Chevrolet Social Network Launched: The Block
Chevrolet is taking a stab at launching its own community forum and social media hub for auto enthusiasts, calling it The Block.
Far from the first time an auto brand has tried to tap into other mediums for publicity, The Block tries to emulate what makes sites like Facebook popular while tailoring the experience more to gear heads. Users can create a profile and link it to a quick response (QR) code that instantly jumps to their profile. That code can be printed and put on display at auto shows or anywhere else the user chooses.
There are also pages you can visit that give details on a long list of Chevrolet engines and parts, but the uber-polished look and feel give it a corporate look that is the antithesis of what a forum is supposed to do.
There’s a chance that this could really take off, but it’s a tiny one because most people who spend time on forums are there to talk with other people who care about their cars, not necessarily the original equipment manufacturer, especially when forums are mostly dedicated to modification.
Still, forum fanatics might be able to glean a little advice from the corporate take on community: linking a QR code to your build sheet could be a really cool way to show off at the next swap meet.
Given that there’s a vast world of forums that already eclipse anything GM could really buy, it will be pretty surprising to see The Block do anything but crack.
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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