Total Value Promise a total mess for GM sales; Consumers still hooked on incentives, not sure what to make of effort.(General Motors Corp.'s sales promotion)

Advertising Age, November, 2005 by Halliday, Jean

Byline: Jean Halliday

Wonder exactly what GM's "Total value promise'' marketing strategy means? So does the automaker.

As Detroit auto sales plummeted to the lowest this month since 1992 (see sidebar), General Motors Corp. is trying to give consumers who now expect the employee discount a reason to buy-while simultaneously weaning itself off profit-killing incentives. The concept of "Total value promise'' is therefore intended to convey lower sticker prices, improved warranties, reconfigured models and added standard equipment to more than 50 models across GM's eight vehicle brands.

But the phrase is vague, said experts, who argue consumers don't understand it as easily as GM's summer employee discounts.

They're not the only ones....

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