It was a publicity stunt. Everyone knows it.
Yet when GM gave away a brand-new, $53,000 Chevrolet Corvette to Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, the day after his perfect game was ruined by an umpire who admitted that he screwed up and made the wrong call, their marketing company made the right call.
The giveaway announcement was featured in over 700 TV programs and 151,000 other publications including websites. According to a study by Joyce Julius & Associates, who has been measuring corporate sponsorships for 25 years, the publicity stunt is worth 8.9 million US dollars in exposure. Not a bad return on investment.
Following the event, GM was criticized for giving away the Corvette despite still owing millions of borrowed dollars from the U.S. Government, which is taxpayer’s money.
Was the stunt really worth it? We believe it is, because the media is STILL talking about it. It’s probably worth another $2M in exposure by now.
Yet when GM gave away a brand-new, $53,000 Chevrolet Corvette to Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, the day after his perfect game was ruined by an umpire who admitted that he screwed up and made the wrong call, their marketing company made the right call.
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| Photo: General Motors |
The giveaway announcement was featured in over 700 TV programs and 151,000 other publications including websites. According to a study by Joyce Julius & Associates, who has been measuring corporate sponsorships for 25 years, the publicity stunt is worth 8.9 million US dollars in exposure. Not a bad return on investment.
Following the event, GM was criticized for giving away the Corvette despite still owing millions of borrowed dollars from the U.S. Government, which is taxpayer’s money.
Was the stunt really worth it? We believe it is, because the media is STILL talking about it. It’s probably worth another $2M in exposure by now.