• NY Times, Friday, November 18, 2005 1:15 PM

Oldsmobile is long gone, and now it appears the fate of another storied nameplate in the General Motors' pantheon of iconic brands is struggling to maintain its viability. In a sign that Buick might be in trouble, the ad campaign for the brand is changing for the second time in little more than a year--never a good sign in such a competitive category, where identity is key. But even more than that, industry critics and even one of GM's own executives have labeled Buick a troubled entity. Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a brand and customer-loyalty consultant, called Buick "an automobile brand that has lost a good deal of meaning." Buick has become so bland it is perceived as "a category place-holder, the Acme automobile brand," Mr. Passikoff said. "And no one needs to buy Acme." Perhaps even more damaging were comments made last March by GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz, who referred to Buick as "damaged goods" at a conference in New York. Mr. Lutz said subsequently that the company had "no plans to shed a brand" and that his comments had been taken out of context. Even an executive at the ad agency handling the new effort admits it will be an uphill struggle. "It's a Herculean task," said Dean Bastian, executive vice president and creative development director at McCann Erickson. "But there's enough vitality and life in this brand to accomplish it."

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