New GM visits Prime Outlets in Birch Run

BIRCH RUN (WJRT) -- (11/14/09) -- With the holiday shopping season in full swing, General Motors Corp. is trying to re-brand itself.

Last month it paid off, but will the trend continue through November?

The automaker is organizing a full PR blitz this holiday shopping season, hoping to draw more of the customers that revved up sales by five percent in October.

Saturday's Drive & Ride event at the Prime Outlets in Birch Run was expected to draw more than 60,000 visitors as GM showcased the best of their product line.

Since GM emerged from bankruptcy in July, engineer Ryan Lachapelle says attitudes among workers at the plants have changed.

"There's a different vibe around the plant," he said. "People understand that we're there for a reason now. We didn't go through a bankruptcy for nothing."

It's unclear how much these promotions will translate into sales.

"We just need to get people into our vehicles (and) build up our market share again," said GM employee Simone Thompson.

Paul and Sheila Whitmore of Flint stepped into a sparkling new Buick LaCrosse.

"I think it's a quality vehicle," said Paul Whitmore. "I could see the effects of buying GM products, staying in Flint. It's a GM town so I've always been loyal to GM."

But this year, even GM employees admit that loyalty has been tested.

"We'll be honest," said Lachappelle. "We didn't pull through for the consumers the last couple of decades and that's really why we're out here."

It's a new attitude from a seemingly hipper GM -- trying to woo customers one sales pitch at a time.

The Drive & Ride event was co-sponsored by several local car dealerships including Suski, Mike Young and McDonald.

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consumer, auto sales, general motors, local, gabe gutierrez

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