Daewoo to relaunch as Chevrolet

General Motors (GM) is to announce a rebranding of its Daewoo marque as Chevrolet at the Paris Motor Show in September.

GM, the world’s largest car manufacturer, has already admitted that wider use of the Chevrolet brand is under consideration (MW September 25, 2003). Only last year, GM carried out a redesign of Daewoo’s corporate identity (MW May 28, 2003), having bought the Korean car manufacturer out of bankruptcy in 2002.

A spokesman for GM Daewoo says: “There are no firm plans, but who knows what we will do in half a year?” Chevrolet is GM’s value marque in the US, and is being test-marketed in new European markets. Last June, GM Daewoo appointed Patricia Messar as European director of brand and marketing (MW June 26, 2003). Her predecessor, Janet Eckhoff, appointed DFGW as lead advertising agency for Europe.

The rebrand is understood to cast doubt over existing agency relationships and the UK management team, as the brand would be run centrally from its Swiss headquarters.

Last February, Daewoo hired Rob Smettem from Jaguar as its UK marketing director (MW February 20, 2003).

GM has pursued a policy of increased brand integration. Saab, also owned by GM, may soon start producing Cadillacs at its Swedish factory.

In the UK, GM Daewoo promotes its cars primarily through press advertising, created by BMB, in the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The marque launches its Lacetti hatchback this week.