Chevy Makes Big Super Bowl Push With Ads and Apps
DETROIT -- (WWJ) When you're watching the commercials during next month's Super Bowl, you're going to be able to say, "There's an app for that."
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Chevrolet will be releasing the "Chevy Game Time" app in the Android Market and the App Store this weekend. It will be tied in with the company's commercials during Super Bowl XLVI.
"This is the first time any company has attempted such a large-scale app, which will enhance the game watching experience and help them engage in the online conversation about the Super Bowl," said Joel Ewanick, global chief marketing officer, General Motors.
Ewanick says the app will allow viewers to comment on the game, interact with others and win prizes. With 1.5 billion people expected to watch the Super Bowl, Ewanick says nobody has ever tried an interaction on this big a scale.
"The way people watch TV has changed with smart phones and tablets helping viewers interact while in front of the screen," Ewanick said. "This app takes that interactivity to a whole new level on one of the biggest days for television viewing."
General Motors also announcing that a filmmaker from Merrick, New York has won a contest to produce a Super Bowl ad. Zach Borst's commercial, entitled "Chevy Happy Grad" will run during the game. It's already had 32 million online views.
Automakers are committing to the Super Bowl in a big way this year. Hyundai is expected to run an ad trumpeting the Elantra's choice as North American Car of the Year.
Volkswagen is also expected to try to follow up on its successful ad from last year, featuring a young boy dressed as Darth Vader. That ad went viral even before it was shown at the game.
Chrysler, which made the biggest splash of all in the Super Bowl last year with its "Imported from Detroit"ad, featuring rapper Eminem, will also be back.
"I can tell you two things," said CEO Sergio Marchionne. "It will cost us more money, and it won't even be as remotely successful as the other one. We can not duplicate the Eminem (ad). I don't know how to do that."
Marchionne said Chrysler's advertising people are "working their buns off" to get an ad that's meaningful, but this years ad won't be as meaningful as "Imported from Detroit."
"That broke a mold, it broke pattern. You can't continue to break patterns. Eventually you'll end up repeating yourself."
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