The big three just don't get it

It's in vogue to pick on the Big 3 automakers lately, and for good reason.

Taking three corporate jets to ask for welfare from congress, and trying to defend it, was pretty nuts.

Today's Denver Egotist has a guest editorial about how GM has been losing market share for 20 years, and increasing ad spending the whole time. See http://thedenveregotist.com/editorial/3236/gm-and-ford-different-roads-to-washington. I think that the television and print media markets must be as nervous about the automakers going bankrupt as anyone, along with the ad agencies producing the work.

This was an unfortunate example of agencies, who are supposed to counsel and advise, doing wrong by their clients by just keeping up the middling work and cashing the checks.

The author correctly sees this as an opportunity for the ad industry -- I would argue it is an opportunity more for the PR world. But it doesn't matter how good a story you have to tell, if you can't produce cars that people want to drive, or products or services that people see value in, you won't succeed.