Was commissioned to write a book on how high-performance cars were marketed in the 1960-70s. I can tell the difference between a 1968 and 1969 4-4-2, but the marketing efforts are another story, especially since this goes way beyond the usual magazines, brochures, and ads.

I've been working on it for a few months but I've had a little trouble finding out more about Oldsmobile's marketing efforts. I did find some interesting items at the GM Heritage Center but they are merely interesting pieces and nothing that gives me an idea of a larger marketing effort. I've started a Facebook page so you can join and see some of the items that I've been looking using for research:

https://www.facebook.com/sellingmuscle/timeline

If you think you have a special nugget that could be a positive contribution to my efforts, I would love to hear from you - in the end, it's your book as well because my efforts are only as good as my fellow hobbyists'. Thanks!

 

Google "Race on Sunday or Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" That was, for the most part, what sold muscle cars. There was a lot of money spent by parts, fuel, tire, lubrication, etc... suppliers both at the tracks and at the dealerships. You had Drag, Nascar, and all types of on and off road type racing both national and international. It was a great time!

 

PM sent

 

Diego, if you can talk with some of the marketing people from back then (assuming any are still alive, at best they're in their 60s) they'd be invaluable. 442Fred, weren't you in Zone sales and marketing back then? or am I thinking about a different Fred?

George Berejik is still kicking and he'd be an outstanding source. For that matter any of the performance-oriented Olds dealers.

Might be worth putting a small blurb about your upcoming book in Journey With Olds. A lot of factory people are in OCA and would remember.

Good luck with this project.

 

I've tried to reach out to Berejek, but no dice. Perhaps it was the wrong person or what-not (it was through Facebook, and I even tried relatives too!) but I had no response.

I'm trying to work on Linda Vaughn but that's kinda tough. I will be meeting with Mr. Norm (Dodge) and last week met with Joe Oldham.

Fred, I'll reply to you shortly. I'll be in AZ for Thanksgiving - hopefully you will be too.

 

Have you read Setting The Pace yet? You could find some reference material there.
Id be interested in purchasing your book. Let us know when its complete and on the shelves.

 

Are you looking for mass marketing material or dealer point of sales items?

 

Diego send me your ph number. A buddy worked I the a warranty dept and may have some good info.

Matt

 

If you go to my FB page as posted above, you'll see some of the things I've picked up.

Generally, anything that explains the marketing efforts are good. No, I'm not looking for Dr. Olds ads, but learning about how the campaign came out is helpful. So is how the Smothers Brothers got into racing, as that was a part of the marketing effort.

From a Brand X perspective, Pontiac participated in NHRA racing and made sure the parts departments had all the parts needed for anyone to create a race car. They also had a group of cars specifically for the press pool so that they always performed brilliantly. When the TH400 was introduced, they gave the press a pair (4-speed and TH400) to show that not only was the automatic a contender, but that the loss of Tri-Power was no loss at all. Chrysler had their Supercar Clinics . . . it runs the gamut. Does that help?

So by "dealer point-of-sale" you mean something like this, then yes, that could be helpful because it may show me something about the marketing efforts of the automaker.

 

I can hook you up with the guy who started to promote the Shelby Cobras through Ford Dealers.

Also, Marty Shor worked with many of the OEMs as well as Motion Performance and heavily influenced much of the muscle car propaganda.

Can't leave out Jim Wangers, he'll be at MCACN. Remember he and Hugh Heffner worked together prior to Playboy and the GTO.

Jim Mattison of PHS is the only surviving member of the GM Central office a.k.a COPO programs.

For Olds you gotta talk with Doc Watson.

There is a good start for you.

Congrats on the project!

 

X2 on Watson

 

When I spent more time on the ROP site, there was a fellow named Dave Hailala (Not sure on the spelling.)
who was an automotive engineer at the Olds plant in the late '60's/early'70's.
Diego, you should remember him.
He had many interesting anecdotes and first hand insights.
Everyone tried to convince him to write a book.

He watched the '68 Ram Rod he bought new come down the assembly line.
He'd be a great resource.
The last I remember, he was still racing his Ram Rod in Pure Stock.
I hope he's still alive and kickin'.

 

True and Dave bunch as well

 

Maybe try Ray Debar worked for University Oldsmobile for 44 years as a salesman. 517-627-7644

IIRC Jim Harsant mid michigan oldsmobile zone rep. 517-626-6803

Pat

 

George has been sick for a while now. I saw him at the spring dust off show for the GMO and he didn't look great. My membership expired, so I no longer get the emails about him, but that's probably why he didn't respond. He's a hell of a nice guy, and as one of the youngest(if not the youngest) member in the Eastern Mass club, he always tried to help me anyway he could, always talked to me and treated me really well.

Most of the local guys have high end w-30's or 442 cvt's and here I am with a 'stock' 72 cutlass "S" a car that no one cared about back in the day, he was happy to see me working on it and trying to make it my own, or just trying to fix it and make it decent.

 

Thanks for all the updates and leads!

I'm friends with Dave H so I'll be speaking with him in Chicago.

 

Diego coolproject dont forget about television, I dreamof jeanie and bewitched got gtos as well as the monkees, astronaughts got corvettes at some ridiculous lease price, pontiac by far was the leader imho, you had gto everything, cufflinks, cologne and even shoes where thebheels had been champhered to make shifting easier, you mentioned hurst, I am sure your thinking shelby, yenko, bill thomas, sox and martin , motion, etc etc will be following along, I love books and love to read... great project

 

You may want to discuss how the divisions played off each other. If you created a mental fight in a buyer's head between a Chevelle SS, a 442, and a GTO, GM would always win. So, a source into how the divisions fit together with their marketing from a GM corporate level would be a valuable part of the book.

Recommend you contact the track historian at the Indy Motor Speedway for some perspective on the GM pace cars, specifically 70 442 and 72 HO. The HOCA nationals were there this summer, and I had the honor and privilege of sitting next to the man himself at the big Sat night dinner and hearing him speak.

 

found these after a quick search.. actually very cool


gtoshoes.jpg

gtocologne.jpg

hurstshifter.jpg

 

Thanks to all so far.

Met with Wangers today. Mr. Norm from Grand Spaulding Dodge will be during MCACN.