BlogHer and GM

So I attended the BlogHer conference '06 - I was originally going as a regular attendee, but then GM Blogs decided to sponsor the conference (I wish it was my idea) and because they are a client I was also there to help out. 

GM brought in some 15 cars - mostly Saturns - for the women bloggers to test drive. In my amateur fashion, I videotaped lots of interviews with the ladies when they finished their test drive.  Their reactions were mostly positive, some critical, but almost all agreed that GM did it right.  (The video will be up on GM's FYI blog later this week.)

As a woman, what I appreciated about the test drives was that it was so low key, zero pressure.  I showed my driver's license and was given the keys to a new Saturn Vue Green Line  - a hybrid.  I also drove the new Cadillac Escalade.  Now I would never go in a Cadillac dealership and drive that car, but it was there (and like Wayne Campbell of Wayne's World, "It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.")  I returned the cars and went about my merry way.  I couldn't help but think this is the way to advertise.  Bring the cars to people and let them experience the cars firsthand.  It was totally fun. 

I completely agree with anonymous blogger, DrumsNWhistles, when she writes:

Since I got home tonight, there have probably been over 100 commercials broadcast on the TV on in the background.

I don’t remember one of them. Not the product, the sponsor, nothing, nada. I do, however, remember the sponsors of Blogher 2006, because they made their products relevant. Until Friday, the only car I was considering to replace one of our ancient jalopies was a Toyota Prius. Post-Blogher, Saturns are very much a part of my horizons, because GM got it exactly right. Give us the keys, let us test drive it, and if we like it we’ll buy it, talk about it, recommend it to our friends, give word of mouth/blog the power it deserves. They really got it right and they deserve many positive BlogHer mentions. I hope they sell a ton of Sky cars, and hope even more one of them is sold to me. GM/Saturn gets my vote as the sponsor who got it the mostest. They rocked.

This is mouth-to-mouth advertising at its best - it's the future.

Comments

[John Wagner]

Nellie:

We used to the same thing with the new Scion here in Houston ... just take it places and let people look at it.

It's really the most effective advertising possible for something like a car. Make it visible, let people sit inside, take a drive, etc.

In the old days, that's what auto shows were for. Now the manufacturers realize they need to go where the people are. Smart thinking.

[DrumsNWhistles]

Hi there and thanks for the mention! I am so impressed with how GM approached their sponsorship of the Blogher conference and I truly do hope others emulate them.