Chevy vs Chevrolet. GM can’t call it Chevy anymore

After three and a half years of calling our favorite car the Chevy Volt, and decades of using the word Chevy apparently GM has decided the time has come to stop doing so.The company issued an official memo to employees to stop referring to the brand as Chevy.  Citing the need for consistency to help build the brand and produce a singular message, from now on all members have been told to only use the word Chevrolet.This new idea also coincides with GM firing the Campbell-Ewald marketing agency the company has used for 90 years and switching to Goodby and Co.

The memo is as follows:

We wanted to write you a quick note requesting your support of our Chevrolet Brand. When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding. Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer. This is a big opportunity for us moving forward.

As you know, we are investing substantially to improve the consistency of our retail facilities through the EBE process. Aside from the facilities aspect of our branding, there are many other ways in which we can demonstrate this consistency. One way to achieve this is with the use of Chevrolet vs. Chevy. We’d ask that whether you’re talking to a dealer, reviewing dealer advertising or speaking with friends and family, that you communicate our brand as Chevrolet moving forward.

We have a proud heritage behind us and a fantastic future ahead of us … speaking to the success of this brand in one consistent manner will ensure Chevrolet becomes even more prominent and recognizable than it already is.Thank you for your support of this effort!

GM issued a press release as follows:

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.

Mr.Klaus-Peter Martin, GM corporate communications explained the situation in the following way:

The Chevrolet vs. Chevy question is simply about how we communicate the brand going forward in advertising and other external communications. We love when people call us by our nickname “Chevy”. But Chevy is not our official brand name – it is Chevrolet. In the US Chevrolet and Chevy stands for the same thing and is understood as such, but Chevrolet is also one of the fastest growing automotive brands globally. In many of these countries we are just about to establish brand awareness for Chevrolet, so by calling us consistently Chevrolet helps to expand our reach. This process will take time and will not happen over night.

Finally, John Hughes, marketing manager for the Chevy Volt summed it up this way:

I will refer to it as the Chevrolet Volt.  You can call it what you like as long as you keep talking about it.And that I shall.

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Source : New York Times

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