Spheres of Influence

General Motors has launched an advertising campaign titled “Reinvention” aimed at rebuilding loyalty and trust as it emerges from bankruptcy. In order to be effective, transparency in communication is essential. Regaining the loyalty and trust for their brands from the public, despite the deluge of negative publicity and cynicism, is not going to be easy. Clearly GM understands this, and true to the name of the campaign, they are reinventing how they communicate with consumers. Their recognition of the importance of the web, particularly social media, as part of an integrated communication strategy might likely serve as a model of how companies approach “crisis management” communication moving forward.