Chevrolet Aveo5 Livin Large College Cab

Chevrolet today announced it will be dispatching a 2009 Chevy Aveo5 to six college campuses, where it will provide free rides to students. During their ride in the Chevy Aveo5 College Cab, students will knowingly be filmed en route to their destination on or near campus. They will be encouraged to showcase their personality during their time in the Aveo5 College Cab because within 24 hours, their video will be posted to www.AveoLivinLarge.com. From this site, they, their classmates, their friends and their family members can view the video and then embed it on to their own personal blogs, Web sites, Facebook and MySpace pages or click a link to send it to a friend. And it also gives them a shot at the ultimate payoff—their very own Chevy Aveo5, a perfect car for college students due to its size, affordability, fuel economy, and technological features like OnStar and XM satellite radio.”
Not only will the students get a free ride and enjoy a little bit of fame, they will have the opportunity to win a Chevy Aveo5 by securing the most views on their video during the week immediately following their video’s posting. The top performing video from each of the six participating universities will then compete in five days of final competition (November 10-November 14) where the world can cast their vote for their favorite finalist. The winning video will see its featured stars win a brand new Chevy Aveo5 of their very own.
The Chevy Aveo5 College Cab is the third in a series of Chevy college-based programs known as “Livin’ Large in Aveo.”

Saturn Gives Children "Pictures of Hope"

Saturn is sponsoring Pictures of Hope, a photography project led by an award winning photojournalist that gives children in transitional living programs the opportunity to take photos that reflect their hopes and dreams and are then featured in a set of greeting cards. In October, a number of Saturn retailers across the country will host reveal events where the children, along with their families, will see their photos for the very first time.
During the summer, Saturn and celebrity photojournalist and author Linda Solomon visited six transitional housing organizations that provide support services to women and children who have experienced dire circumstances that have impacted their living situations. Solomon conducted photography workshops at each location and the children learned photo composition and photography techniques. The children were then sent on an assignment with a single-use camera to capture photos of their hopes and dreams. Each child will have one of their photos featured on a Pictures of Hope greeting card.
The project provides financial help to each of the participating organizations.

GM Video Showroom

The General Motors video showroom simpifies the search for one to pick out a car. It lets you look at the newest makes and models with every feature and detail. The video showroom gives you many options from browsing by brand, model, body and style, all body styles, SUV, crossover wagon, pick up truck, sport convertible, coupe/hatchback, 4 door sedan, and sport/cargo van. GM's video showroom brings their vehicles straight into your living room or wherever you are watching from. I liked the Cadillac SRX crossover 08 which seats 7. I may write more on the Cadillac SRX crossover at a future date.

GM Vehicles make me proud

I was further exploring GM's website today since they didn't have any news releases today and I learned more about their vehicles that I didn't realize before. I learned that they make the following: Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac. I was aware of these names although I just didn't know to much about them and who made them. But looking at GM's website and seeing all these names in front of me that they are responsible for, made me proud to know that they are all made here in the USA.

GM Oshawa Car Plant award

GM's Oshawa, Ontario Car Plant was Honored with a J.D. Power and Associates' Prestigious Founder's Award yesterday, in recognition of their commitment to quality and a solid track record of industry leading performance. The Founder’s Award is a award presented by J.D. Power and Associates, that recognizes individuals or companies that demonstrate dedication, commitment and sustained improvement in serving customers. During the past seven years, the General Motors Oshawa Plant has received four Gold and two Silver Awards for plant quality in North America in the annual J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study and a string of segment leading vehicle models.” J.D. Power and Associates indicated that this is far more awards than any other plant has received in the region over this period, and is a testament to the hard work of all GM employees at the facility as well as to GM management and suppliers.
GM's vice president said this recognition helps GM get closer to aligning perception with reality. "Sharing best practices across our global operations is key to continuous improvement and this industry leading plant in Oshawa continues to raise the bar across the entire organization. We've upped our game and we're determined to bridge the gap by continuing to deliver products with great quality, reliability and fuel economy."

GM's $370 Million Investment

I read an article today that GM announced the company will invest $370 million in the U.S. to build a new manufacturing plant for its global 4-cylinder engines in Flint, Mich. The plant will begin production in the U.S. in 2010, and will be the exclusive manufacturing facility in North America to produce the Chevrolet Volt’s range extending engine. The Governer Jennifer M. Granholm said “We are proud that General Motors has chosen Michigan as the best place to develop and produce the revolutionary Chevy Volt and other next-generation vehicles and components,” “Our competitive business climate, outstanding workforce and aggressive strategy to diversify our economy put us in a strong position to win this project and be the state that helps GM produce the cars and trucks that will help end our nation’s dependence on foreign oil.” I am happy to know that some good things are still being made here in the US.

Chevrolet Volt

Last night we spoke about the Chevrolet Volt in class, a vehicle that delivers up to 40 miles of gasoline and emissions free electric driving, with the extended range capability of hundreds of additional miles. I believe that this is just the kind of technology innovation that the car industry needs to respond to today's and tomorrow's energy and environmental challenges. The Volt uses electricity to move the wheels at all times and speeds. For trips up to 40 miles, the Volt is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. When the battery's energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator seamlessly provides electricity to power the Volt's electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. The Chevrolet Volt can be plugged either into a standard household 120v outlet or use 240v for charging. I think this kind of car is a good idea but we run into a problem when one is not fortunate to live in a house with a garage but live in a building like a girl in my class pointed out. She lives on the 4tth floor. What is she going to run an extension cord out the window?

Barack Obama action figure (Promotional piece)

Introducing the first and only action figure with the power to transform a nation. Across race and gender, countless people are inspired by the rise of Barack Obama aka Barackstar and his campaign to become the president of the United States. In a time when America so desperately needs a hero, comes a man to show us a brand new vision of what America and the world could be. Barack Obama is a real superhero and someone who has inspired millions of people to step past fear, to be brave, to hope and imagine what we could be if we were at our best. So purchase your Barack Obama action figure today. Appropriate for both old and young as a symbol of how far we have come and where we can go. Change we can believe in? Yes we can!

OnStar by GM

OnStar reminds its subscribers in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama that a simple push of the OnStar button in GM vehicles will put them in contact with specially-trained Crisis Advisors. On August 31, 2008, OnStar saw a 30 percent increase over typical call volume.
OnStar’s Crisis Assist capabilities include specially trained Crisis Advisors, who will help with:
GPS Positioning: Contact emergency responders if needed and direct them to the subscriber’s location, using OnStar’s embedded cellular calling system and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology, which pinpoint a subscriber’s location when he or she contacts an advisor.
Emergency Services Notification: Inform appropriate public safety officials when a subscriber contacts OnStar about someone in need of emergency assistance.
Emergency Calls: Connect subscribers to loved ones, family and friends.
Emergency Directions : Provide real time crisis information and centralized assistance for food, water, shelter locations and hotel accommodations along with information on rod closures, power outages, and weather updates. When fires, hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes affect GM customers, OnStar opens its services to all affected subscribers.

GM facts and fiction website

GM launched a new Facts and Fiction web site on Sept 5th. The new site aims to clarify misconceptions about the company. GM announced that the new web site was designed to make a distinction between the facts and rumors surrounding the company. The site, GMFactsandFiction.com, utilizes a conversational and direct style to help clarify many misconceptions people may have about GM. Facts and Fiction is intended to be a resource for anyone looking for more information on recent news and announcements about the company.
GMFactsandFiction.com is organized by sections containing a myth and GM's response to each one. Visitors can also e-mail information they hear about GM and request that the issue be addressed on the site.

GM's Plants to be Landfill-Free by End of 2010

33 Operations Recently Reach Landfill-Free Status, Bringing Current Total to 43 Company Accelerating Efforts to Reduce Facility Impact on Environment. In Warren, MI – General Motors announced on sept 5th a commitment to make half of its major global manufacturing operations landfill-free by the end of 2010. When translating the commitment to an individual facility basis, more than 80 of GM’s manufacturing operations will become landfill-free over the next 28 months. GM facilities achieve the landfill-free status when all production waste or garbage is recycled or reused.
As part of the initiative, the company announced 33 global operations have recently reached landfill-free status, bringing the company’s current total number of landfill-free manufacturing operations to 43.

GM and Weekly Reader Classroom Curriculum

Detroit, MI – General Motors and Weekly Reader are distributing an updated version of their middle school classroom curriculum, “The Energy Highway – Solutions Ahead,” which aims to help students understand the energy challenges facing society today and some of the potential solutions to those challenges. To commemorate GM’s 100th anniversary, this year’s curriculum also features a new poster insert that explores noteworthy technologies of the last century as well as a look at future automotive technologies. The curriculum packet also includes a teacher’s guide with reproducible student activities, an additional classroom wall poster, and informational student/parent booklets. Online games for students are also available at gm.com/education.

GM Environmental Principles

General Motors Board of Directors adopted the Environmental Principles on March 4, 1991. They are intended to serve as a guide for all GM employees worldwide, encouraging environmental consciousness in both daily conduct and in the planning of future products and programs.
As a responsible corporate citizen, General Motors is dedicated to protecting human health, natural resources, and the global environment. This dedication reaches further than compliance with the law to encompass the integration of sound environmental practices into their business decisions.

GM supports disaster relief

I was pleased to find out by a news release today that GM is supporting disaster relief efforts and emergency preparedness and has taken several steps to repond to hurricanes Gustav and Ike. GM is making a $100,000 contribution to Feeding America, which is distributing food and emergency supplies through its food bank network to families in the affected areas. Feeding America, formerly America’s Second Harvest, is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, with a network that serves more than 25 million Americans each year.
GM has also donated cash and 13 HUMMER vehicles this year (44 donations since 2004) to chapters of the American Red Cross across the United States to strengthen their emergency preparation and disaster response capability. These donated vehicles are available for deployment to the areas affected by Gustav and Ike. GM’s cash and vehicle contributions to the Red Cross for its U.S. relief efforts now totals more than $2.3 million.

GM Biofuels

GM has vehicles that can run on Biofuels which can help change our landscape for the better. E85 ethanol is ablend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline and is mostly renewable fuel that can be made from biodegradable wastes and several plants, such as switchgrass, willow and corn.

GMnext Day event

GM put out a news release today about an event they had to help them celebrate their first 100 years of iconic branding and technological breakthroughs. The company is looking toward the new century as a global leader in design and innovation. To help GM commemorate its centennial today, GM began its second century with an event called GMnext Day to affirm the company's vision and commitment for the future of personal transportation.

GM and The Michael Baisden Show

I was listening to The Michael Basiden Show which is a nationally syndicated music and talk radio program last week and I heard Michael promote GM and to visit his website for more info. I went to his website and there is info on their about 18 new vehicles that run on gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two. E85 is 85 % ethanol, 15% gasoline.

GM examples of person, place and event marketing

GM paying Tiger Woods 40 million for a 5 year contract ending in 2009 is an example of person marketing. GM Advertisements for careers in research, engineering, finance, design and etc are an example of place marketing and them trying to get people to relocate to their headquarters in Detroit or somewhere else in the world to work for them. GM sponsorship for the 2008 olympics in Beijing China is an example of event marketing.

50 billion loan to auto industry

The national association of manufacturers yesterday urged the US Congress to approve a federal loan program to provide up to $50 billion to the hurt automotive industry. The auto industry needs this financial help to help them meet the expensive new standards. Auto makers are expected to spend billions of dollars in the coming years to develop cars that will meet the new standards for fuel efficiency.

The polls

Today there was much talk about McCain being ahead in the polls. Where do they come up with these numbers on who's ahead? I am getting sick of all of this negative news and media that is being covered in the news regarding the presedential and vice presendential runners. Also I feel that the Republicans are doing much to put fear in people in regardingthe Democrats so that the GOP gets the votes. But most people that I talk to are for Obama so I don't even know if these polls are correct. No one came to interview me or anyone I know.

Super Obama

I received a really cool Barack Obama button from someone a few days ago. On the button it has Barack Obama in a Superman costume, flying. I think it's awesome advertisement and promotion for his presidential campaign. The Republicans are hating the fact that Barack is being looked at as a rock superstar but what can you say? People feel a connection with him that they haven't felt in a long time with a presidential nominee. I can feel it in the atmosphere. Super change is on the way!

Paylin's outdoor appeal

Some new's media say that Paylin may win favor in midwest places because her and family have outdoor appeal. In the upper midwest, the pacific northwest and the mountain states many are outdoors people and like camping, fishing, hunting, own pickup trucks, own ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), own boats, and own snowmobiles. People in those parts of the country may really like the idea of having a presidential family in the office with the same interest. The Republicans know this and will try to promote and market Paylin in this way.

A Democratic Nation or Republican?

I had a couple of conversations today on the big difference in the diversity of the audience between the Democratic and Republican conventions. On Wednesday night while watching Paylin speak, I only saw one black person during the whole time she was on the mic and not one Asian, Latino or anyone else of color. On Thursday night I saw maybe 2 black people. Now during the Democratic convention last week it was a sea of diversity. Most of the people I spoke with today regarding this observation were white and they agreed and said something is scary about the absence of other nationalities at the Republican convention. If those two conventions were an advertisement of our nation to come, before voting we need to ask ourselves which one of those worlds do we want to live in?

The Republicans pit bull

Last night my math professor let us out of class early at 9:45pm so I eagerly rushed home to to hear the much anticipated Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speak at the Republican national convention. She introduced herself to the world by calling herself a "hockey mom" and then asking what the difference was between a hockey mom and a pit bull. Her answer was lipstick! She totally added spice and energized the Republicans convention and I forward to hearing her speak again and how she is marketed as the elections draw near.