Chevrolet and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to Launch Exhibit, Seminar at Cannes Lions 2012

Chevrolet  and ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (GSP) will unveil an interactive exhibit in support of the Chevrolet Sonic (called Aveo in many markets outside the U.S.)  small car at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.  The exhibit, which showcases the Chevy Sonic Let’s Do This marketing campaign, will run for the duration of the Festival (June 18 – 22).

Joel Ewanick (@JoelEwanick), GM’s Global Chief Marketing Officer, will join Jeff Goodby, Co-Chairman and Creative Director of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and former chair of Titanium Lions at Cannes,  for a provocative seminar, “Can your client be your friend?”, on Friday, June 22nd.

GSP created the Chevy Sonic “Let’s Do This” campaign, and Ewanick has partnered with Jeff Goodby for much of his career in the automotive industry.

Festival attendees should look for the Chevy Sonic Exhibit on the lawn of the Grand Hotel to view some of the most outrageous stunts created for Sonic  over the past six months such as bungee jumping, skydiving and kick-flipping cars and using in extreme sports athletes, musicians (like OK GO), artists and robotics experts to support the brand.

The Chevy Sonic has emerged as a top entry in the small car segment in US despite going five months without traditional advertising.  The Sonic’s digital marketing campaign has helped shift perceptions on Chevrolet brand and appealed to Millennial consumers.  “Let’s Do This” campaign has been submitted for awards at the Festival.

Jeff and I are looking forward to hashing things out on stage (…) We’re great partners, but we don’t always agree. There are a lot of unique elements to our relationship—and the client-agency relationship in general—that people are curious to hear about.

Joel Ewanick

This thought-provoking seminar will also focus on some of the most successful car marketing ever, and the two men’s shared passion to rebuild Detroit.

It’s a weird dynamic, and I certainly don’t have it with every client, but somehow the fact that Joel has fired us, hired us, watched us quit, watched us have tantrums, had tantrums himself has all made for a personal relationship that helps us both withstand the tsunamis of corporate politics and fear.  Is it a friendship in the traditional sense?  I don’t know.  Come judge for yourself.

Jeff Goodby

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than four million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality.   

Goodby Silverstein & Partners (Omnicom Group) is one of the world’s most respected and most awarded advertising agencies. Founded in 1983, the company is headquartered in San Franciscowith an office in Detroit. Over 500 employees serve a broad array of national and international accounts, including Frito-Lay, the California Milk Processor Board (got milk?), Adobe, Chevrolet, TD Ameritrade, the NBA and many others.