personality through accentuate the appeals to the target audience. The creative focuses the message that the Volt is an expression of personality. The sleek, innovative hybrid is shown through the creative campaign to emphasize the main tone of the brand.

By marketing the Chevy Volt as “something unexpected,” we are able to showcase all of the attributes that make it stand out among all other traditional hybrids. This tagline was chosen, as most drivers do not see past the eco-friendly feature that is attached to most hybrid cars, regardless of the fact that the Chevy Volt offers so much more than that. This slogan was chosen because our primary target market is always looking for “the next best and coolest thing,” which we firmly believe is the Chevy Volt. In each of our advertisements, we include the unifying element of “surprise” through celebrity endorsements, technological advances, its sleek exterior, drivability and fuel-efficiency. While the Chevy Volt has all of these elements, our primary target market is most concerned on what is the most “new” and exciting aspect, rather than how ecofriendly the vehicle may be.

Creative Appeal The Chevy Volt’s creative campaign appeals to our target audience by incorporating the marketing of “cool.” The hybrid’s innovative and flashy technology in combination with our advertising campaign convinces consumers that the Chevy Volt is the future of automobiles and transportation as a whole. Through using celebrity endorsements, especially Buster Posey, Chevy is able to communicate the high demand for the hybrid. A person’s car should express the owner’s personality, and through our radio ads, Posey encourages customers that the Chevy will allow owners to “stand out.” Our consumers are brave, courageous, daring and adventurous, and our ‘Back to the Future’ advertisements highlight these attributes.

Consumers are the main focus of our advertising campaign, but the demand from consumers will drive further interest from purchasers and influencers. Consumers will drive up the demand, purchasers will want to order more fast-selling cars and investors will want to be a part of the fast-growing success of the Chevy Volt.

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Online Radio 30 second radio spot for online radio (Pandora) BP: Buster Posey VO: Voiceover (generic) NATSOT: natural sound on tape

Technology featuring Buster Posey (00:30) BP: I’m Buster Posey – catcher for the San Francisco Giants.

If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to have to give up anything when buying a new car.

BP: The Volt has top-of-the-line technology that allows me to listen to my music on the way to the stadium with its MP3 connection ability. Bringing Pandora on the road with me has never been easier.

BP: For the best in technology, I choose the Chevy Volt.

VO: The 2014 Chevy Volt: something unexpected.

Drivability featuring Buster Posey (00:30) BP: I’m Buster Posey – catcher for the San Francisco Giants. I love my Chevy Volt because it breaks the mold of a regular hybrid car.

BP: The Volt merges gas and electric, allowing drivers to travel 380 miles on a full charge and full tank of gas.

NATSOT: <silence for about 2-3 seconds> BP: Did you hear that? It just went from electric to gas power without a sound.

BP: I trust my Volt to get me to the game and back, no matter what power source it uses.

VO: The 2014 Chevy Volt: something unexpected.

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Commercial Storyboard “Because the future has roads” 0:05 NATSOT: <footsteps> Footsteps are shown walking down a driveway, placing a “For Sale” sign on a car window.

0:25 NATSOT: <car starting up> Doc: “Because the future has roads.”

Doc drives off with the Chevy Volt, leaving the Delorean behind. All other cars on the road are Chevy Volts.

0:10 Camera pans back, showing that this car is the Delorean, and that Doc Brown (Back to the Future) is the man selling the car. Doc Brown walks toward the Chevy Volt in his driveway.

0:30 Screen displays sample Chevy Volt car.

VO: Chevrolet presents the 2014 Chevy Volt. Something unexpected.

0:20 Pans into the license plate reading “FUTURE.” Then, goes across the body of the car, ending at Doc getting into the driver’s side.

Doc: “The Chevy Volt is the real car of the future.”

NATSOT: <car door slam>

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Outdoor Advertisement

Online Creative Work Banner Advertisement for Web

Home Page of Website

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Public Relations Plan

>> Josh Parulski

Status of Public Opinion

Media Tracking

Despite some concern with the current state of the economy and smaller car sales in recent years, 2012 was actually a record year for American cars sales.64 For the Volt, this meant higher sales as GM officially sold 23,461 Volts in 2012, more than three times as many as the 7,671 sold in 2011. That figure is still below GM’s ultimate target of 60,00065 — a goal which we intend to help them reach.

These articles, compiled from a variety of newspapers and well-respected sources, provide a general outline of the most important issues surrounding the Chevy Volt’s news coverage over the past year and beyond.

There are many differing opinions on whether interest in Electrical Vehicles is increasing or decreasing. The main reason for any declining interest in Chevy EVs is economic. EVs are much more expensive than traditional models. The Chevrolet Volt, for instance, is priced at $39,145 in the U.S., and the federal government gives Volt buyers up to $7,500 in subsidies.

For comparison, the similarly sized Chevy Cruze compact sedan starts at $17,130.66 Despite the dampened mood in the market, Pike Research, a research firm specializing in green energy, forecasts that the market will continue to grow and that annual worldwide sales of EVs, including hybrids, will reach 3.8 million by 2020.67

1) Korea Times: April 28, 2013 Economics of eco-friendly vehicles 2) Los Angeles Times: April 27, 2013 Tesla Model S outsells Volt, Leaf in 1st quarter 3) The Gazette (Montreal): April 22, 2013 Electric cars versus plug-in hybrids; Volt and Prius will each have their fans based on driving styles, price and interior 4) The Toronto Star: January 19, 2013 The car rules again; Despite high fuel prices and low employment expectations, North American consumers are once again flocking to showroom floors 5) The New York Times: December 23, 2012 Make Way for Kilowatts: A Growing-Up Year for Plug-Ins 6) The Philadelphia Inquirer: December 3, 2012 Electric vehicles’ popularity making inroads in U.S. and region 7) Automotive News Print Version: December 10, 2012 Akerson says cost cuts will help the Volt 8) Belfast Telegraph: September 26, 2012 Chevy’s Volt is truly a car for future 9) The Toronto Star: September 22, 2012 Volt a political lightning rod 10) USA TODAY: September 11, 2012 GM blasts report on losses from Volt; Reuters puts loss per car at $49,000 11) USA TODAY, August 31, 2012 Interest in Chevy Volt surges with cheap leases; And California drivers can use car-pool lanes 12) The Courier Mail (Australia): August 30, 2012 Holden Volt wins top safety rating despite recalls in US

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13) The Christian Science Monitor: April 10, 2012 Chevy Volt comeback: gas prices spur best-ever monthly sales; GM had temporarily closed a Chevy Volt plant because of slack demand. But that changed in March with a record 2,289 units sold. GM’s new target: 3,000 a month.

14) Los Angeles Times: March 3, 2012 GM to pause Chevy Volt production; The automaker will lay off 1,300 workers for five weeks because of slow hybrid sales.

15) The New York Times: December 23, 2012 Make Way for Kilowatts: A Growing-Up Year for Plug-Ins 16) The Globe and Mail (Canada): January 24, 2013 EV price points: should auto makers charge up or down?

17) The New York Times: January 21, 2012 In Fire Investigation, Regulators Say They Found No Defect in Volt 18) The Gazette (Montreal): November 26, 2011 Chevrolet Volt subject of probe after batteries catch fire in test; Has yet to occur in ‘real-world’ scenario 19) The Gazette (Montreal): November 1, 2011 Electric revolution is just around the corner; A massive shift in public opinion about electric cars is just a year or two away 20) USA TODAY: August 16, 2011 Interest in Chevy Volt loses charge; Price of $39,995 proves to be a hurdle for many 21) Automotive News: June 27, 2011 Study: Shoppers wonder who sells Leaf, Volt 22) The Toronto Star: June 25, 2011 All change with the Chevy Volt; It’s peppy, good looking; transition from battery to gas is seamless

Statement of Public Relations Strategy The Chevrolet Volt public relations strategy will be centered around a variety of events and promotional tactics intended to influence mass opinion of the Volt in a positive manner. The overall goal is to generate conversation about the car and ultimately encourage people to join the ever-increasing Volt family. Four main events and activities highlight the strategy, all of which are connected to the “Something Unexpected” idea and specifically tailored to reach the target audience.

The primary event for the Chevy Volt will be a summer concert series featuring Grammy-winning band Mumford & Sons and baseball star Buster Posey. The concert series will serve as outreach with the overall goal of connecting the Volt with a relatively young, wealthy and tech-savvy group of people. Additionally, the car will be showcased alongside a Back to the Future display at the world’s largest technology convention in Las Vegas, allowing technology enthusiasts to see the Volt’s innovative design and features in person.

Further, the PR strategy also works to increase online discussion of the Volt through a Twitter Sweepstakes giveaway and an interactive, online scavenger hunt designed to direct people to the Volt website. While these four events represent the core of the public relations strategy, other promotional tactics will play an important role in marketing the Volt as well. The main four events are designed in a way that will not only promote the Volt through a single event, but also generate free buzz marketing and increase the amount of chatter surrounding the Volt. The public relations plan will also help foster Chevy Volt’s relationship with the media, granting news outlets full access to promotional events, maintaining relationships and building connections for future coverage. By increasing awareness of the Volt and maintaining a healthy relationship with the press, the public relations strategy will continue to be effective. Along with potential Volt buyers and the media, this public relations plan will work to keep all relevant stakeholders satisfied with their Chevy Volt involvement as well.

Media Relations Strategy The media relations strategy will help Chevy Volt maintain a healthy relationship with the press, which is essential for all successful PR campaigns. Chevrolet representatives should continue to communicate regularly with different media outlets and keep them up to date with major issues surrounding the Volt. Therefore, if a crisis or other problem happens to arise, the press will be more likely to allow Chevrolet time to respond to its situation before the potential onslaught of negative media coverage. Press releases should be issued as necessary, and appropriate time and attention should be given to journalists when they would like an interview.

This campaign relies on a wide range of media to promote the Chevy Volt, including television, radio, magazine, online, mobile and outdoor advertisements. All of these media will contribute to the success of the Volt’s marketing campaign, but the specific promotional tactics mainly rely on online media. Social media, blogging and other online media hold the greatest potential for creating buzz and spreading awareness of the Volt, and this Public Relations campaign will utilize those outlets as much as possible.

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Promotional Events

2) Technology on Display: Back to the Future at International CES

1) Summer Series: A Day With Buster Posey, Mumford & Sons and the Chevy Volt

Our view is that the Chevy Volt is a top-tier, innovative car featuring the cutting-edge technology to be an attraction anywhere, even at one of the world’s largest technology shows. The International CES takes place January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas and always features some of the freshest, most anticipated new technology in the world. With the Chevy Volt there, we’ll be a technological force to be remembered and reckoned with — especially with the rest of our plans.

This promotional event centers around America’s pastime and the central spokesperson for the Volt — San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. Youthtful and vibrant, Posey is currently a prominent figure in baseball as the reigning National League MVP and World Series Champion. With his community presence and a stylish appeal that was recently featured in GQ, linking Posey to the Volt is a perfect combination that will attract the positive associations our car seeks for our desired male age group. Posey will be present at events for a meet and greet, photo opportunities featuring the Volt and memorabilia giveaways.

Most of the days events will be free, including the opportunity to meet Posey, view the Volt and see an earlier series of concerts featuring local bands. Given the prominence of our nighttime headliner — the highly acclaimed Mumford & Sons — we felt it important to make it a more intimate event. In addition to those tickets won in contests at local Chevy dealers, tickets will be made available to the general public. Tickets will be available at a discounted price on an earlier date for Volt owners and prospective buyers.

Saturday, June 21: Begins at 6 pm at AT&T park, following a Giants day game (San Francisco, CA) Thursday, June 27: Begins at 6 pm at The Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, CA) A sizable fleet of Chevy Volts will be at the events available for attendees to view and even test out on a selective basis. The interior of the Volt will be featured and concert attendees will have the opportunity to learn about it from various salesmen.

This event will allow them to view the car’s exterior and interior and learn about the Volt firsthand. There will also be an information booth present where Chevrolet representatives can field questions about the Volt and provide additional information. Banners, signs and other equipment around the booth will read: “Chevy Volt: Something Unexpected.”

The media will be inclined to cover this event because it gives them a unique story; the presence of Buster Posey, Mumford & Sons and the lively atmosphere will be something to check out. This event will also create free buzz marketing, as livetweeting and other social media access will be encouraged. Attendees can tell their friends about the Chevy Volt, many of whom may fall into our desired consumer group.

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Working side-by-side with our ad campaign that features Back to the Future, the oft-remembered Delorean and Doc Brown, we will incorporate our car as the newest technological force. One so meaningful that Doc himself had to give up time travel and make the switch to it. As such, we plan to feature an appearance from Christopher Lloyd, the actor who portrayed Doc Brown in the series, on the final day of CES. For us, the timing of this event is quite ideal. It will create buzz for the Volt and our Back to the Future campaign as we start the year and make a media push during the Super Bowl, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and the Masters Golf Tournament. By showcasing the Chevy Volt and our creative at International CES, more people will be familiar with the car and our newest association.

The ensuing impact media will have a greater influence on potential buyers and the Volt will receive significant media coverage just from being on display, as International CES is typically blogged about, written about and talked about as much as any other technology convention in the world.

But in order to spark more conversation about the Volt, we will get creative and have many neat promotional activities held at our Volt Station. Free Chevy Volt memorabilia incorporating Doc Brown and Back to the Future will be given away for those tweeting the events using creative hashtags. Aside from the #SomethingUnexpected tag, we will encourage people to get creative and tweet references to the Volt and Back to the Future. Things such as #thefuturehasroads or #1point21kilowatts are what we seek. This Twitter strategy will increase conversation surrounding the Volt and also allow Chevrolet to humorously track public opinion of the car.

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Publicity Programs

Incentive-Based Promotions

1.) Volt Across America: Social Media Outreach

1) Top Selling Dealerships

Chevy Volt owners are already a dedicated group with a solid internet presence. It’s widely visible, but perhaps nowhere more so than chevroletvoltage.com — a Chevy run website dedicated to all things Volt. On the website are Volt-oriented news stories, blogs, a message board and much more. Owners of the car are clearly excited on this website and our goal with this outreach event is to expand that excitement to other owners and potential buyers. By doing so, in the long run, our goal is to make the Volt community bigger, better and stronger.

The five Chevrolet car dealerships in the United States that sell the most Chevy Volts throughout the rest of 2013 will win a variety of prizes and gifts from Chevrolet’s corporate sponsors and affiliates. Additionally, these dealerships will receive employee bonuses based on the number of vehicles sold.

The plan for this program is to document a week in the life of a Volt Owner through various social media channels, but in particular, Instagram and Twitter. Our main priority is to have current Volt owners tweet us pictures or stories of their daily occurrences with the car, while we keep a live feed. After hearing and reading all the great stories about the Volt, such as a group of owners who get 900 miles before fill-ups, we want to hear more of the same. With the hashtags #somethingunexpected and #voltacrossamerica, people will be able to tweet their great Volt stories for all to see. Once compiled on our website, the stories, pictures and great times will be clearly visible all owners, prospective buyers and others to view.

This event will take place for a week this summer, July 14th through the 20th, aimed for a time when good weather and travel is in abundance. To encourage participation, free prizes and small promotional events will be offered at Volt dealerships across the country.

2.) A Volt of Recreation: The Volt with NBC Comedy Parks & Recreation The Volt deserves great publicity and our goal is to give it that with the perfect product placement. Shows such as Big Bang Theory have been tossed around, simply due to viewership, but our goal is to find the show that is just perfect for our target consumer base. With Parks & Recreation, we see just that. The show is known for its witty humor and cultural references that are perfect fodder for the educated, socially-aware type of guy we seek.

In fact, we even see an ideal character for the car in Ben Wyatt (pictured), portrayed by actor Adam Scott. Wyatt is the intelligent, subtly nerdy, polymath who is married to central character Leslie Knope. Giving him the Chevy Volt and making it a story line in the next season would be perfect fodder for the show’s viewers and our type of consumer.

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2) Carpool Lanes The Chevy Volt caught some national attention earlier this year when it was announced that California would offer green stickers to plug-in vehicle owners that enables solo drivers to use the state’s carpool lanes. Our plan is to go along with this concept by offering lease deals and sales promotions in California. Further, we intend to pursue similar legislation in other states across America.

3) Charge stations For many Volt owners, a big setback is the battery life of the car and not being able to take it out as long as one would like.

Although we find such fears to be misplaced, we intend to address a problem that people have due to lack of electrical sources by setting up charge stations throughout the country. By working and promoting with grocery stores, department stores, restaurants, shopping malls and elsewhere, we will offer charge stations and selected parking spots to Volt owners.

4) Airport Car Rentals We plan to make the Chevrolet Volt widely available at airport car rental companies across the country and worldwide.

Even though there are a bevy of car options for renters to choose from, we plan to make the Volt a select and top option for multiple car rental companies by offering deals to both them and their customers. In the long-term, given a large commitment, the goal is to make the Volt the company car for various rental companies.

Relationships with Stakeholders The situation analysis provided a list of important Chevy Volt stakeholders which included General Motors Company, Chevrolet employees, electric utility companies, Chevy Volt owners, potential Chevy Volt owners, stock shareholders and environmentalists. This public relations plan mainly catered to potential Chevy Volt buyers by focusing on increasing brand awareness, and eventually sales, through promotional events and programs. However, relationships with all stakeholders will be carefully managed.

While the promotional events specifically target potential buyers, General Motors Company and Chevy Volt stockholders will benefit from these events as well. If the Chevy Volt sells well, GM will continue to produce the car and shareholders will continue to own stock. These events will also appeal to Chevrolet employees, as all of them will have the opportunity to attend the events and help make sure everything runs smoothly. Chevrolet employees will also be eligible for discounts on Chevy Volts. To maintain a strong relationship with all current Chevy Volt owners, we will offer them the option of subscribing to emails, newsletters and other social media regarding the latest Volt news. These owners will also be able to communicate more directly with Chevrolet and GM management, as they will be able to send their emails to a Volt-owneronly account with much less traffic and much more intimate and unique perspectives.

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Press Kit

Media Contact List

Summer Series: A Night with Buster Posey, Mumford & Sons and the Chevy Volt

Newspapers:

About the Chevy Volt:

1) San Francisco Chronicle 901 Mission St. San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 777-1111

The Chevy Volt is an extended-range electric car that operates on two different sources of energy -- a battery, and gas. The Voltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plug-in feature allows its owners to charge their cars and travel up to 35 miles without using any gas at all. Once the battery dies, the Volt switches seamlessly over to using gas while also re-charging the battery on the go. Along with this gas-electric combination, the Chevy Volt possesses a variety of high-quality, technological features that separates it from its competitors. The Volt has won many performance, environmental and other awards, including the 2012 European Car of the Year.

Concert Facts and Adjacent Events The concert series will take place a few days apart, over the span of week. The first event will be held on Saturday, June 21 at AT&T park at 6 p.m., following a San Francisco Giants day game. The second event will take place on Thursday, June 27, also beginning at 6 P.M at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. On both nights, a meet and greet with Buster Posey will take place begin at 6:30 and lasting for upwards of an hour. Opening bands and other Volt-related activities and giveaways will take place during this time. At 9 P.M., on both nights, Mumford & Sons are scheduled to begin performing.

Why Mumford & Sons?

Currently, Mumford & Sons is one of the biggest, most popular acts in the world. Fresh off of winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, they are a quick sale and a headlining show that will attract attention to our product. Their music and image are an asset to the Volt product, and associating our car with them is something that Chevrolet is very proud of.

2) San Francisco Bay Guardian 135 Mississippi St. San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 255-3100 3) San Francisco Examiner 71 Stevenson, 2nd Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 359-2711 4) Oakland Tribune 2640 Shadelands Dr. Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (925) 935-2525

9) Los Angeles Daily News 21860 Burbank Blvd. (Suite 200) Woodland Hills, CA (818) 713-3000 10) Chicago Tribune 435 N. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 222-4576 11) New York Times 620 8th Avenue New York, NY 10018 (888) NYT-NEWS 12) Washington Post 1150 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20071 (202) 334-6000 13) USA Today 7950 Jones Branch Dr. McLean, VA 22108 (703) 854-2049

Why Buster Posey?

5) Sacramento Bee 2100 Q St. Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 321-1000

Buster Posey knows what it takes to be at the top of his game. Simply put, he is the best in his sport right now, and at Chevrolet, that is what we seek for the Volt. A reigning MVP and World Series champion at only 26 years of age, his continued growth into the future as an elite star will be something to behold. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our belief that the Volt is his equivalent in the world of cars.

6) San Jose Mercury News 750 Ridder Park Dr. San Jose, CA 95190 (408) 288-8060

1) San Francisco Magazine 243 Vallejo St. San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 398-2800

7) U-T San Diego 350 Camino de la Reina San Diego, CA 92108 (800) 533-8830

2) Oakland Magazine 1416 Park Ave. Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 747-1060

8) Los Angeles Times 202 W. 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 237-5000

3) Automobile Magazine 120 E. Liberty St. (2nd Floor) Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 994-3500

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Magazines:

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Media Contact List News Stations: 1) Fox News 211 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 (212) 301-3000

2) MSNBC 30 Rockerfeller Plaza New York, NY 10112

Press Releases 3) CNN One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 878-2276 4) ABC 7 News (KGO-TV) 900 Front St. San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 954-7777

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 Issued by: Chevrolet Volt Contact: Josh Parulski, 555-414-0617, jparulski@chevyvolt.com CHEVROLET PAIRS WITH MUMFORD & SONS AND BUSTER POSEY FOR LOCAL CONCERTS Two-day concert series promoting Chevrolet Volt scheduled for San Francisco and Los Angeles SAN FRANCISCO -- Chevrolet will host a two-day promotional concert series featuring a live performance from Mumford & Sons, this year’s Grammy winner for Album of the Year, and appearances from reigning World Series champion and National League MVP Buster Posey.

The events will take place on The concert series will take place a few days apart, over the span of week. The first event will be held on Saturday, June 21 at AT&T park at 6 p.m., following a San Francisco Giants day game. The second event will take place on Thursday, June 27, also beginning at 6 P.M at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

On both nights, a meet and greet with Buster Posey will take place beginning at 6:30 and lasting for upwards of an hour. Opening bands and other Volt-related activities and giveaways will take place during this time. At 9 P.M., on both nights, Mumford & Sons are scheduled to begin performing.

“An award-winning car is putting on an award-winning event,” General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said. “We’re beyond thrilled to have a performance as great as Mumford & Sons and an athlete as great as Buster Posey stand side-by-side with the Volt. Everybody will be able to see how special the Volt is.”

Most of the days events will be free, including the opportunity to meet Posey, view the Volt and see an earlier series of concerts featuring local bands. Given the prominence of nighttime headliner Mumford & Sons, tickets will be sold online through the Chevy Volt website and Ticketmaster. Tickets will be available at a discounted price on an earlier date for Volt Owners and prospective buyers.

“I’m very happy to be able to take a night off and enjoy all these events,” Posey said. “I’m really excited to see a talent like Mumford & Sons and I’m just as excited to meet members of the Chevy Volt community.”

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Promotion Cost and Allocation Event/Promotion

CHEVROLET PAIRS WITH MUMFORD & SONS AND BUSTER POSEY FOR LOCAL CONCERTS Two-day concert series promoting Chevrolet Volt scheduled for San Francisco and Los Angeles SAN FRANCISCO -- Chevrolet will host a two-day promotional concert series featuring a live performance from Mumford & Sons, this year’s Grammy winner for Album of the Year, and appearances from reigning World Series champion and National League MVP Buster Posey.

The events will take place on The concert series will take place a few days apart, over the span of week. The first event will be held on Saturday, June 21 at AT&T park at 6 p.m., following a San Francisco Giants day game. The second event will take place on Thursday, June 27, also beginning at 6 P.M at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

On both nights, a meet and greet with Buster Posey will take place beginning at 6:30 and lasting for upwards of an hour. Opening bands and other Volt-related activities and giveaways will take place during this time. At 9 P.M., on both nights, Mumford & Sons are scheduled to begin performing.

“An award-winning car is putting on an award-winning event,” General Motors CEO Dan Akerson said. “We’re beyond thrilled to have a performance as great as Mumford & Sons and an athlete as great as Buster Posey stand side-by-side with the Volt. Everybody will be able to see how special the Volt is.”

Most of the days events will be free, including the opportunity to meet Posey, view the Volt and see an earlier series of concerts featuring local bands. Given the prominence of nighttime headliner Mumford & Sons, tickets will be sold online through the Chevy Volt website and Ticketmaster. Tickets will be available at a discounted price on an earlier date for Volt Owners and prospective buyers.

“I’m very happy to be able to take a night off and enjoy all these events,” Posey said. “I’m really excited to see a talent like Mumford & Sons and I’m just as excited to meet members of the Chevy Volt community.”

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Cost

Press Kits

Production, two news releases, fact sheets, backgrounder, distributed nationally

3x$30,000 2 Summer Series Events, International CES

Media Relations

Coordinating follow-up interviews with media and spokespeople

3x$50,000 2 Summer Series Events, International CES

Buster Posey Spokesperson

Twice Summer Concert Series

$600,000

Christopher Lloyd Spokesperson

International CES

$200,000

Parks & Recreation car cameo

Product placement, Parks and Recreation

4x$300,000

Summer Concert Series

Mumford & Sons concert fee, stadium and theatre reservation, staff

2x$750,000 (plus percentage of profits) 2x$200,000 (plus percentage of profits)

Charging Stations

Malls, Restaurants, Airports, Grocery Stores

$10,000/charging station 100 charging stations ————————— $1,000,000 *Government grants and business sponsorships will decrease cost

Volt Across America

Miscellaneous social media maintenance and promotions

$15,000

International CES Trade Show

Booth design and development, staff, Back to the Future Giveaways

$550,000

Monthly Newsletter

12 issues

$250,000

Social Media Maintenance

Annual

$30,000

Top Selling Dealers

Incentives for top sellers, Airport car rentals

$20,000

Carpool Legislation

Lobbying, cheaper leases

$20,000

Radio Promotions

Summer Concert Series event promotion and ticket giveaway in Los Angeles and San Francisco

$5,000/radio station 3 radio stations, 2 cities = 6 total ——————————— $30,000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 Issued by: Chevrolet Volt Contact: Josh Parulski, 555-414-0617, jparulski@chevyvolt.com

Details

Total: $6,055,000

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Media Plan

>> by Ryan Blair

Demographic Target

Chosen Mediums

Our primary audience for this campaign is a 25-34 year old male professional. Our secondary is a 45-54 year old power couple. Simmons OneView data indicates that neither one of these two groups has significantly strong feelings towards or against advertising in general. This means that our targets are reachable through advertisements in much the same way as the general population.

Television A vast majority of our funds goes towards television advertising. Our two target audiences are watching television according to Simmons OneView research. Our two target audiences, but particularly the younger crowd, have a strong preference for sports programming. As such, much of our impact media purchases are sports related, such as the Super Bowl, Monday Night Football and the World Series.

As such, statistics applying to the general population can also be applied to our target market. Research indicates that 66 percent of consumers believe that traditional television commercials are more effective than online advertisements.68 Both of our target audiences do a good amount of television watching, so a large portion of our advertising dollars are placed in television over other mediums.

Reach, Frequency and Emphasis Our campaign will begin in June 2013 and continue through May 2014 with advertising stressed in the months of March, June, July, August, November and December. Sales figures indicate69 that that last year more Volts were purchased in March, the fall and the end of the year. By beginning our campaign in June and stressing advertising in the June, July and August, we prepare our target audience to consider the Volt when purchasing cars in the fall. Advertising stressed in November and December hits the end-of-the-year purchasers and March advertising as well.

Impact media aside, our television advertising plan focuses primarily on primetime because our audience works during the day. For national TV, we hit the four main networks because Simmons research indicates that our audience is watching shows on all four of these networks, instead of favoring one or two. We also do a small bit of spending in late night programs (Leno and Letterman) because our audiences do watch these programs at night. Like impact media, though, a larger portion of money is dedicated to sports programs. With cable, we have selected six channels which research shows our audiences are watching. While Comedy Central and MTV are primarily focused on our younger targets, the older ones overlap with the young on other channels such as ESPN, Showtime and TBS. Our spot programming will further emphasize the regions listed above (west coast, Chicago, Orlando and DC).

Our campaign will focus primarily on primetime and later dayparts as our target audiences are likely working during the day.

Regionally, our campaign will focus primarily on the west coast, but will also hit Chicago, Orlando and DC, as these locations have a good amount of charging stations already.70

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Magazines The next largest percentage spent is in magazines. The younger target audience has a strong readership in magazines like Game Informer (40% of readers fall into the younger target) and ESPN: The Magazine (21% of readers fall into the younger target), while the older target has less dramatic numbers like 12% reading Money Magazine. Since the numbers on the younger professional target, this section is tailored more towards that demographic.

Budget and Impact Media

Radio Because both of our target audiences are likely working during the day, drive times are the only option for radio advertising.

Again, our campaign utilizes national radio advertising while emphasizing the west coast and the other locations mentioned previously through spot radio advertising. Simmons research shows that both of our target audiences are listening to the radio during drive times, with around 70% of people in both groups, so our campaign will reach these individuals during this daypart.

Internet Because people find internet advertisements annoying (Adobe reports that 68 percent of consumers find online advertisements annoying and distracting and 54 percent believe internet ads are not effective71), our online strategy shies away from putting banner ads on a multitude of websites. Instead, our campaign will select twelve target sites and limit our banner ad presence to that.

We also put money into getting four keywords (“Chevy,” “Chevrolet,” “Volt” and “hybrid”) purchased on five search engines for 12 months.

Finally, we have purchased an internet sponsorship with Pandora for six months. This allows us to integrate our advertisements into the ad segments on Pandora, which Simmons research indicates our primary target is listening to regularly.

Outdoor Our outdoor campaign will be limited to the west coast, Chicago, Orlando and DC. We will target 15 spot markets within these areas for 10 months.

Extra Our campaign strategy allows for a reserve fund equaling to less than 3% of our total budget. This extra fund allows us the funds to tweak our campaign over its duration as needed or respond to changing circumstances or needs throughout the year. We believe it is good to set aside such funds in the event they become necessary down the line.

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Volt Flow Chart Worksheet

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Non-Impact Media

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Non-Impact Media

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