TVBR First - Part IV
Mark LaNeve, GM's new VP/Marketing and Advertising speaks

General Motors' new VP/Marketing and Advertising Mark LaNeve, spoke to RBR and TVBR about his new position, upped from GM of Marketing for Cadillac since 2001. LaNeve, as head of Cadillac, is interviewed in our current September and August issues of RBR. (Call April here to subscribe and get the issues 703-719-9500). This is the fourth in a series that began Friday.

What media may benefit most under your marketing leadership at GM?

We're going to be diverse and we're going to try new things. I can say two things about that. The role of just :30 TV spots as the overriding dominant part of your marketing mix, I think is going to wane. And we are going to try more things and experiment more. So the other mediums (fill in the blanks), print, Internet, radio, etc., are going to take on not the major role, but a more significant role than they have in the past.

Marketing fixes - - you've been focusing on Cadillac over the past three years, but certainly have had your eye on the other lines' successes and failures. Right off the bat, before you get completely immersed, any tweaks or fixes you're already considering?

Over the next couple of years...right now Chevy has a ton of products coming out. They're kind of undergoing, in a way, a product onslaught. But the one that really comes to mind over the next 18 months is Pontiac, which I think has four new products. They're terrific products and I think Pontiac has a chance to really be next in the queue to have a dramatic renaissance and revitalization. So that will be one that I will be really trying to help - - with their launches and their positioning of that brand - - the best that I can over the next 18 months.

From what I've seen it seems Pontiac is really getting back into the muscle car mode - - the reintroduction of the GTO, smaller cars with 8-cylinder engines.

Pontiac has a great history of performance cars, great value and aggressive design. And I think that's what you're going to see from them over the next few years. They've got a lot of cars coming in a short window and I think they've got a real chance to become a significant factor again.

Any comments on Hummer? I know they're seeing some sales drops, possibly over the higher gas prices and the economy.

You have the triple-whammy of rising fuel prices, the Iraqi war and the economy. So there was kind of perfect storm to cause some problems for Hummer.

My old Escalade brand manager, Susan Doherty, is taking over as the head of Hummer. Hummer is just magnificently pure-branded. It's got such an identity in the marketplace. It's the most capable, rugged off-road vehicle on earth and it's got that militaristic aspect to it. They've got a great future lineup planned. Their engines are going to become much more fuel-efficient. As they round out their lineup with cars that cover the market in different segments with different engines and different packaging, but still with that unique Hummer look to them (which is unlike anything else in the world)...put it this way, if I were to hit the Lotto tomorrow, I'd go out and buy a Hummer dealership, knowing what I know.

I think that Hummer has taken unfair number of shots from people - - from an environmental standpoint. I think that the future product program heals that quite nicely, and they've got a great bunch of dealers that are building there magnificent branded facilities. Hummer, four to five years from now, is going to be one of the greatest franchises and brands in the auto industry. So we've got a great person running it, and I plan on providing as much assistance as I can.

Anything else you'd like to say?

I can tell you that this group of general managers that are going to be reporting to me is a very, very solid group. I've worked in the industry 24 years now, so I've seen a lot of people. And the marketing team here is really solid, and it will be my job to enable these folks to do their jobs and to really get the brands signing.