No More "GM Mark of Excellence" on Vehicles

Determined to make a new name in the industry for both itself as a company and its surviving brands, American manufacturer GM is reportedly planning to drop their habit of sticking "GM" logos every here and there on its vehicles.

The move is said to be planned so that the remaining brands GM is still operating get a more emphasized individuality. The plan is, from now on, to promote the brands themselves, and not the holding company.

The decision to axe the logo was taken earlier this month by GM's executive committee, according to GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan, speaking with the Wall Street Journal. The logo will not suddenly disappear, but it will gradually be phased out, starting with 2010 model year vehicles.

The man to blame for this change in strategy is, of course, GM's new marketing boss, Bob Lutz. As he himself said, GM needs a drastic turn in both "tone and content" in its advertising. Talking about this particular issue, Lutz recently pointed out that GM needs to do a better job at pointing
out the brand to the American consumer, and not the company.

The downside is that, even if GM gives up its "Mark of Excellence", as the logo is known, it is unclear to us how that will change the perspective one has about the respective GM brand and GM itself. Think about it this way... Have you EVER seen a GM logo on a GM vehicle?

We did, but their are so neatly concealed it's hard for us to imagine anyone paying attention to them. And ask anyone who owns a GM car: What are you driving? They will answer: Opel, Vauxhall, Pontiac or GMC. Very few, if any, will answer GM.