Did anyone read this (Bob Lutz's press warning)?
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Did anyone read this (Bob Lutz's press warning)?
Lutz critical of press coverage
Magazine publishers warned 'biased' coverage could affect ad spending
By Jon Fine
October 21, 2003
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz on Monday offered magazine executives both carrots and sticks in his mid-morning presentation.
General Motors' product czar warned publishers about unfavorable vehicle reviews in their magazines.
For starters, Lutz questioned the value TV ads bring to automakers. He cited a recent survey that found only 18% of car buyers reported a TV ad influenced their buying decision -- although attendees may have noticed that a comparable figure for magazine advertising was not included among the data he cited.
Press bias
Lutz went on to ding the press for instances of what he saw as a bias affecting coverage of Detroit automakers vs. the type of attention Japanese and European automakers receive.
More specifically, he cited reviews of sport utility vehicles in one issue of Primedia's Automobile magazine. In its review of a not-yet-available Mercedes model, a reference was made to the SUV's "sophisticated" electronics. But a roughly comparable system on an SUV made by GM's Cadillac division was dismissed as having "the usual Buck Rogers electronic hoo-hah."
To laughs from the audience, he said, "I am not making this up."
He told the audience of publishers that he did not "deny you your right" to write such reviews -- but reminded them that GM also had the right to determine where to spend its ad dollars and that it might not look kindly on what he called "biased" reviews.
Lutz asked the rhetorical question "Why should we feed the hand that bites us?"
The audience, though, appeared to focus more on Lutz's remarks about TV than those about editorial coverage. Two key magazine executives, buttonholed in the lobby briefly after Lutz address, said they would love to provide a video of Lutz's remarks to sales reps making calls on carmakers.
Magazine publishers warned 'biased' coverage could affect ad spending
By Jon Fine
October 21, 2003
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- GM Vice Chairman Robert Lutz on Monday offered magazine executives both carrots and sticks in his mid-morning presentation.
General Motors' product czar warned publishers about unfavorable vehicle reviews in their magazines.
For starters, Lutz questioned the value TV ads bring to automakers. He cited a recent survey that found only 18% of car buyers reported a TV ad influenced their buying decision -- although attendees may have noticed that a comparable figure for magazine advertising was not included among the data he cited.
Press bias
Lutz went on to ding the press for instances of what he saw as a bias affecting coverage of Detroit automakers vs. the type of attention Japanese and European automakers receive.
More specifically, he cited reviews of sport utility vehicles in one issue of Primedia's Automobile magazine. In its review of a not-yet-available Mercedes model, a reference was made to the SUV's "sophisticated" electronics. But a roughly comparable system on an SUV made by GM's Cadillac division was dismissed as having "the usual Buck Rogers electronic hoo-hah."
To laughs from the audience, he said, "I am not making this up."
He told the audience of publishers that he did not "deny you your right" to write such reviews -- but reminded them that GM also had the right to determine where to spend its ad dollars and that it might not look kindly on what he called "biased" reviews.
Lutz asked the rhetorical question "Why should we feed the hand that bites us?"
The audience, though, appeared to focus more on Lutz's remarks about TV than those about editorial coverage. Two key magazine executives, buttonholed in the lobby briefly after Lutz address, said they would love to provide a video of Lutz's remarks to sales reps making calls on carmakers.
But, on the other, I think this could have a chilling effect on fair points made about legitimate opinions about new cars.
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Re: Did anyone read this (Bob Lutz's press warning)?
Originally posted by guionM
But, on the other, I think this could have a chilling effect on fair points made about legitimate opinions about new cars.
But, on the other, I think this could have a chilling effect on fair points made about legitimate opinions about new cars.
On the one hand, exerting pressure on the press for more favorable reviews could be seen as a way to get every advantage possible. Of course, if GM's ad agency could write those reviews...instead of the press.....I guess that would be an advantage too, (if you could get everyone to believe them).
On the other hand it's important for reviewers to have objective opinions on what they report, or everything they write will be suspect. It's all about credibility.
GM's comming out with alot of good products in the next few years...I'd rather see the chips fall where they may in an unbiased fashion. That way the good reviews will actually carry some weight.
Can you imagine if Bill Ford had told the press that? No one on this board would ever believe a favorable road test of a Ford product again.
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From: Ontario
While it's hard to argue with what Lutz says most of the time, I think in this case he should have stayed off the record. There is nothing wrong with taking the editors to task for a perceived bias, but it should be done privately, not in public. Now, every time Automobile reviews a GM vehicle we're going to be wondering if Lutz's remarks influenced it, either for the good or the bad.
Even worse, that dork Jamie Kitman will probably be inspired to write an entire article about it.
Even worse, that dork Jamie Kitman will probably be inspired to write an entire article about it.
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From: Commerce, mi, USA
I think it's high time these rags start getting called on their obvious and continuous bias. Car & Driver, owned by a French firm IIRC, is one of the most obvious... I recall a review of a Honda (Civic? Accord? whatever... they're so similar) in which they were fawning about its plastic wheel covers of all things.
It's perfectly appropriate for GM to choose their ad placement carefully and to make it clear that they intend to. Why should they bother putting ad's in Road & Track, which can't get enough of new foreign cars and how great they are?
It's perfectly appropriate for GM to choose their ad placement carefully and to make it clear that they intend to. Why should they bother putting ad's in Road & Track, which can't get enough of new foreign cars and how great they are?
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From: five-one-oh/nine-oh-nine
Originally posted by BigDarknFast
I think it's high time these rags start getting called on their obvious and continuous bias. Car & Driver, owned by a French firm IIRC, is one of the most obvious... I recall a review of a Honda (Civic? Accord? whatever... they're so similar) in which they were fawning about its plastic wheel covers of all things.
It's perfectly appropriate for GM to choose their ad placement carefully and to make it clear that they intend to. Why should they bother putting ad's in Road & Track, which can't get enough of new foreign cars and how great they are?
I think it's high time these rags start getting called on their obvious and continuous bias. Car & Driver, owned by a French firm IIRC, is one of the most obvious... I recall a review of a Honda (Civic? Accord? whatever... they're so similar) in which they were fawning about its plastic wheel covers of all things.
It's perfectly appropriate for GM to choose their ad placement carefully and to make it clear that they intend to. Why should they bother putting ad's in Road & Track, which can't get enough of new foreign cars and how great they are?
I'm sure the fact that C&D creams its collective pants over the Vette and put it on the 10Best list countless times has to do with the French telling them to do so.
Get off it....
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From: Houston
Originally posted by DaxsZ28
One of the reasons I quit subscribing to car mags was the obvious bias. I hated to read about American cars. They would just rip them up.
Glad to see Lutz step up!!
One of the reasons I quit subscribing to car mags was the obvious bias. I hated to read about American cars. They would just rip them up.
Glad to see Lutz step up!!
I think it good Lutz said this. The public as a whole doesn’t realize yet that American cars are stepping it up in quality. I'd say it is just another angle to work for people to realize this. If the head honcho for the biggest American auto company says "hey, we know your bias, give us a freaking chance here or else." Maybe it will turn some heads. Its more of a shock value thing and its needed in my eyes.
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Now that American car have become homogenized beyond recognition, their inferiority is becoming all the more obvious.
There was a syndicated review of the Buick Ranier that most newspapers carried today, and it was a shocker. If newpaper auto reviews are normally bland and congratulatory, this one was very critical. The author complained about the price of the Ranier, and touched on the fact that it lacked side-curtain airbags. Shortly after reading my morning paper, I went out to look at a Ranier.
Guess what? The Ranier sucks just every bit much as the article indicated. For $42,500 this vehicle is a rip-off. The leather was the same quality as my Z28 - not "luxury-quality" stuff for sure. GM is pushing a crude, dated and wimpy product with fantasy land pricing.
Lutz can try strong-arm tactics, but it doesn't change the reality.
There was a syndicated review of the Buick Ranier that most newspapers carried today, and it was a shocker. If newpaper auto reviews are normally bland and congratulatory, this one was very critical. The author complained about the price of the Ranier, and touched on the fact that it lacked side-curtain airbags. Shortly after reading my morning paper, I went out to look at a Ranier.
Guess what? The Ranier sucks just every bit much as the article indicated. For $42,500 this vehicle is a rip-off. The leather was the same quality as my Z28 - not "luxury-quality" stuff for sure. GM is pushing a crude, dated and wimpy product with fantasy land pricing.
Lutz can try strong-arm tactics, but it doesn't change the reality.
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From: Commerce, mi, USA
Now that American car have become homogenized beyond recognition, their inferiority is becoming all the more obvious.
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Go Bobby Go....
Anti-american bias has been going on for decades......and it's so ingrained into our culture that everything that's "imported" surely must be better....makes me want to puke...
From cosmetics to wine...just give it some French sounding name and the "sheep" will buy it.
Scott told me of a percieved quality clinic where they (GM) took two Honda Accords and two Toyota Camrys, de-badged them and put one of each in two seperate rooms...with one of each car having Chevrolet emblems applied to them in opposite rooms.
They then had over 2,500 people pass through only one side of the rooms each and the "Chevrolet" emblemed car scored consistantly lower on percieved quality.....even though neither was actually a Chevrolet.
When Lutz heard of this he blew a gasket and sent out a five page memo to begin a fight to right this wrong.
Face it, the old saying of "the farther you are from home, the more of an "expert" you must be" holds true....if it's imported it must be better.......bullsh*t I say!
Iacocca was once asked about the quality of European cars..like MB and he said something to the effect of ...'If I could charge what they charge, I'd build a world class car too'.....IOW, for the money that the MB's, Porche's, etc...they sure as hell better be world class cars.
DMC has proven that they are incapable of building a car that is affordable to most Americans....they are relying on the left over Lutz products now...but the Pacifica and Crossfire will be failures due to high pricing and low power engines.
I think Bob is on to something....if they unfairly trash their reviews of your products....spend your advertising dollars elsewhere.
Anyone who doesn't think that this method of greasing the writer's hands hasn't happened for years by import manufacturer's is burying their head in the sand.
From cosmetics to wine...just give it some French sounding name and the "sheep" will buy it.
Scott told me of a percieved quality clinic where they (GM) took two Honda Accords and two Toyota Camrys, de-badged them and put one of each in two seperate rooms...with one of each car having Chevrolet emblems applied to them in opposite rooms.
They then had over 2,500 people pass through only one side of the rooms each and the "Chevrolet" emblemed car scored consistantly lower on percieved quality.....even though neither was actually a Chevrolet.
When Lutz heard of this he blew a gasket and sent out a five page memo to begin a fight to right this wrong.
Face it, the old saying of "the farther you are from home, the more of an "expert" you must be" holds true....if it's imported it must be better.......bullsh*t I say!
Iacocca was once asked about the quality of European cars..like MB and he said something to the effect of ...'If I could charge what they charge, I'd build a world class car too'.....IOW, for the money that the MB's, Porche's, etc...they sure as hell better be world class cars.
DMC has proven that they are incapable of building a car that is affordable to most Americans....they are relying on the left over Lutz products now...but the Pacifica and Crossfire will be failures due to high pricing and low power engines.
I think Bob is on to something....if they unfairly trash their reviews of your products....spend your advertising dollars elsewhere.
Anyone who doesn't think that this method of greasing the writer's hands hasn't happened for years by import manufacturer's is burying their head in the sand.
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From: Sarasota FL
I was privy to the same conversation Doug had with Scott...and he is correct...and it pisses me off too...
I don't think Lutz's comments were the brightest in the world, but at least it shows someone in pretty high power can see right through their BS.
I still like the MT long term test when the Camry blew a head gasket and had some other problems, and all MT could say is "this car must not be typical of Toyota's excellent quality."
If that was an Impala, they'd say "typical GM POS"
I don't think Lutz's comments were the brightest in the world, but at least it shows someone in pretty high power can see right through their BS.
I still like the MT long term test when the Camry blew a head gasket and had some other problems, and all MT could say is "this car must not be typical of Toyota's excellent quality."
If that was an Impala, they'd say "typical GM POS"
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From: Chicagoland IL
Peoples' perception of quality lags about 10 years behind reality.
Look at Oldsmobile, for example. The cars that they sold in the '70's and early '80s were generally pretty crappy. But they sold in record numbers. Why? Because consumers still had that "perception" of quality that Olds had a decade earlier. Olds had a 10 year feebie and squandered it.
No one can deny that domestic manufacturers pretty much screwed the quality pooch for a long time (GM's "Road to Redemption" campaign even acknowledges this)....but now their are some pretty good products available and comming in the pipeline.
Is it fair that consumers and press look at domestics with a jaundiced eye? Maybe not....but who says that life is fair.
The only way out of this, is sustained high quality products...that slowly...over a period of years changes peoples' minds. It's going to be a long road to hump.....but unfortunately their are no short cuts. GM and the rest of the domestics will have to do it the old fashioned way......they'll have to earn it.
Look at Oldsmobile, for example. The cars that they sold in the '70's and early '80s were generally pretty crappy. But they sold in record numbers. Why? Because consumers still had that "perception" of quality that Olds had a decade earlier. Olds had a 10 year feebie and squandered it.
No one can deny that domestic manufacturers pretty much screwed the quality pooch for a long time (GM's "Road to Redemption" campaign even acknowledges this)....but now their are some pretty good products available and comming in the pipeline.
Is it fair that consumers and press look at domestics with a jaundiced eye? Maybe not....but who says that life is fair.
The only way out of this, is sustained high quality products...that slowly...over a period of years changes peoples' minds. It's going to be a long road to hump.....but unfortunately their are no short cuts. GM and the rest of the domestics will have to do it the old fashioned way......they'll have to earn it.