On Monday, GM launched its "Hot Button" $25 million giveaway of 1,000 vehicles to consumers who visit GM dealerships over the next two months. To participate, one must simply visit any GM dealer (Saab, Chevy, Hummer, Saturn..). At each dealership there is a promotional car equipped with active OnStar; climb in the car, press the OnStar button, tell the OnStar operator your name and other information, then you'll be immediately told if you've won a new car. Not sure if the promotion is global or US-only.
GM owned or still has an ownership interest in Hughes Electronics. Hughes manufactures and operates global communication satellites. For corporate "synergy", GM offers satellite communications in its various vehicles. In addition to operator assistance for navigation and emergency/accident response (medics are immediately notified of your location when an airbag is deployed), OnStar is now offering telecom-long distance service from your car; subscription is required. And of course OnStar is helpful for sales promotions too :o)
An analog cell phone technology based help system that allows GM/Onstar to track a stolen vehicle, unlock your car remotely, access onboard diagnostics, and give you directions in traffic (perhaps). You can also make cell phone calls on it. Costs about 10 USD/month, I think.
Once visited a FIAT show room, they had a promotion that you could win a free car if you went along. Stupidly I did. A lady told me to look inside a car (a new model) for a card with a number on it. I had a good look around inside the car, the new seats, panels, colours etc., found and reported back the card number: 83. The lady then immediately told me that I hadn't won the car. Didn't they already know the card number inside the car? So they must have known in advance that I was a looser. What a sucker I must have been. As you said, Possibly I came too early in the promo.
What you did was look over the car and the sales department hopes that in coaxing you to look at it that closely you will end up buying one. Not everyone falls for that, though, and will simply walk away having not won.
Possibly. I also wonder if these things aren't rigged so that certain types of people (demographics or personality or something) win to boost the marketing campaign even further.
A very good point. The optimal winning candidate would be a young professional; a mid twenties role model. They could then make some commercial shots of the smiling new owner driving happily away.
I read somewhere a story that there is a small SUV aimed at young college student, the company hoping they might then stay with the brand and buy more expensive models later on. However, the cars were snapped up by elderlies, who found the car easy to step into. But the car company weren't happy at all by the OAP image and tried to discourage elderly customers.
Crap, that's me. I'm 28. And I was just in our state's only SAAB dealership this morning, picking up my repaired SPG. And I was checking out the 2 floor models, and noticed the OnStar. And NOW I read about the promotion. Damn. :(
breakdown: Prizes: 1,000 Grand Prizes. 1,000 GM vehicles will be awarded based on the participating GM dealerships and the make/brand of the designated OnStar equipped promotional vehicles used by participants when playing the game. A winning participant will be awarded a GM vehicle that corresponds to the make/brand of the vehicle used when such winning participant plays the GM Hot Button game or the make/brand of the vehicle indicated on participant's mail-in game request form. For example: If a participant receives a winning message while in a Pontiac vehicle, the prize awarded will be a Pontiac, with make, model and features as determined at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. If a participant receives a winning message by mail-in request, the prize awarded will be a vehicle based on the name of the participating GM dealership and the make/brand of vehicle sold by the named GM dealership as indicated on such participant's game request form. Of the 1,000 total available vehicle prizes approximately 625 will be Chevrolet, with a minimum Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $9,995; approximately 15 will be Oldsmobile, with a minimum MSRP of $18,950; approximately 130 will be Pontiac, minimum MSRP $15,495; approximately 43 will be Buick, minimum MSRP $22,305; approximately 6 will be Cadillac, minimum MSRP $31,060; approximately 70 will be GMC, minimum MSRP $15,405; approximately 2 will be HUMMER, minimum MSRP $49,995; approximately 104 will be Saturn, minimum MSRP $10,995; approximately 5 will be Saab, minimum MSRP $26,090. snipped-for-privacy@madmousergraphics.com
On one occasion I was fairly close to winning a car. There was a competition going on where you had to figure out names of local villages. This was run on behalf of a FIAT dealer by a weekly local paper, it took several weeks to complete. Since the puzzle was of 'medium' difficulty and required some perseverance, I thought there was a fair chance. Sure enough, I was among the finalists of those that had submitted correct solutions and my name was printed in the paper. Consequently, I was invited to the showroom for an 'Italian evening' where a final draw would be made. Eager as I was, I didn't want to miss out, so I was there on the dot. People arrived and handed over their cards to a local beauty that had been called in for the occasion. Or rather she presented us with a cardboard box, and we then just dumped the card in the box. There were pleasant chats, wine and cheese, almost a party atmosphere. Then finally, the culmination of the evening: The draw. The same beauty just gracefully gathered a card from top of the pile, presumably concerned about damaging her fingernails. As the winner was announced, we politely applauded, though everybody then left within seconds, like pulling the plug in a bath; never was a party over so quickly. But of only I had been the last person to enter the showroom...
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