Buick and GMC hope the jump in popularity of SUVs and trucks will help it grow market share in 2015, Automotive News reports. Buick-GMC U.S. vice president Duncan Aldred told dealers at a recent meeting that Encore and Enclave sales will help boost Buick sales, even if sales of its sedans begin to taper.
In addition to the Buick Encore and Enclave crossovers, Aldred also plans to sell more GMC Yukons and Yukon XLs this year. He told dealers at the meeting GM has invested further in its Arlington Assembly plant in Texas to accommodate a boost in production of its full-size SUVs, which were in tight supply in 2014.
GMC will launch an all-new advertising campaign this year, too, which Aldred hopes will match the success of Buick’s fun “that’s not a Buick!,” commercial spots. The new brand pitch, set to launch mid-February, will also include a commercial centered around GMC’s Denali brand.
David Ferraez, CEO of a New Jersey-based Buick-GMC dealer told AN the overall tone of the meeting “wasn’t nearly as negative,” as it has been in the past, adding that there is “a lot of optimism in the GM camp,” and “especially at Buick-GMC.”
Comment
“That’s not a Buick” is the worst line in the history of television advertisements:
1. It purports non – recognition. What is the point of people not recognizing a Buick? “Gosh, I thought it a cool car” or “It looks plain vanilla, just like 99% of the cars out there”?? Advertising 101 says make people think they SHOULD easily be able to distinguish your product from all the others, because it is so much better.
2. It admits the brand was something (boring, mostly AARP supported) that it longer wants to be.
Shaq’s Buick commercial was much better.