Torrent Sees the Light

LOS ANGELES Pontiac’s last launch of the year, for the new Torrent SUV later this month, illuminates the General Motors brand’s marketing emphasis on design.

That approach began with the Oprah giveaway of 276 G6’s last September and took commercial form in the first ads from its West Coast-imported executive creative director, who changed Pontiac’s conventional cars-on-road spots to a modern display of lights and lines.

“In the past, Pontiac has been known for hard-core performance and muscle,” said Tor Myhren, who was hired in January as ecd by Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett, Chicago, from Omnicom Group’s TBWA\Chiat\Day Infiniti team in a move meant to fire up GM’s sales-challenged brand.