Chevy runs quietly

There's no bravado. No all-star line up. No bold statement. Just a series of 'truths' about the brand and our relationships with our cars in the new Chevy campaign from Goodby, Silverstein and Partners.

As evidenced by the copy and images in this spot for trucks, it's not about features or functional benefits. This campaign's objective seems purely to make people smile along with Chevrolet at these simple human truths.



Advertising is about setting expectations and managing perceptions. Its job is to put Chevy on the consideration list and get people into the dealership for a test drive. By that measure I think this campaign does a good job. It is understated and simple, but passionate. There's a genuine sense of caring that I get from these spots. The images feel real.

When people drive the Malibu, Cruze or Silverado they won't be disappointed because they weren't promised the greatest driving experience this side of Indy. And that's really the issue. Chevy's problem isn't (and has never been) an advertising problem. It's a product problem.

Up and down the line, the cars Chevy makes are as good as they've ever been. They'll do what you want efficiently and last a long time. But drive a Malibu then drive a Sonata. Drive a Silverado then an F-150. Chevy needs to win these battles and in my opinion, it just doesn't.

The ad strategy is perfect for the current line up. I just hope the line up improves quickly to a point where the brand wins at retail as well as on TV.