GM Bans The Use Of "Chevy" When Discussing Chevrolet Brand, Then Backtracks

In another boneheaded move by an overpaid marketing wonk, a Chevrolet executive wrote an internal memo, obtained by the New York Times, asking GM employees to refrain from referring to the Chevrolet brand as “Chevy”.

According to the internal memo, Chevrolet sales and service VP Alan Batey and marketing head Jim Campbell said ;

“We’d ask that, whether you’re talking to a dealer, reviewing dealer advertising or speaking with friends and family, that you communicate our brand as Chevrole t moving forward. When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple, for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding … Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer.”

Apparently, somebody forgot to tell Batey and Campbell that “Coke” itself is short for Coca-Cola, and Apple is also used interchangeably with “Mac” when discussing the popular line of laptop and desktop computers. An uproar on Twitter (affably handled by GM Social media head Christopher Barger) caused the General to release a second edict, stating;

“In no way are we discouraging customers or fans from using the name. We deeply appreciate the emotional connections that millions of people have for Chevrolet and its products. In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process.”

According to Left Lane News, the term “Chevy” appears over 1,700 times on General Motors and Chevrolet webpages. Looks like there’s work to be done down at the Renaissance Center.