You're welcome

When I first saw this ad from GM over the weekend, I was a little concerned. Why remind people of the failed past? Why give those who didn't agree with the bailout more another reason to complain? Why even say thanks at all?



First of all, it's just good manners. Someone gives you something, like say billions of dollars, you say, "thank you."

Second, it's good business. GM needs to ensure that people know they appreciated the help and cue that things will be different this time. If people think GM received this money (and like the banks on Wall Street) have gone right back to their old ways of doing business, they won't even consider looking at a GM product.

But now that they've said thanks, it's time to move on. It's time to prove to people that they deserved the infusion of cash. It's time to act with less arrogance. It's time to understand what people really want from a car. It's time to deliver a line up of brands that are truly meaningful, not just a collection of products. It's time to stand for something different.

Oh, just one more thing. Don't expect everyone to accept your thanks. Like the folks at Campbell-Ewald. This is a nice spot, but it's not something they couldn't have done.