Wally Edgar Chevrolet - Ewanick Shakes Up GM Marketing

GM's Ewanick prepares marketing shakeup as CHEVY's Perry to oversee U.S. brands in latest shift.
By: GORDY O'CONNOR
 
Jan. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- DETROIT -- A month after taking over General Motors' global marketing, Joel Ewanick is ready to name a new U.S. marketing chief and shuffle leadership at other GM brands.

Chris Perry, CHEVROLET's marketing boss, will become vice president of U.S. marketing overseeing GM's four U.S. brands, according to a source familiar with the plan. Ewanick held that same job until mid-December, when he became global chief marketing officer, a new position.

The move aligns Perry more closely with Ewanick, two executives credited with boosting Hyundai's image in the United States until their move to GM last year. In August, Ewanick plucked Perry, 50, to steer a campaign that seeks to exploit the deep ties between CHEVY and U.S. buyers.

Ewanick, also 50, is making several other changes atop GM's brands, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. According to the source:

• Rick Scheidt, executive director of product marketing for Chevrolet's full-sized and mid-sized trucks, will take over Perry's job of vice president of CHEVROLET marketing.

• Tony DiSalle will become head of marketing for Buick. He has overseen marketing for the plug-in hybrid CHEVROLET VOLT.

• John Schwegman, who was named vice president of U.S. marketing for Buick and GMC in March, will remain head of GMC marketing.

Another chief

Perry would be GM's fifth U.S. marketing chief in the last 18 months. Scheidt would become the fifth marketing leader during that stretch for Chevy, GM's largest division.
The latest moves come as GM's four remaining brands are rebounding.

CHEVY's U.S. sales grew 17 percent last year, while GMC was up 32 percent. Cadillac rose 35 percent, and Buick jumped 52 percent. GM's total sales were up just 7 percent in an overall market that advanced 11 percent, reflecting the shedding of four brands.

Last month, under Perry's direction, CHEVY launched a year long series of weekend test drives at dealerships dubbed “Mainstreet in Motion.” Each event invites a few thousand would-be buyers to compare CHEVY vehicles with Toyota, Ford, Honda and other brands.

Perry had been with Hyundai for 10 years before he was named the South Korean automaker's top U.S. marketing executive last March. He replaced Ewanick, who left that post for a brief stint at Nissan before joining GM in May.

Hyundai dealers credited Perry with attention-grabbing campaigns. One example: the Hyundai Assurance program, launched during the depths of the recession, which guarantees customers that they can return their new car if they lose their job. Hyundai was one of three brands to boost U.S. sales in 2009, the weakest year for demand in 27 years.

SOURCE: AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
Photo: GM

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