Generation Gap

Chrysler, Ford and GM Industry icons - the 1920's, 30's, 40's (WWII efforts), 50's and 60's each decade, each year, US manufacturers created bench marks that ignited trends in industrial design, white goods, colors, moods, spirit and freedom itself.

Suddenly, and without warning, while the Federal Government was mandating such ingenious innovations as 5 MPH bumpers, seat belt interlock systems and air pumps, the 1973 gas crisis hit. Six years later the gas crisis hit again - fast forward 28 years later - the fab three haven't recorded a single hit record and continue to loose altitude in a downward spiral.

Whats wrong?

It's the brands themselves.

Aged and tired names in a new generation of texting, My Space and video games.

Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury are brands where nostalgia sells, but not much of anything else.

The big three must reduce, re-use and re-cycle by getting down to very simple brand communications i.e., "Trucks,Cars & Retro".

Here's how:

GM Trucks (pick-up line/8 Passenger Family mover)
GM Cars (one micro/hybrid car, one mid sized and one full sized).
GM Retro ("nostalgic brand offers" via catalogue for the old timers - one Cadillac, one Chevy, One Pontiac till the boomers die off).

Chrysler and Ford in a similar way. Easier said than done, but you have to start some place.

Please remember to keep the "iconic" logos somewhat smaller, placing greater emphasis on bench mark innovation and world class products, the core of which started it all in the first place.

Editor

(next we can take on CBS, NBC and ABC - prime time dinasours).