General Motors is working out how it will spend the money saved by scrapping ads on Facebook and pulling out of the Super Bowl.
But it has decided that at least some will go toward a five-year deal to make Chevrolet the official automotive sponsor of Manchester United, the popular British soccer club.
GM formally announced the partnership on Thursday, saying that it’s part of the plan to make Chevy an iconic brand across the globe. Under the Manchester United deal, Chevrolet will sponsor preseason matches in China against Shanghai Shenhua and a yet-to-be announced team.
The company wouldn’t say how much the deal will cost. Paul Edwards, its executive director for global marketing strategy, says it has nothing to do with GM’s decisions on Facebook and the Super Bowl.
Manchester United claims to be the most popular sports franchise in the world. Its fan base has doubled in the past five years to 659 million people, according to research done for the team. That’s nearly one tenth of the world’s population. Half of the fans are in Asia, with many in China, where GM sells more cars than in any other country.
While the deal should help Chevy globally, GM will keep strong ad campaigns and sponsorships in each of its regions, including sporting events and concerts in the U.S., Edwards says.
GM’s shunning of Facebook and the Super Bowl brought criticism from the advertising and auto industries, and it left many wondering about GM’s strategy. For instance, the Super Bowl audience would have been a perfect for the company, which will introduce new pickup trucks next year.
The Detroit company will no longer spend $10 million for ads on Facebook pages because they aren’t effective, it says. It will continue to have pages for its cars, trucks and brands. Those pages, just like ones for people, are free, although GM will still spend millions on videos and other content for them.”
The company also said it pulled out of the Super Bowl after CBS, the network airing the game, raised prices.
GM still plans to spend $4.5 billion globally on advertising this year, the same amount as last year. Edwards says regional spending also will remain steady.
The Manchester United deal “doesn’t mean we’re walking away from Major League Baseball here in the U.S., or the National Football League,” he says.
GM will spend the Super Bowl money in more places more often to attract a big audience, Edwards says. For example, GM will reach truck customers through upcoming events such as the Summer Olympic in London, baseball and football games leading up to the Super Bowl.
Manchester United got its fan base data from the Kantar research firm, which surveyed 54,000 people in 39 countries. A similar survey in 2007 indicated that Manchester United had 333 million fans, based on 27,000 responses.
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More