GM posted a statement clarifying the whole Chevy dust up we mentioned earlier today. Apparently, they’ve been working to undo the memo all day.
For example, GM’s social lead Christopher Barger, said that the memo, “wasn’t worded really well.” Understatement of the day? I think we have a winner. Here’s the statement explaining the memo, sort of:
Today’s emotional debate over a poorly worded memo on our use of the Chevrolet brand is a good reminder of how passionately people feel about Chevrolet. It is a passion we share and one we do not take for granted.
We love Chevy. In no way are we discouraging customers or fans from using the name. We deeply appreciate the emotional connections that millions of people have for Chevrolet and its products.
In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name for advertising and marketing purposes. The memo in question was one step in that process.
We hope people around the world will continue to fall in love with Chevrolets and smile when they call their favorite car, truck or crossover ‘Chevy.’
Passion for Chevrolet, maybe. But if we’re honest about this, what upset people is not fear that our precious nickname was ‘outlawed’ — it was GM’s failure to understand that they don’t own their brand. How do they not get that?
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