Is GM Committing Social Media Suicide?!

Critiquing the 2011 Buick Regal

General Motors and the Ford Motor Company are duking it out for top social media honors.

Earlier this week, Ford introduced its 2011 Ford Explorer to the world via Facebook, side-stepping the usual very public auto show or media event to showcase their SUV turned Crossover model. By all accounts, the Explorer Facebook debut was successful at least for helping to create a lot of buzz for a vehicle months away from its showroom debut.

Buick Regal

General Motors, in a bid to inject fresh life into its aged Buick brand, has chosen to mix things up for the 2011 Buick Regal by allowing people to post comments–good, bad and ugly–about its new midsize sedan to its Moment of Truth website. GM has promised to share all comments and though most are overwhelmingly positive, they also include the usual critical pronouncements including:

“Garbage, I’ve personally driven the Autobahn and this won’t cut it….”

“I wouldn’t RIDE in dat thing…It looks like a Volkswagen:”

Buick Speaks

In a statement coinciding with the website’s launch Buick advertising director Craig Bierley had this to say: “We are inviting consumers to find out on their own that Regal is a true performance sedan and worthy of their consideration. We are making it easy for the consumer to get unbiased opinions in one online location.”

Risky move, indeed. But it just may pay off.

Social media is a significant force, one that can propel or bury most any brand. Toyota learned earlier this year that they need to work on staying ahead of the news cycle curve when recall and potential cover-up information was aired online. People are going to say whatever they want about your product, so why not try to capture those thoughts to one place?

Four Ways

GM is offering four sections on it Regal critique site for your review:

1. What the expert’s think — Reviews from automotive columnists and critics.
2. What everyone’s saying — Facebook and other comments.
3. How Regal stacks up — A combination of comments across the board.
4. What Buick is saying — Responses from Buick managers and dealers along with Flickr photographs of the sedan.

GM is working diligently to reshape the Buick brand to attract younger, sophisticated buyers. The automaker is positioning Buick to compete with entry level Lexus models while Cadillac takes on the rest of Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti and Audi.

New Models

Right now, Buick is in transition with the Lucerne soon to make an exit and a C-segment model in the works. Along with the Enclave crossover and LaCrosse sedan, Buick hopes its model line attracts a fresh group of new buyers.

The Buick Regal is currently being built in Europe where it is sold as the Opel Insignia. By early 2011, a Canadian factory will start to produce the sedan, allowing GM to cut costs accordingly.

Source: GM Corp.

GM Will Shift Buick Regal Production To Oshawa

Last week, General Motors officially announced that the 2011 Buick Regal would be added to the Buick line up next Spring, a four cylinder model based on the Opel Insignia. Slotting below the Buick LaCrosse, the all new Regal will be built initially in Germany for export to the United States and Canada.

2011 Buick Regal

Weak Dollar

On Wednesday, GM announced that starting in the first quarter of 2011 North American production of the Buick Regal would commence, as the automaker will tap its Oshawa, Ontario facility in Canada to build the car. That quickly answers a concern raised soon after the Regal announcement – export costs and a weak US dollar would drive up the cost of the sedan.

“The new Regal gives Buick a modern performance sedan and its production here in Oshawa is terrific news for our employees, the CAW, dealers and suppliers,” says Arturo Elias, president, General Motors of Canada. “Combining Buick’s top position in the industry in terms of brand quality with the Oshawa Car Plant’s long-standing reputation for top quality assembly means customers’ highest expectations will be met with this midsize sport sedan.”

Expanding Production

Word that the Regal will be built in Oshawa is welcome news to the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and its union as Oshawa currently builds the popular Chevy Camaro sport coupe there as well as the GMC Terrain and Chevy Equinox compact crossover models.

Beginning about the same time as when Regal production starts, GM will also launch production of the long awaited Chevy Camaro convertible.

When GM received Canadian and Ontario government financial assistance this past summer, one of the requirements that these entities made in exchange for loans was for GM to build five different models in Oshawa. The Buick Regal is the fourth model that will be built there with a fifth model to be named at a later date.

GM employs 9,000 people directly in Canada with tens of thousands of additional jobs from suppliers and area businesses also dependent on the automaker’s success.

Source: General Motors