BlueOx

While it is critical to see Team Corvette doing so well in the ALMS series this year, the Corvette is otherwise falling behind badly in the PR wars as GM itself has really gone COMPLETELY radio silent on the C7.

The magazines are putting some out some bogus stuff and GM needs to feed the beast to correct some of the BS...unless, of course, it is TRUE!

They also need to do a lot more 'building the buzz' like so many of it's competitors are.

The real question...when will they actually start showing their hand?

jackhall99

There's about a dozen or so on here constantly berating GM for not releasing info on the C7 earlier than their announced timing in Jan., 2013. You now have the answer to your question.

mitchydkid

My guess is GM doe not want too much time to pass between the time they "release the buzz" and when people can see and then purchase a real car. If you show the car over a year before people can get it the car will not be exciting and new when it shows up on the dealer lots.

I'm not saying this is the best way to go, but I am saying this is probably why all we have are spy shots and a rendering.

MitchAlsup

Might want to check out the "Osborne Effect".......

Larry/car

Back in the day, every year brought a new design or model. The dealers would cover the show room windows so the public couldn't see the new products before the intro date. The dealers would have a party showing the new cars on intro day/s and the general public would make the rounds. This is a spin off of Back In The Day. The excitement continues to build!

Rock36

Thanks, I looked it up, learn something new everyday.

I can see how that might apply in the case of the C7, although everyone still knows the C7 is coming and C6 is out the door. Sales will decline for the outgoing C6 anyway I think in anticipation of the C7 being better even without details.

LS1LT1

The unfortunate part of all of that is that some are taking this silence or low key approach to mean that the car won't be anything 'special' or that they simply don't have very much to offer that's 'new/exciting' about it.
And that may be the case (though I doubt it).

Or this could be the most amazing/earthshattering new Corvette introduction in the history of time and they're simply so excited about it that they're going to let the car itself, the media buzz and the public do the talking for them when the time comes.






I think keeping things under wraps until the last minute is probably the better approach. But the opposite of that just happened to work out well in the case of the new 5th gen Camaros. People were seeing what was essentially the finished product LONG before it was available for purchase yet somehow the car was still a runaway hit once released for ordering/sale.
I suppose that either method has both it's merits and disadvantages.

BlueOx

My only problem with the approach they are using is that they are wasting time/opportunity to gain excitement about the brand and the future. The ZL1 Camaro marketers are doing a better job. Caddy is still playing the MagRide card too much, IMHO.

GM needs to be hinting at more of the real tech (other than the CUE possibility) that will be made available.

I really gotta hand it to Ford with the Mustangs, the 2013 for all it's HP and the 2015 for it's new design moving forward. Heck, even the 2013 Escort is having a lot of buzz generated because of all the technology that will be made available in it.

vant

True, but remember, the 5th gen Camaro was completely redesigned and looks nothing like the 4th gen. Also, the Camaro was on a hiatus for 8 long years. I think both of those points played a significant role in the success of the new Camaro.

We know for certain that the C7 will follow on the heels of the out-going C6. Also, it may not be all that radically different in design or engineering - but who knows, maybe it will be.

Jinx

GM is falling behind... who?

Did Porsche release 991 details 18 months ahead of production? How about the 981?

Did Ferrari release 458 Italia details 18 months ahead of production? How about the F12berlinetta?

Have we seen the 2014 Ford Mustang pictures and specs?
How about the 2014 Miata? Surely we know all about it, since everybody knows the current MX5 is quite long in the tooth and due for replacement.

GM is not failing. GM is following the playbook that's worked for them before, and it'll work fine for them now. And that playbook isn't much different from the ones that other manufacturers use.

.Jinx

michaelinmech

I disagree - the C7 Buzz is out there - anticipation is priceless.

Chevrolet still has an entire model year worth of C6 Corvettes to sell. And while GM certainly has made it's share of mistakes over the years, one thing they have been very savvy about is not giving away the upcoming model 'change secrets' while the current model still needs to ring the register. The 60th Anniversary and 427 Convertible offerings wet the appetites of potential buyers to keep general Corvette interest and sales going. No price increases for the new model year furthered that interest.

I'll bet a dollar there are some good and high priced marketing folks at Chevrolet that know exactly what they are doing regarding the C7 info timing and teasing. IMHO

CRABBYJ

Hearin lays the answer. The '12 C6 are a full year production with the '13 to be part year. Both years will try to keep interest and sales up with special options. If they release specifics on what I suspect will be a C6 sales killer too early any C6 sales will be significantly reduced or languish on lots until sold for big discounts.

With the 5th Gen Camaros there were no new '02 4th Gen Camaros laying around. Thus early info was preferred to ramp up interest to persuade buyers to wait and not settle on a Muscrat.

I can wait till year end to see a C7 as it will be a nice post New Year gift while watching the snow fall. The CF will be all a buzz with the lovers and haters knee deep in arguments.

Hey, Michaelinmech beat me to it above. I guess I got to learn to type a little faster. Nice post Micheal.

LS1LT1

Well, we don't know for certain but yes, we do know that will likely be the case.
Then again, look at the Porsche 911 line throughout the years, subtle evolutionary change works well for them and that car costs more.
Many (though not all) elements of the C6 were/are actually so good that the C7 doesn't even have to be all new/ground up to be great, in my opinion.






Well stated.

BlueOx

Falling behind (PR-WISE) to Viper, Mustang, Ferrari, and others have had tons of PR in the last 3 months.

Other than the new 427 vert and Corvette Racing, show me a GM-generated Corvette-specific PR information piece with some real news from the last 3 months. C6 OR C7. It doesn't have to be a picture of the actual C7, either.

jackhall99

Just look at the C7 forum!
A N T I C I P A T I O N.

jackhall99

This is the C7 forum and C6 buzz isn't the issue amigo.

Read this forum and you see buzz. Get out and talk to car people and the anticipation for the new car is huge! GM is generating buzz with what they are doing: keeping their mouth shut.

They have stated we'll know in Jan., 2013. I give them credit for maintaining their stance so far.

2K3Z06

2012 is the big push for Camaro/zl1. 2013 is the vettes turn. Seems about right to me. Its just 6 months, so chill.

You can check the c7 forum everyday and make yourself dizzy. (reminds me of kids waiting on christmas.) Still won't get here any faster.

All the guys who bought ZL1 camaros will be looking to sell in 8 or 9 months when new has worn off. and guess what, that will be the time you start seeing new corvette ads. I would say GM marketing is spot on.

ymmv

jackhall99

rcallen484

1985 Corvette

From all the frustration radiating off these created topics, by "fed up" enthusiast who keep coming back, I'd say GM is winning the PR campaign and has them right where it wants them: front row when the car is unveiled.

I think people have gotten so used to guys getting spy shots that they feel it's part of a car company's plan to let those go. That's a failure to secure total secrecy. So when GM does takes extra steps to not get spied, the car is a failure? Sounds like good job to those at GM keeping it under wraps.

This one still makes me laugh though:

"Talked to a dealer that says GM reps brought by pics of the C7. Says he's not impressed, says I should just buy a C6 instead."

Everyone has a "reliable inside source" Wish I had a dollar for everytime we saw threads starting off with that.