Corvette Advertising Evolution throughout the
Generations
by Rick Tavel© February 8, 2013 All Rights Reserved
Thanks to the Advertising
photo sources: GM - OldCarAdvertising.com – Oldcarandtruckads.com
Over the next couple months we thought it would be
interesting to look at the advertising and marketing of the seven generations
of “America’s Sports car” and the steps GM® took to build their totally
innovative concept car into one of the most enduring icons in our country’s
history. Perhaps there is no other product in the United States which embodies
our “national spirit” and aspirations, mirrors who we are and what we stand for
like Chevrolet’s Corvette. In 1962
Chevrolet’s ad agency, Campbell-Ewald, ran a Corvette ad that was far more
profound than either the agency or Chevrolet realized at the time. Not until we view the words from the
historical perspective can we realize how prophetic they are, not only
describing the Corvette enthusiast for whom they were written but more as a
guideline for the future development of the car itself. “Aficionados are made not born. Corvette
enthusiasm, like manhood, is a condition that develops slowly and requires the
tempering influence of experience.”
Ironically these words could also be the guiding mission statement for
the Corvette’s development over the last sixty years - developing slowly and
tempered by experience.
No other car model has endured and garnered the loyal,
almost fanatical following of the Chevrolet Corvette. Watching the car, along with its growing
number of admirers, evolve from its tiny first year production of 300 cars in
1953 into not only the halo car of Chevrolet but the perennial “golden boy” of
American performance automobiles is a fascinating journey. Just as Campbell-Ewald’s early Corvette ad
referenced the impact of a “tempering influence” on the enthusiast, the same
can be said of the evolution of the Corvette itself, as it grew from concept,
to initial production and finally to the culmination of the first generation in
1962. This “tempering influence” kept
the Corvette styling and performance on course and focused, not giving in to
the latest styling whims and fancies.
Simply, it was more important to take the time to get it right, refine
each generation’s performance over time until it was all that it could be. Once again the ad agency spelled it out in a
1958 ad, stating,
“A great sports car is
not made overnight. It is developed and
refined through years of testing and competition until its handling becomes
silky smooth, its roadability flawless, its cyclonic power tempered to absolute
reliability under the harshest demands.”
While the rest of the automobile industry spent time and resources on
radical annual styling changes the engineers at Corvette spent time refining the
car.
As we look at the Corvette’s marketing and advertising
programs during each generation we have a much clearer perspective and a better
understanding viewing the programs from the perspective of the major
socio-economic factors and trends defining the era. Viewed from this perspective a more accurate
depiction and understanding of the advertisement can be garnered.
The C1 - 1953 through 1962
When the concept of building and offering a two-seater
“sports car” was conceived deep inside General Motors the corporation was by
far the largest auto manufacturer in the world and was selling more cars than
the rest of the American auto manufacturers combined. In fact GM was so dominant they had to be
careful not to capture “too much” of the market for fear of being broken up
under the anti-trust laws.
Nevertheless, the new car designs and concepts already on the drawing
boards and being readied for market at the time were poised to capture not only
the needs but also the aspirations of America’s modern, post war society, a
society radically different than that prior to the war. The changes to our lifestyle was more
dramatic than any in our history.
Tempered by a devastating world war and the life style changes which it
prompted, from the growing ranks of women in the workplace to the more modern
technology developed for the war effort now modified for domestic use, from an
exposure to the lifestyles and cultures of other countries to the renewed
commitment to home and family, the American people were ready to shed the
1940’s lifestyle and hungry to experience what the future promised. The country had begun to transition from
rural to urban living during the war, but the urban lifestyle failed to meet
the needs of many of the people and families who moved into the urban areas to
support the war effort so the exodus to the promised land of the suburbs had
begun with the troops returning from overseas.
And by the early 1950’s General Motors was ready to meet the
needs of this new society with modern, new products. Not just mere facelifts to existing products
but rather completely new designs taking advantage of the latest technology
were developed, from appliances to automobiles.
In order to hype the modern designs, GM revived its fleet of
Futureliners, customized buses designed by Harley Earl in
the 1940’s used in GM's Parade of
Progress, which traveled the United States exhibiting new cars and modern technology
for consumers. The fleet was
temporarily retired until 1953 when the Futureliners
were pulled out of mothballs to exhibit the newest technology and innovations
GM had engineered for the fifties everything
from microwave ovens to robots were exhibited, whetting the public’s appetite
for the products being developed. The
innovative buses toured the country until 1956 when “TV”, one of the technical innovations
displayed in the 1940’s, rendered the buses ineffective. One of the restored Futureliners sold at auction in 2006 for over $4 million.
During the early 1950’s some of the most beautiful, enduring
automobile designs were introduced by General Motors. This is not so much a surprise as an
expectation since the corporation arguably employed the best designers and
engineers in the industry. Harley Earl,
the most celebrated, talented American automobile designer penned not only the
first concept of the Corvette but hundreds of other revolutionary automotive
designs. Not surprisingly in addition to the Corvette, three other of Earl’s
most modern and enduringly classic designs were introduced during the same time,
the ’53 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, the ’53 Buick Skylark convertible and
the ’53 Oldsmobile Fiesta Convertible.
Originally introduced as show cars, these cars were produced and sold to
tempt and whet the appetites for other GM products. Due to General Motors’ sales success their
corporate coffers were overflowing so finding the funds for the several new car
designs on the drawing boards was a strategic move, positioning the company to
take advantage of the profitable market ahead.
GM recognized the huge opportunity for fresh, modern designs and
products to meet the needs of the more affluent post war economy, fueled by
upwardly mobile families with the goal of home ownership and all of home
ownership’s associated accoutrements.
The years between 1953 and 1955 could have been labeled the
birth date of the modern era of the automobile; it was marked with several
revolutionary changes in not only design but also engineering that would carry
forward and become the foundation of expanded offerings in the future. In 1953 twelve volt electrical systems were
offered on several models to handle the expanded optional power accessories
like air conditioning, power windows, power seats, and of course, power
steering which had become standard on several upscale models. New engine designs were developed, introduced
by mid-decade, and several early fifties “motorama” show car features made
their first appearance in 1953 production cars. The curved wrap around windshield, the “coke
bottle” body styling, and the increased use of chrome, fins and other
aeronautic suggestions were initiated in 1953 and made it the pivotal year for
car design.
Many women who were employed to help with the war effort
decided to continue as part of the workforce following the war, their
additional income a welcome addition helping afford suburban homes and the
modern conveniences available. The move
from crowded cities to the suburbs was fueled by the ease of home ownership
through the Veterans Administration and the Federal Housing Administration. The
move to the suburbs not only sparked new housing construction but also drove
the manufacturing market segment producing the goods new home ownership
required. Of course perhaps the biggest
benefactor of the move to the suburbs was the automobile industry. It ignited the need for new, reliable
automobiles not only to facilitate getting to work but for shopping,
recreation, social activities as well as basic services.
America’s new prosperity, the decision of many women to
remain in the job market after the war, the desire to start a family and own a
home in the rapidly growing suburbs created several unprecedented opportunities
in the design, function and marketing of the automobile. It was no longer considered a tool, basic
transportation. It had become a
comfortable personal statement about the owner.
There was no product more important in the post war society. A car was a minimum basic requirement to a
family in the suburbs, two cars were even better, particularly in households
where both the husband and wife were employed outside the home. The “two car family” also opened the door
for an entirely new product category, a “specialty” or “personal” car. It made the feasibility of owning a two seat
sports car possible.
It also emphasized the need for the sports car’s antithesis,
the station wagon. During this period
the family station wagon became one of the most important, profitable and
popular models. The station wagon met
almost every need of a growing suburban family. It was a comfortable family hauler, the
supermarket shuttle, the nursery/landscape transporter and the perfect vehicle
to take the family on vacation. It could
be had in the most basic economical model or it could be optioned to be as
comfortable as any luxury car. In 1957
Chevrolet alone had six different station wagons in their line-up. The importance of this market segment was
frequently illustrated by the number of expensive “double truck” advertisements,
two facing pages in a newspaper or magazine, exclusively marketing a
manufacturer’s extensive station wagon line up.
Identifying the dreams and aspirations of the country, tying
the car’s persona to that of the country as a whole has been a staple of
marketing Chevrolets, especially Corvettes.
The epitome of this advertising culminated in the “Baseball, hot dogs,
apple pie and Chevrolet” ads of the 1960’s and 70’s, which will be discussed
when we look at the marketing of the C2 and C3.
But when a 1950’s and early 1960’s Corvette ads are dissected they were
no less of a reflection of America’s social and cultural trends focusing on successful
lifestyles, whether it be tied to
sports, family and leisure activities.
For example, though the target market for the new sports car
was men, many who had become fascinated with European sports cars during the
war, family men who were successful in business, many of the 1953 through 1958
Corvette ads were careful to often include a woman in the ad recognizing the
emerging voice of women in the decision making process on all issues. Among other trends marketing research
companies, a new tool in the advertising agency’s arsenal, identified the
importance of the woman’s (wife’s) input in the buying decision. No longer was the woman’s input confined to
domestic issues, no longer was a major purchase the exclusive domain of the
male, so advertisers were careful to recognize this partnership and used it in
every ad where appropriate. This was not
only a technique used by Campbell-Ewald but was used by all of the big three
automobile manufacturers.
Not only was incorporating socio-economic trends important
in creating the advertising and marketing programs for the new Corvette but
accurately defining and reinforcing the car’s image, creating its “persona”, in
advertisements was critical. What was
this new car going to be? What was it
designed to do? What was the target market and who was the target
customer? Remember Campbell-Ewald’s
description defining the evolution of a Corvette enthusiast, “develops slowly
and requires the tempering influence of experience”. This appeared to be the guiding principal in
regard to the Corvette’s evolution as well.
GM was not too quick to hang a tag on the car even though Harley Earl,
Ed Cole and Zora Arkus Duntov may have had their own specific aspirations for
the Corvette. GM appeared to be content
to allow the Corvette to “settle in” and give the buyers input into what they
thought the car should be. This may have
been due to the fact that GM wasn’t sure if the “sports car” category would
become viable in the United States and how it would shake out.
Keep in mind that very few people in the United States
understood the concept of “sports car”
and aside from it being a small two seat car what were its other
characteristics. Sports cars had been
spiritedly navigating European roads for decades but in the early 1950’s few
Americans understood exactly what comprised this concept in cars. Few understood that it was more than a scaled down version of the large American
automobile with two rather than four seats. Harley Earl penned the car and even
though he was considered to be the most accomplished of all American automobile
designers aside from the outward appearance of the car little differentiation
from other American cars lay under the highly styled “glass-fibre plastic”
body. So when the Corvette was first
introduced, though it was advertised as a “sports car” the term was nebulous
and few people challenged the advertised terminology.
One of the first Corvette advertisements made a less than
adequate effort attempting to describe some of the key points defining a sports
car but in reality there was very little engineered into the car to back up the
words.
Suspension, brakes and power were
more suited to a regular production car than a “sports car”. Further illustrating the misunderstanding of
the sports car concept was advertising the two speed Powerglide automatic, the
only transmission available for the car.
Zora Arkus Duntov thoroughly understood what a sports car entailed,
especially from a performance perspective, but he did not join GM until 1953 so
he had little impact on the performance underpinnings of the new car in its
first years. Nevertheless, as soon as he
arrived he began his life-long objective of making the Corvette the best
performance, sports car in the world.
Under his guidance the Corvette’s persona began taking shape as a car
built to perform on the road and the track.
In early 1954 he wrote a scathing letter describing several ride and
suspension problems which needed immediate attention in the car.
Though the advertising gurus tried to market the inadequate
150 HP Blue Flame Six cylinder engine as powerful and performance based, Duntov knew it was completely inadequate in
its current form and unable to get the overweight 2900 pound Corvette to the
winners circle. He continually pushed
for a larger more powerful engine that came to fruition in 1955 with the 265
cubic inch V8. More importantly it
resulted in the vaunted fuel injected
283 cubic inch engine that when coupled with fuel injection produced one HP for
each cubic inch of displacement in 1957, the engine that would serve as the
foundation for GM engines for over a half century.
No one more than Duntov helped define the future for the
Corvette as a true sports car. He knew
in order to qualify as a true sports car there were several modifications that
needed to be made. Not only did the suspension,
handling, braking and engine need attention, in order to be considered a true
sports car the car had to not only compete on the track against other sports
cars it had to win.
But before that could happen the future of the car needed to
be assured and it was anything but secure after the poor sales results in
1954. Because the 1953 small production
sold out so quickly GM produced 3,640 1954 models which were difficult to
sell. It appeared the car was doomed and
the Corvette would be discontinued prior to the 1956 model year. After production of only 700 1955 Corvettes
production was virtually stopped based on the poor 1954 results. It seemed so assured that the Corvette would
be discontinued the sports car was not included in the 1956 Chevrolet model
line up advertising.
Though several “official” reasons are given for reviving the
doomed car at the last minute, most historians agree that it was Ford’s
introduction of the Thunderbird that kept the car alive, GM not being “out
done” by its biggest competitor. The
Thunderbird was never marketed as a sports car but rather a “personal car” that
offered not only performance but all the amenities of the finest luxury cars,
including roll up windows, something the Corvette did not offer until 1956. GM realized that there were several changes
necessary to keep the Corvette competitive in addition to the performance
enhancements that Duntov had lobbied.
Realizing the necessity of competing with the Thunderbird,
GM ramped up 1956 production with not only some of the performance changes
Duntov had demanded but with several other amenities. The Corvette received a V8 engine with dual
four barrel carburetors, roll up windows, external door handles, a transistorized
radio and even a hard top was offered as an option. This was the first year for Corvette’s
legendary “coves” to appear as a part of the design. As a result of the changes for 1956 the first
Corvette “competition” ad appeared and the Corvette was on its way to
solidifying its emerging image as a true sports car.
The next year saw the introduction of the legendary 283
cubic inch engine and coupled with fuel injection it was the first production
engine to produce one horsepower for each cubic inch of displacement. This engine continued as the foundation for
all GM engines for the next half century.
The four speed transmission was also offered in 1957 helping to solidify
the Corvette’s performance image and enhance both its road and track
capabilities. For the balance of the C1
production years aside from improved cooling capabilities with the introduction
of the aluminum radiators and improved braking the introduction of the 327
engine in 1962 most of the new engineering and performance enhancements were
being designed into Larry Shinoda’s revolutionary design of the 1963 Corvette
C2.
Some may think that General Motors North American President, Mark Reuss’s use of,
“breathtaking”, to describe the design may have been an over-exaggeration but,
put in perspective, I can’t think of a single word more appropriate for our new
Corvette. Had we not been bombarded with
hundreds of spy photos and “leaks” of the new design over the past year, few of
us could have come up with a more accurate, descriptive word when the curtain
was raised on the new “Stingray”. Initial
comments and reviews from the media who were privileged enough to see the car “up
close and personal” praised the design of the body and the interior. And the
media reviews appear to reflect the overall response from first time viewers where
the response in one on line poll focused on the new look was running 86%
“Love”, 9% “Indifferent” and only 5% “Hate”. 
