As we count down the months before the first 2011 Chevrolet Volts arrive at dealers in California, New York, Michigan, and Washington, D.C., it's time for the latest reboot of the Chevy marketing machine to kick into action.
First 2011 Chevrolet Volt built on production tooling at Detroit Hamtramck plant, March 31, 2010
2011 Chevrolet Volt pre-production prototype, January 2010
Chevrolet said in a press conference last week it would start running ads for the 2011 Volt extended-range electric vehicle this week. Right on schedule, a variety of ads has now hit the New York market.
The company ran a full-page ad in NYC-market copies of The New York Times on Independence Day, when its Freedom Drive Austin-to-New York City road trip wound up at the Macy's Fourth-of-July fireworks (with updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Posterous).
Since most of our readers don't live in NYC, we've reproduced the copy below (there's not much).
We're pleased to see that, as predicted, Chevrolet is touting the 2011 Volt as the electric car that doesn't require you to make any compromises. We expect subtle comparisons to the 2011 Nissan Leaf, with its stated 100-mile range, to be a big part of the message.
Ad for 2011 Chevrolet Volt running on Facebook, July 1, 2010
Chevy also placed ads for the Volt on Facebook, one of which happened to appear on our editor's own Facebook page. Hey, at least their targeting works, right?
Has Chevy finally erased the lingering horror of last year's notorious Volt Dance, which (may have) caused the reassignment of the first Volt marketing manger? For the sake of GM, electric cars, and green cars in general, we devoutly hope so.
But what do you think? Do these first Chevy Volt ads make you more interested in buying a Volt? And, do they assuage any worries you may have about range anxiety, or an electric car leaving you stranded on the side of the road when the batteries run out?
Leave us your thoughts in the comments below.
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[TEXT OF 2011 CHEVROLET VOLT AD FROM JULY 4, 2010 ISSUE OF The New York Times]
Some people want to charge
up at home.
Some people want to fill up
at the station.
Some people want zero-
emission capability.
Some people want a smooth,
quiet ride.
Some people want to reduce their
dependence on petroleum.
Some people want to control
everything from their smartphone.
Some people want to get to work.
Some people want to get away.
And some people just want to drive.
The Volt is for those people.
All of them.
[Volt logo] and [Chevrolet bowtie logo]
It's electrifying. And it's coming this winter.
www.ChevroletVolt.com
Limited availability.
