Chevy Sonic to Launch ‘Let’s Do This’ Digital Campaign

DETROIT – Donating blood in a vampire costume and working out in a grocery store are two of the offbeat ways Chevrolet is trying to get its 18- to 30-year-old target audience to play along in the launch of the all-new 2012 Chevy Sonic.

 “Let’s Do This,” a multi-phased advertising campaign begins digitally in mid-October emphasizing attention-grabbing Sonic adventures and a “Let’s Do This” social game that will live online as well as on a mobile app.

To play the game and possibly win a Sonic, users will document themselves completing various challenges, from participating in a sporting event for a good cause to working out in a grocery store.  Players share their accomplishments on the “Let’s Do This” site or app, compete to earn badges, and accumulate points. Users are also encouraged to share videos and photos on their personal social media pages.

The second phase of the campaign will include a more traditional television, print and digital advertising approach highlighting the Sonic’s features and incorporating content from the vehicle’s adventures.

“We believe Sonic will attract youthful customers who are eager to have new experiences, such as tasting foods from five different countries in five days or simply giving blood, but in a vampire costume,” said Kevin Mayer, director of Chevrolet advertising and sales promotion.  “This campaign will help our customers celebrate some of the experiences that make life interesting.”  

Beyond the campaign, Sonic has strategic partnerships with:

Pandora: Beginning in mid-October, Pandora will offer custom mobile playlists tailored to the “Let’s Do This” badging system.  Chevy Sonic will also be the exclusive advertiser when its target Pandora listener of 18 and older creates a station on their mobile device, marking the first time Pandora has offered this particular advertising opportunity.

Funny or Die: Sonic will be featured in two “Funny or Die” short videos launching on Nov. 1 and 15. 

The Sonic’s 1.4L turbo with the six-speed manual achieves an EPA highway fuel economy of 40 mpg, making it one of the most fuel-efficient small cars in the market, on par with the 2012 Ford Fiesta SFE and the 2012 Hyundai Accent and beating the 2011 Honda Fit and 2011 Nissan Versa 1.8 SL.  Along with getting 40 mpg, the 1.4L turbo has a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds.

The suggested retail price of the Sonic begins at $14,495 including destination but excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees.

The campaign will be available at letsdothis.com on Oct. 15. To learn more about Sonic, visit the Chevy Sonic Facebook page.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range.

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Chevrolet Turns 100, and the Journey is Just Beginning

Iconic brand, born in Detroit, is growing around the world

DETROIT – When the first Chevrolet was built in 1911 in a rented garage near downtown Detroit, it began a journey that has taken Chevrolet to every corner of the planet. A hundred years and more than 209 million cars and trucks later, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries.

“We have great plans for Chevrolet’s next 100 years,” said Chris Perry, vice president, global marketing and strategy for Chevrolet. “Chevrolet starts its second century with its best product lineup ever and strong growth in major markets in Asia, Europe, and South America.

“Our goal is to build on the foundation laid in our first hundred years to make Chevrolet a hometown brand in home towns around the world,” said Perry.

Global mainstream brand

Chevrolet is becoming GM’s global mainstream brand, the foundation of the company’s business in most major markets. In recent years, Chevrolet has expanded from its traditional markets in North and South America, and its list of Top 10 markets now includes China, Russia, Uzbekistan and India.

Chevrolet today sells more than 60 percent of its vehicles outside the United States. Last year, Chevrolet sold a record 4.26 million cars and trucks, and was the only Top Five global auto brand to grow its market share. This year, Chevrolet is on track to post its best sales in its 100-year history.

Cars and trucks to enhance life’s journey

“Like many of the strongest global brands, Chevrolet is founded in American values that are admired around the world,” said Perry. “Chevrolets are built to enhance everyday life, and to enable people to do more and experience more as they travel through their life’s journey.”

Chevrolet’s deep roots in American culture resonate with many customers around the world, who share the belief that getting behind the wheel is as much about the drive as it is about the destination. This emotional connection between Chevrolet and its customers is so deep that more than 700 popular songs and dozens of films include Chevrolet in some way.

New global products fuel growth

New, globally designed-and-produced models are behind Chevrolet’s record growth.  For example, the Chevrolet Cruze is on pace this year to mark 1 million in total sales since its launch. Cruze went on sale in the United States last year, and is now the nation’s best-selling compact car, surpassing all Asian, European and U.S. competitors.

An all-new Malibu sedan will launch this fall in South Korea, along with a global midsize Colorado pickup in Thailand. An all-new Sonic subcompact (Aveo in global markets) goes on sale this fall in the United States, followed by the Spark mini-car in 2012.

Chevrolet was founded on building affordable cars and trucks with style, value and features not offered by competitors. For example, in 1955, Chevrolet re-engineered the V-8 engine in a way that made performance accessible to millions of new customers. The result was the small-block V-8, named by WardsAuto as one of the 10 Best Engines of the 20^th Century.

This spirit of innovation continues today. A new Malibu Eco model will include eAssist technology that improves fuel economy by approximately 25 percent. Last year, the first Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle rolled off an assembly line near Detroit, combining electric power and a small range-extending gas engine. The Volt and Malibu are part of Chevrolet’s global electrification strategy to reduce petroleum use and vehicle emissions.

Chevrolet was created in 1911 by auto pioneer and industrialist William C. Durant and Swiss-born race car driver Louis Chevrolet. Durant believed Chevrolet should produce cars offering more style and value than the volume leaders of the time, most notably the Model T.

“Although both men had left GM by 1920, Chevrolet has stayed true to this vision,” said Perry. “Chevrolet’s global presence as it enters its second century is a monument to its founders, and to the many others who have made Chevrolet one of the world’s great car brands.”

Fast Facts:

• Chevrolet sold 4.26 million vehicles globally in 2010
• That averages to one Chevrolet sold every 7.4 seconds
• Chevrolet’s top five global markets in 2010 were, in order: the United States, Brazil, China, Canada and Uzbekistan.
• More than 60 percent of Chevrolet sales in 2010 were outside the Unites States
• Chevrolet has sold more than 209 million vehicles in the past 100 years
• 2011 is on track to be Chevrolet’s best sales year ever

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended gasoline range, according to EPA estimates. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown

 

By Chevrolet News

Big thanks to Patti for posting this great feedback

"I appreciated how our salesman spent time with us after we took delivery of the vehicle to explain how things worked. For example, he guided us through the set up of our On Star account."- Patti S.

Forensic Science Makes for Longer-Living Chevy Cruze

Engineers perform post-mortems to enhance vehicle durability

DETROIT – General Motors Corrosion Engineer Christa Cooper and her team know that rust never sleeps, so they look for corrosion in places the typical automobile owner never sees – underneath welded brackets and joints and among the thousands of spot welds that help hold together a vehicle body. 

The Crime Scene Investigation-style effort was performed recently on the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The outcome should mean years of little or no rust.

Cooper’s corrosion quest takes place inside the Vehicle Teardown Facility at GM’s Milford (Mich.) Proving Ground. Cooper and her team analyzed Cruze test vehicles subjected to extreme durability testing representing 10 years of wear, tear and elements.

“We test to the 95^th percentile environment, which is the most-severe customer environment we can replicate in our labs and road courses,” said Cooper. The cars are then disassembled piece by piece in a sort of “Where’s Waldo” search for the tiniest evidence of rust.

Skilled trade mechanics drill out 2,000 to 3,000 individual spot welds by hand seeking out corrosion in the sheet metal structure. It takes a two-person team two weeks to completely tear down a car to its base elements.  

When Cooper and her team find even a trace of rust, they look for ways to prevent it. Rust is a natural result of steel contacting water and oxygen, and the corrosion accelerates when road salt is present. The solution most often is finding a way to keep water out. Sealers and alternative materials are often prescribed.

While Cruze was under development, Cooper and her team uncovered corrosion where the inner panel of the rear door is joined to the safety beam. The team recommended switching out an uncoated steel bracket with a rust-resistant coated steel stamping. The change eliminated corrosion in that area.

An auto morgue may seem like a grim place where vehicles sacrifice their bodies for science, but the benefit is future Cruze bodies that last longer and are more durable.

“It’s part investigation, part engineering – I love this job,” said Cooper, who has worked in the auto industry since age 18. Her interest in cars and trucks came from her grandfather, who drove and restored classic pre-World War II cars. “I got the automotive bug early,” she said.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

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Chevy Participates in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®

Service rebates, NASCAR pledges and pink signage support American Cancer Society

DETROIT – As Chevrolet celebrates the countdown to its 100^th birthday on Nov. 3, the brand is partnering with the American Cancer Society, the Official Sponsor of Birthdays, to help in the fight against breast cancer.

“Chevrolet has been part of life’s great journeys for the past 100 years – even the detours,” said Alan Batey, Chevrolet vice president, Sales and Service. “Our Chevrolet dealers, customers and fans can come together to help the American Cancer Society create a world with less cancer, more birthdays and longer journeys.”

As part of Chevy’s partnership with the American Cancer Society, the brand is encouraging its dealers, employees, customers and fans to help save lives by participating in one of the hundreds of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks being held across the United States.

The walks are family friendly events that honor breast cancer survivors, raises awareness about the disease, and help  save lives by raising money. Since 1993, nearly 7 million people have participated in a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, raising more than $400 million.

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, Chevrolet Certified Service will offer customers the opportunity to waive their eligibility for select oil change and brake pad service rebates of $5, $10 and $25. Chevrolet will contribute the money from the waived rebates to the American Cancer Society.

“Everyone knows someone who is impacted by this disease, whether it’s your mother, wife, sister, daughter or friend, and we have several team members who are survivors so it’s personal,” said Steve Hill, GM North American vice president, GM Customer Care and Aftersales.  “Donating your Chevy Certified Service rebate is another way that our customers can help fight breast cancer and promote life’s adventures.” 

In September, Chevrolet contributed nearly $30,000 to the American Cancer Society based on a pledge of $200 per lap run under a caution flag at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races in Atlanta and Richmond, Va.  A specially painted pink Camaro SS paced both races.   

Starting on Oct. 1, Chevrolet and General Motors will recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month from the top of its Renaissance Center headquarters by featuring a pink ribbon and turning pink the LED sign at the top of the building. 

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 140 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended gasoline range, according to EPA estimates. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.