'The Drive' represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas. This platform elevates the driving experience, without pressure to buy, to another level that has never been presented within the U.S. |
[Tie-ins with entertainment are] a growing area of focus for us as an organization, ... In the past, we used to be very sports-focused. |
At the end of the day, it has to result in sales. |
I look at it as the fun capital of the world, the entertainment capital of the world. We want to take advantage of all the people coming through your town. |
I look at this as an opportunity. Deep down I thought there was an opportunity to do something with a little more sense of permanency. |
I think positively about these things. I think people are going to embrace what we've built here, and we have some huge plans for the future. There are second, third and fourth chapters in our long-term vision of this project. |
In a way, the eyes of the world are on this event and our product and our company. You want people to leave with the impression of an energetic and vibrant company that is also a healthy company. |
It can create a more personal relationship (between GM and some celebrities), and at the end of the day, the business of entertainment is a lot about who you have a relationship with. |
It's kind of a huge learning lab for us. |
It's no different than a football coach. By the time they take the field, it's kind of out of your hands. |
It's subtle and it's organic, |
Obviously China's an important long-term business opportunity for the company. This was very important to them to get this bid. We want to make sure we're doing something important in that marketplace. |
People have a perception about our brands and our products. They're living in a world 20 years ago, when the products were very different. That's why we're building this different type of facility, so they can understand that. |
We're not doing it because we're dazzled by celebrities. We do it for strategic purposes. Having the right type of personality (in GM vehicles) definitely helps the image of those vehicles. |
We're not just randomly giving out cars, |