GM was in some hot water after publishing this ad in a college newspaper (that quickly went viral).
With a tag line of "Stop pedaling - start driving," the ad attempted to 'dis' biking. The companion ad went after walking.
What drove GM to even consider ads that would urge students to stop pedaling and start driving? We know they sell cars. We even know that, thanks to a bailout with tax payer dollars GM is still GM, and thanks to the Obama Administration, their cars will use less and less oil and spew out less global warming pollution.
Maybe GM has figured out that reality does suck if you are trying to market cars to a generation that might be thinking about better transportation options. Oil-free transportation is a winner. (Giant Bikes showed as much in their response to the GM ad).
GM has since apologized for the ad via twitter and elsewhere and withdrew it.
GM clearly hit a raw nerve trying to pedal oil addiction to a generation that may be more interested in being oil-free. But maybe this is why GM ran the ads in the first place. Check out this tidbit from Streetsblog:
We're facing a profound generational shift and, according to Martin: "The dynamic is aligning with transit big time."
Gen Y is inclined to transit, too. "Gen Y is much less car centric than other generations," Martin pointed out. Compared to their elders, folks born between 1982 and 1994 are less eager to get a drivers license, less inclined to purchase a car and less likely to view automobile ownership as a right of passage to adulthood. Some would argue the trend is based on economic need, the result of student loan debt and a tough job market. "I think it's deeper than that," Martin said. "Gen Y is hyper connected. They are literally digital natives... Eighty-eight percent want to live in urban settings because they can be hyper-connected." Gen Y isn't looking for a dream home; they're looking for a dream lifestyle and that includes walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented neighborhoods.
I am sure GM has done its own market research. Walking and biking are in and neighborhoods with shopping, restaurants and other attractions are in. Bike shares are taking off in DC, Boston, Chicago and other cities. Car shares make it easier to get a car when you need it (and choices of cars to drive). Having the latest smartphone or tablet is much less expensive than a car and much more fun anyway.
Maybe we should take GM's ads as a sign that walking and biking are winning. Now is time for the transportation dollars to follow.