Jade Dreaming – New Buick Regal Test Drive – Part 1
I don’t have to write about this. It’s not an official Ride & Drive. It’s not a Klout Perk. I’m not a Brand Ambassador for General Motors. But GM is being kind enough to lend me a new Buick Regal for a week, and I cannot wait.
I realize people think this is crazy. Why would a woman under the age of 75 be excited about driving a Buick Regal. Well, you see, the Regal has a soft spot in my heart. I inherited one after my beloved grandfather passed away. It was his final car, the least offensive in a long line of vehicular atrocities – Buick Skylark, Renault R16, Renault R8, Dodge Coronet, Dodge Lancer, Dodge Custom Royal Lancer.
My Buick Regal was dubbed “The Jade Dream,” because of its color and less-than-stellar design. In fact, it’s still a running family joke and to this day send each other pictures of jade Regals when we spot them in the wild out on the road.
I hated my Regal car so much that I would park blocks away from my destination so no one would see me driving it. Valet parking? Forget about it. For two years, the “Jade Dream” was the bane of my existence. When it finally started having mechanical issues, I returned to my Volkswagen roots and bought a new Jetta. But I digress …
My love for Detroit and the renaissance of the American auto industry is well documented. While I did a Ride & Drive for Dodge, I’ve kept a watchful eye on the Buick, admiring its evolution.
So it was with great enthusiasm that I met Dave Barthmuss, group manager, Western region and environment, energy and policy communications at General Motors at a Social Media Advertising Consortium (SMAC) event in Los Angeles. He discussed GM’s initiatives to get people behind the wheel of their new fleet of vehicles. Eager to change my opinion, Dave offered to get me behind the wheel of a Regal for a week. (This could be the best or worst marketing strategy ever – I suspect the former.)
So, I sit here anxiously awaiting its arrival and will be driving the car up the coast to meet my dad – a total car fanatic – in Paso Robles for a little tour de force.
By Gretchen Schneider, Principal, Interactive Marketing. Gretchen lives and breathes all things social media. Based in Los Angeles, she oversees the interactive division at treadsocial, working with brands and personalities to strategically market themselves in an integrated, engaging manner online.
BuzzRocket's Blog 