• Ad Age, Thursday, May 11, 2006 11:45 AM

Corporate advertising seems to be working for General Motors as it continues its efforts to attract new customers in the midst of long-term financial struggles. A corporate ad for the giant automaker that ran during the Winter Olympics resonated so well with consumers that the company has decided to try another. The new spot, dubbed "Now and Then," breaks tonight on CBS' "Survivor" after scoring well among all viewers during testing. GM's Bob Kraut, director-brand marketing, said the spot resonated particularly well with those younger than 35, with 83 percent having a positive response, a statistic that was music to GM's ears. "We have to get people to like GM and be more open-minded," Mr. Kraut said. He added that he believes consumers liked the first commercial because "it doesn't make any demands on people." The new commercial includes shots of Buick's current pitchman, Tiger Woods, and Carmen Electra and, from the past, Marilyn Monroe and the late actor-impressionist Frank Gorshin. The commercials are like a "60-second GM history lesson" for young people, "one part history and two parts show and tell," said David Moore, of ad agency McCann Erickson, which created the spots. The auto giant is trying to recover from a disastrous 2005, which Chairman-CEO Rick Wagoner called "one of the most difficult years in GM's history, driven by poor performance in North America."

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