Blog 8 October 26th

GM “A New Level of Confidence” ad--

I've included a screen capture from the GM website. It's not the exact image I examined, but it's from the same campaign.
Here's the address:
http://www.gm.com/warranty/index.jsp?brandId=vs&lang=en&cmp=gm_com


General Motors current ad campaign for its’ “100,000-mile warranty” features a number of GM manufactured cars floating and driving above congested roads in major American cities. These ads suggest that by purchasing a GM auto you have ‘risen’ above the crowd, enabling you a certain privilege and ease of passage.
Taking as an example of this campaign I’ve selected a print ad from the Nov. 6, 2006 issue of Time magazine. In this ad we see a crowded city street, (New York?), filled with generic cars, busses, delivery trucks and taxis. Pedestrians also clog the sidewalks and crosswalks. The city is predominantly gray, brown and off-white, with the brightest colors coming from the red and blue awnings and the predominantly placed American flags. The GM cars, (predominantly high-end models; Cadillac, Hummer, Corvette), are featured floating along at about the seventh floor level above the street. They are noticeably cleaner, brighter, and more colorful than the surrounding scene and stand out dramatically from their background. The cars are flying in formation three abreast, and although there are only ten individual autos shown, the impression is that there is a legion of bright, shiny, new GM cars behind them. The autos are emanating from the vanishing point in the image, the only real spot of open sky and green in the entire picture, and seem to bring that “breath-of-fresh-air” feeling along with them, particularly as the buildings in the foreground become darker and the bright colors of the lead cars, (a red corvette and a yellow hummer flanking a dark blue Cadillac), contrast more strongly against them.
Through its use of prominently placed American flags and the use of the general red-white-and-blue color scheme, GM appears to be playing to the patriotism of its audience, those who we might guess would be strongly influenced by the American-made aspect of the company.
The most obvious metaphor of “rising above the rest” is floating separation of the cars from those on the street and sidewalks. It seems to be saying that by purchasing a GM car, you are not among the ordinary people who must struggle with congestion. You are unique, and privileged. This implication is furthered by the models of cars featured, especially those in the first two rows, high-end autos whose price tags place them firmly in the wealthiest, most economically successful tax bracket.
The ad speaks not only of a separation from “the ordinary”, but also of certain camaraderie among those who purchase similar autos. They are an elite group, a select few who are literally, “above the rest”, forming a virtual air force of GM auto buyers.
This ad also seems as though it’s primarily aimed at men. The first two rows of autos is dominated by cars that appeal to and are marketed for men, the previously mentioned ‘vette, Lincoln Navigator, and Hummer in the first row, a second sports car, large SUV and pickup in the second row. The surrounding background is composed mostly of more ‘masculine’ imagery; tall stone buildings, hard angled vehicles, flagpoles and erect streetlights. (At this point I could delve into a Freudian analysis of the ad, but would prefer to avoid going there, thanks.)
So we have an intended audience of wealthy, “patriotic”, probably white, middle to upper class men. The ad speaks to them in terms of success, freedom, and a certain amount implied community with those who share their economic status and taste. It implies security, potency, and, as its slogan states: “A new level of confidence”.
All from a car.