The hierarchy at GM wanted to get rid of the “Chevy” nick-name and stay with the more formal “Chevrolet” full moniker.
Chevrolet sales and service vice president Alan Batey and General Motors marketing division vice president Jim Campbell sent a memo to Chevrolet employees at its Detroit headquarters in 2010 that instructed employees to only use Chevrolet when addressing the brand.
The explanation for the mandate was to present a consistent brand message. To help implement this change in the way that people referred to the company, the team instituted a “Chevy” cuss jar. A plastic can was placed in the hallway that would capture the fines from those caught using the “Chevy” name. “Every time someone uses ‘Chevy’ rather than Chevrolet,” the message said, the employee is expected to put a quarter in the can.
The team expected to collect a large amount of fines. The proceeds were to be spent on “a team building activity,” the message detailed.
The trend at General Motors at the same time was a more “casual” nature.
Many auto insiders shook their heads as they wondered how marketers could control what consumers call their products.
Following the release of the memo, General Motors published a statement claiming the note was in no way discouraging customers or fans from using the Chevy name.
We could find no accounting on the fines collected in the “Chevy” cuss jar, or whether the funds collected actually sponsored a “team-building activity,” but we will continue to dig for the answer.