It’s no secret that GM is in the process of winding down four of its eight brands: Pontiac and Saturn are set to take a trip to the automotive graveyard while Saab and Hummer are currently being sold off. As I was perusing GM’s Media site, I noticed an interesting design change in the page navigation for the four non-core brands:

Navigation of GM's Media Website (click to expand)

As you can see, the links to Saturn, Hummer, Pontiac, and Saab (my emphasis with the red arrow) have been stripped of their logos, shoved off to the side, and walled off by a separator – almost as if they’re being jailed.

As some of you may already know, I’m a huge stickler for design, which – for me, is often the first element that represents the quality of companies’ products. More importantly, however, is that the new design of the Media site navigation shows where GM is placing its focus – on the recently-identified four core brands – Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. As such, it’s my opinion that the new design of the site reflects a pivotal cultural change within GM – one that directs attention to the four core brands.

That’s it for today’s GM Authority Quick Break. Back to work now!