• by David Kaplan , May 9, 2005

General Motors' GMC division launched a multicultural campaign Friday for the new model Envoy Denali. A new, original television advertisement targeted at African-American consumers broke Saturday. In addition, the company is launching what it calls its largest Hispanic campaign on May 12.

A recent report from Scarborough Research found that when it comes to buying luxury cars--and planning to buy within the next year--these two groups also outpace the general population. (April 26, 2005, MediaDailyNews). Specifically, blacks are 62 percent more likely to buy a full-size car and 59 percent more likely to buy a luxury car when compared to the total population.

"The Denali name has become synonymous with style, luxury and performance," said Steve Rosenblum, GMC marketing director.

Actor/rapper Mos Def (he's currently starring in "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy," where he plays the character "Ford Prefect"), will appear in the new African-American-targeted TV spots for the Envoy Denali SUV. The ad was created by Oakland, Calif.-based Carol H. Williams Advertising, which specializes in the African-American market.

The spot, dubbed "Poetry in Motion," shows Mos Def and the Envoy Denali sharing the same space onscreen, with visual special effects bringing parts of the vehicle together to form the new product.

The new commercial is scheduled to begin airing nationally on networks and programming including ABC, ESPN, UPN, and BET.

As for the Hispanic campaign, titled "Real Everyday Pros," GMC profiles ordinary people who've done "extraordinary things" in their community, and compares their qualities to the Denali.

The ads were created by GMC's Hispanic advertising agency, Accentmarketing, and will run in major Hispanic lifestyle, automotive, and business publications.

"Since 2003, GMC's Hispanic market share has equaled that in the general market," said Rosenblum. "That market is critical to GMC's continued success."