Out of the mud and into the weeds

There's a new spot on TV and it talks about how American's did great things years ago. It shows stock footage of a momentous event in our history. It talks about how the product being advertised is proof of how America is still great.

If you thought I was referring to the Jeep spot I wrote about a few weeks ago, you'd be wrong.

It seems that Goodby and the new marketing team at GM have used the same exact strategy to create their big new launch for Chevrolet.

Can you say, "Oops?"

It's a good spot. And it's nice to see Ewanick try to revitalize Chevy's image by reestablishing Corvette as America's premiere sports car. But to have a spot based on the same strategy, same copy platform and eerily similar visual metaphors as Jeep is, shall we say, unfortunate.

Already the web is awash with howls of derision, cries of plagiarism, and buckets of ridicule. Not the start Ewanick needed after unilaterally pulling the account from Publicis and awarding it to Goodby. Certainly not the start I expected.

Clearly, GM is the Charlie Brown of marketing. It's starting to feel like matter how hard they try, they'll never succeed in kicking the football.