Posted on 06/12/2009 7:35:16 PM PDT by traumer
ValuJet was reborn as AirTran. Philip Morris rechristened itself Altria. Blackwater became Xe.
Would a name change work for beleaguered General Motors?
It would mean casting aside a brand that stood for almost a century as a symbol of American industrial might, but some marketing experts say it might be just the thing to help the once-mighty automaker make a fresh start.
"If the goal is to try and put this company on a massive diet and just turn it into a smaller car manufacturing operation, I'm not sure there'd be that much harm in rebranding," said Jean-Pierre Dube, a University of Chicago marketing professor.
"The brand isn't in good shape," he said, "so they have little to lose."
With GM tarnished by its bankruptcy and its reputation for building cars no one wants, wiseacres have had no trouble coming up with new names.
There's Groveling Motors, after GM's appetite for federal bailouts. And General Moneypit. And, perhaps most popular, Government Motors -- after the taxpayers' major ownership stake.
With GM still righting itself, "it's just too soon" to think about a name change, company spokeswoman Susan Garontakos said. But she acknowledged the idea is part of discussions within the company.
"We know we want to reinvent the company and want to build it so that it's something that will show that GM is going to be the company of choice," she said.
In April, not long after taking the reins of GM from its ousted former leader, CEO Fritz Henderson was asked about the possibility and said it was "not something that's high on my list of things to do."
"Actually I haven't spent too much time worrying about the name of the company," he said. "We've only got so much time on our hands trying to get
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
NO! Heavens no!
They should stick with the original: General Mistake
Hey, a “new name” for GM is not going to solve its dern problems. It’s like trying repackage crap, it still retains the same smell.
well, OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Obama Motors......Less for Much MUCH more!
Seconded! The obvious, and eminently descriptive choice.
The new name should be BO.
DNC Dream Motors
Cars that we can hope for.
The CrapMobile or the Obamanation?
Schmirkin Motors!
WCDMESHWW
world citizen’s diversity motors for environmental sustainability and healthcare for the workmen of the world.
TCAWB....The Car Americans Won’t Buy
i dont care what they call it im never buying one ill buy china car just out of spite!
Gargantuan Mistake
Democrat Motors
:^>
0bama Motors
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