Should the new GM start with a new name?

[jimmy olsen]

Here's something I'm sure Languish can have fun with, what would you rename General Motors?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31354374/ns/business-autos/

Should the new GM start with a new name?

As long it isn't something like Glaring Mistake
GM brand is tainted with bailouts, bankruptcy, so is it time for a new name?

AP
updated 1 hour, 18 minutes ago

ValuJet was reborn as AirTran. Philip Morris rechristened itself Altria. Blackwater became Xe.

Would a name change work for beleaguered General Motors?

It would mean casting aside a brand that stood for almost a century as a symbol of American industrial might, but some marketing experts say it might be just the thing to help the once-mighty automaker make a fresh start.

"If the goal is to try and put this company on a massive diet and just turn it into a smaller car manufacturing operation, I'm not sure there'd be that much harm in rebranding," said Jean-Pierre Dube, a University of Chicago marketing professor.

"The brand isn't in good shape," he said, "so they have little to lose."

With GM tarnished by its bankruptcy and its reputation for building cars no one wants, wiseacres have had no trouble coming up with new names.

There's Groveling Motors, after GM's appetite for federal bailouts. And General Moneypit. And, perhaps most popular, Government Motors — after the taxpayers' major ownership stake.

With GM still righting itself, "it's just too soon" to think about a name change, company spokeswoman Susan Garontakos said. But she acknowledged the idea is part of discussions within the company.

"We know we want to reinvent the company and want to build it so that it's something that will show that GM is going to be the company of choice," she said...

[Slargos]

General Mishap.

[HVC]

Yeah, because changing its name will make people forget

[Barrister]

That's ridiculous.  Completely throwing out your corporate name is only useful when that name is so utterly beyond contempt it has no value left.  There are still plenty of people who are "GM" people out there.

The only thing I could imagine that would make sense is if they throw out the GM name (which was never really used on any product) in favour of one of their car brands - perhaps Chevrolet Corp, or Cadillac Inc.

[Warspite]

Yes: Specific Engines, perhaps.

[Zanza]

I like "US Auto", ticker symbol at Wall Street would be "USA". It signifies both the origin of GM and who owns it.

[Josquius]

Motherfucking-AMERICAN-Cars.

[Viking]

Government Motors, they won't need to change any of their stationary.

[Admiral Yi]

I wonder what the plan is for unloading the government's stake.

[Scipio]

Gorgeous Malevolence.

[Viking]

I wonder what the plan is for unloading the government's stake.

1. Use Government's ability to print money in time of near deflation to buy GM
2. Sell off non-american assets to gullible foreigners.
3. Negotiate with creditors for shares.
4. Use Government's AAAA credit rating to reorganize debt.
5. Wait until economy recovers and GM share price rises.
6. Sell at profit.
7. Fund Medicare in perpetuity with profit.

[Caliga]

Giant Mammaries

[Strix]

It sounds like a great idea. If it works out than the government can adopt the same thing.

First Obama Dynasty followed by the Giuliani Empire....

[Viking]

Giant Mammaries

meh, that's your answer for everything! 

mine is more beer....

[Grey Fox]

Bring back Pontiac!