• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, March 21, 2007

General Motors has chosen Clear Channel Radio for a combined radio and online campaign to promote the 2007 Chevy Silverado, featuring sponsored broadcast segments and display ads on Clear Channel station Web sites.

In the broadcast portion of the year-long campaign, GM will sponsor Clear Channel's 15-second traffic updates with brief messages directing listeners to the station Web sites, which will deliver "floating" display ads depicting the Silverado "driving" across the screen to "park" in the leader-board section of the page.

Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager, said "Clear Channel Radio presented us with a strategy to connect with our target audience throughout the entire day--on the road and on the Internet." Jeff Howard, regional president of Clear Channel radio sales, boasted that "the integrated approach will also demonstrate the brand-building power of our multiplatform medium." The linked 15-second traffic sponsorships and online ads will run in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City and Oklahoma City.

Over the last two years, Clear Channel has invested substantially in updating, organizing and expanding its online operations to attract more Web traffic and ad revenue. The overhaul shifted into high gear with the hiring of Evan Harrison, formerly of AOL, as executive vice president for Clear Channel's online division.

Harrison led the revamping of 950 out of 1,171 station Web sites as well as the rollout of new online features like "Stripped," a series of live in-studio jam sessions and interviews; "Sneak Peak," which gives viewers a chance to listen to albums before they are released; and "Video Six Pack," a sampler of favorite videos selected by well-known artists.