Wednesday’s issue of Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper contained a promotional insert for General Motors, showcasing the company’s latest cars. These days, it’s not uncommon for newspapers to include promotional sections disguised as editorial content — especially from the automotive sector. But this one was different. Unlike most of the so-called inserts, this one was not marked as an “advertising special.” Instead, it was simply described as a “special insert.” Nowhere in the entire eight-page section does the Globe or GM say that the insert is advertising. To make matters worse, a brief disclosure in the bottom left hand corner says the special insert says it was “prepared and produced by the editors of Carguide magazine. An advertisement could be written by the Pope and it wouldn’t change the fact that it’s still an ad. To further give the impression of a real newspaper section, the insert has standard full-page ads interspersed throughout. See some images of the section after the jump…
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03/08, 6:39 PM
posted by:
Ahk-Med
Look out Toyota, GM has unleased their secret weapon!
03/08, 6:42 PM
posted by:
SZ
Blah blah… quite obvious its an ad… the brand logos are displayed all over. When did you ever see a true review do that?
03/08, 6:55 PM
posted by:
JD
Maybe so, but to the gullible and uninitiated, an insert like this could be pretty powerful stuff.
03/08, 7:16 PM
posted by:
Jordan
Lucurne proves to be the ultimate Buick?
Thats like claiming being a manager at McDonalds give you social status.
03/08, 7:21 PM
posted by:
Dallas
Well, if thats what it takes to save a lumbering, stumbling giant…I guess its ok with me
03/08, 9:15 PM
posted by:
Greenspeed
Acura lies about their HP ratings, SUV and truck makers advertize their cars as fuel efficient and GM makes print ads and calls it an insert. so what.
03/08, 9:30 PM
posted by:
Jim in LA
my god, in a day and age where the whore media is casually manipulated by both corporations and government to their own, usually evil ends, this is a concern?
i remember the days in the 80s when there was an uproar about television programs using re-creations and properly indicating them as such with “REENACTMENT” graphics.
think about the last time you saw that. YEARS ago, i’m guessing.
we live in such an advertising-saturated environment today that it’s difficult to distinguish what is real news and what is press release. of course, all by design.
your concern about this is quaint, though. just like the geneva conventions, according to abu gonzales.
03/08, 9:44 PM
posted by:
manny
anyone got the new motor trend? the cover folds out backwards to show a 2-page honda ad spread with the shot of that damn cover from the ‘honda ridgeline truck of the year’ issue… and if you open the magazine normally you get another 2-page honda ad. when are they going to come out and say theyre about as not-corporate-owned as that newspaper up there and just call it honda trend? though, technically toyota beat honda in that damn hybrid love-fest article…
03/08, 10:58 PM
posted by:
Rick
So effin what. Do you think consumers are going to mistakenly buy a $24,000 car because they were misled by unwarranted praise in a very thinly disguised newspaper insert?
03/08, 11:25 PM
posted by:
Kevin
this is like a more obvious version of motor trends ”car of the year” wich is just a giant advertising scheme.
03/09, 9:54 AM
posted by:
J
oh god…. is this GM’s idea of a do or die come back plan?! If I had any GM stocks, I would sell them right now…
03/09, 10:52 AM
posted by:
mike
Does it need a big f’in warning on it so that you idiots won’t think it’s a section in the newspaper? “WARNING: This section is advertising. Since you believe everything you read, some of the material found in this section is, in fact, biased towards an american car company. Buyer BEWARE!”
What the hell. I walked into a GM dealership the other day and they tried to sell me a car. Litigation is pending.