Posted 6/10/2010 05:02:00 PM by Douglas

Government Motors continues its steadfast march into obsolescence.

On Tuesday, G.M. sent a memo to Chevrolet employees at its Detroit headquarters, promoting the importance of “consistency” for the brand, which was the nation’s best-selling line of cars and trucks for more than half a century after World War II.

And one way to present a consistent brand message, the memo suggested, is to stop saying “Chevy,” though the word is one of the world’s best-known, longest-lived product nicknames.

I would think that "Chevy" is as much of a branding icon as any GM owns. Way to piss of your (dwindling) customer base, morons. I liked this touch, though:

A postscript to the memo says a sort of cuss jar - a plastic "Chevy" can - has been placed in the hallway. "Every time someone uses ‘Chevy' rather than Chevrolet," the note said, the employee is expected to put a quarter in the can.

The proceeds are to be spent on "a team building activity."

Is "unemployment" a "team building" activity?

Looks like GM didn't say this:

General Motors Co. on Thursday backed off what it called a "poorly worded" internal memo that asked employees to refer to the brand only as "Chevrolet" instead of its long-standing and well-known nickname.

GM said in a statement that it "in no way" is discouraging anybody from using the name Chevy. The internal memo was part of an effort to develop a consistent brand name as it tries to broaden its global presence.

So they said it in the memo, but you just weren't supposed to see it. Way to go, GM.

When reached for a comment, Chevrolet Chase was quoted as saying "this is bullshit!"