GM's Chevrolet to seek new advertising agencies

General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet brand will solicit additional advertising agencies, ending an exclusive relationship with Campbell-Ewald and the "American Revolution" campaign that featuring John Mellencamp's music.

The changes reflect a new role for Chevrolet around the world as GM refocuses its business after emerging from bankruptcy in July, said Brent Dewar, vice president in charge of the Chevrolet brand globally. GM is selling its Hummer and Saab brands, shedding a controlling interest in Adam Opel GmbH, and shutting down its Pontiac and Saturn brand.

"If we're going to go from 50 percent of GM to 70, I should invite the best in the world" to bid for the advertising, Dewar said in an interview yesterday. "It's now post-Revolution."

Dewar hopes to launch the new Chevrolet campaign in the first quarter of next year. He said the automaker is planning to advertise in the winter Olympics. He wouldn't say if it will do so in the Super Bowl.

GM spent $797 million in U.S. marketing and advertising for the brand last year, Advertising Age reported today, citing data from TNS Media Intelligence.

Chevrolet will continue to include Campbell-Ewald in the selection process for campaigns, Klaus-Peer Martin, a spokesman for Detroit-based GM, said today in a statement. The automaker has used the agency, owned by the New York-based Interpublic Group of Cos., since 1919.

"We will aggressively compete for new Chevrolet opportunities to grow their brand and their business in every segment," Tony Hopp, Campbell-Ewald's chairman and chief executive officer, said today in an e-mailed statement.

Sagging Sales

Interpublic, based in New York, fell 14 cents, or 2 percent, to $6.87 at 4:15 p.m. today in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have gained 73 percent this year.

Chevrolet sales have tumbled 32 percent through September, the least of any GM brand. The make lost 0.9 points of U.S. market share, falling to 12.6 percent where it now trails the Ford brand as well as Toyota brands.

Only Chrysler Group LLC's namesake brand lost as much U.S. market share so far this year as Chevrolet has.