http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/ 2008-10-10T23:28:30Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1377/saab-s-new-brand-video.html <span style="font-weight: bold;">GM&#8217;s </span>relationship with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Saab </span>has always been an <a target="_blank" href="http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/297/the-death-of-the-automotive-brand.html">uneasy one</a>. Influx thought things were moving in the right direction with establishment of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/412/gm-now-says-yes-to-saabness.html">Saab Brand Center</a> and the stunning <a target="_blank" href="http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1036/creativity-from-adversity-the-saab-aero-x-concept.html">Aero X concept </a>(which won 2006 concept car of the year). <br><br>With these two new initiatives,we assumed Saab had discovered a core idea that it could center itself around and build from. &nbsp;<br><br>However, we stumbled across a recent brand video, that turns out to be more confusing than it is revealing. <br><br><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fnremtopcS8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fnremtopcS8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br><br> Influx Insights 2007-05-28T01:50:53Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1263/do-your-customers-want-canned-or-candid-conversation-.html Over at Gristmill, there's a <a target="_blank" href="http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/3/30/161126/137">post</a> discussing the response of GM's Bob Lutz,to a form letter that chastizes the company for its lack of progress in alternative or hybrid technologies. <br><br>Lutz's response is priceless. <br><br>It's candid and real. <br><br><i>From: bob.lutz@gm.com <br> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 3:50 PM<br> Subject: Re: Alternative Fueled Cars<br><br> Instead of just copying that same stupid message that I have received at least one thousand times in identical form (don't you folks have any creative drive?), why didn't you use your energy to research GM's announced major effort on the range-extended Chevrolet "Volt" EV, as well as our announcement of a plug-in hybrid version of the upcoming Saturn "Vue"? Some recognition of how much and how fast we are moving in these areas would be a lot more motivating than bombarding us with that hopelessly-outdated standard letter. Thank you for thinking of us!</i> <br><br>Just because "new marketing" has "touchy feely" buzzwords like "relationship" and "conversation", doesn't mean that responses always have to be perfectly measured and controlled.<br><br>Being truly real and human, means taking the guard down once in a while and stepping away from the lawyers who might tell you otherwise. <br><br>If the future is about two-way communication, companies need to be prepared stand up for themselves, this doesn't mean bullying the consumer with responses from anonymous corporate spokespeople, but instead injecting some candour into your human conversations. <br> Influx Insights 2007-06-14T18:07:45Z