Chevy Uses App and Twinkies to Stick Out at the Super Bowl

If you watched the Super Bowl this year, you most likely saw Chevy’s apocalypse commercial. Pretty funny stuff. Did you catch the Twinkie connection?

General Motors has pronounced itself pleased with its elaborate efforts to draw attention to the three commercials it bought for its Chevrolet division during the Super Bowl.

One of those commercials, “2012,” memorably poked fun at speculation that, according to the Mayan calendar, the world will end this year. The commercial, by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, part of the Omnicom Group, showed the only survivors of a cataclysm — wrought by disasters like an alien invasion, heinous weather and volcano eruptions — to be owners of Chevy Silverado trucks.

At the end of the commercial, as frogs start to fall from the sky, the survivors share what seems to be the only food to have survived the apocalypse: a box of Twinkies.

It is rare for one brand’s ad to feature another brand made by another company, but the “2012” spot was one of two in Super Bowl XLVI that did so. (A commercial for General Electric showed how turbines made by G.E. helped power breweries that make Budweiser beer.)

The appearance of Twinkies in “2012” was a nod to decades of jokes about their recipe guaranteeing their longevity.

The creative team at Goodby, Silverstein was seeking a funny answer to this question, said Joel Ewanick, global chief marketing officer at General Motors in Detroit: “After this catastrophe, what’s going to be left?”

The approval of the Twinkies parent, Hostess Brands, was sought by the agency before the commercial was filmed, he added.

That was confirmed by Amy Clark, director for snack marketing at Hostess. “The humorous ad is a fun way of bringing together two iconic American brands – Chevy and Twinkies,” Ms. Clark said in an e-mail on Friday. “We were delighted to be part of it and we have enjoyed seeing the positive consumer response.”

According to a recap by Adweek.com and YouTube, “2012” finished sixth among 27 commercials from Super Bowl XLVI that have had more than a million views on YouTube. By Friday afternoon, the total number of views had reached almost 6.7 million.

To build interest in all three Chevy spots, G.M. began offering, weeks before Super Bowl Sunday, a free app that viewers could use during the game to take quizzes, interact with each other on Twitter and win prizes.

There were 725,000 downloads of the Chevy Game Time app, as it was called, Mr.  Ewanick said. “At one point, there were 12 to 13 million page views in the app,” he added.

Chevrolet was not the only Super Bowl sponsor that sought to take advantage of the increasing interest among consumers in so-called second-screen experiences as they watch television.

Coca-Cola, which ran three spots during the game, offered a live stream on a Web site that featured the brand’s polar bear characters’ reactions to the Super Bowl, the halftime show and the ads. By the third quarter, Adage.com reported, more than 600,000 people were watching the Coca-Cola live stream.

Read more at the NY Times.

Vote for the JHHS Robotics Team Video in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow National Contest!

The Jackson Hole High School Robotics Team has reached the Final Round in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow National Contest! Out of 2500 entrants in the first round, they won a computer and video camera for being in the top 25. 

The second round required an entry of a student-created video, and one of their videos made the top 12!  JHHS and the robots team will receive $70,000 worth of equipment.

Jackson Hole High School

 
Now, the team needs your help to be #1!

Go to https://pages.samsung.com/us/sft/video/index.jsp#top to see the videos and VOTE (as many times as you want).  Click on the vote tab underneath our video, and it will ask to register your email.  The top five finalist schools will win cash prizes.

This is an amazing opportunity for our community.

Please vote early, vote often and tell your friends - put it on Facebook!  Share with friends and family!

About the Contest:

Samsung is dedicated to helping children share the wonder of life, learning, and the planet. Through the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow contest we will give away more than $1,000,000 worth of technology to schools around the country.

Samsung and its partners called on public school teachers to raise student interest in science, technology, engineering and math by inviting them to answer the challenge, "Show how science or math can help the environment in your community." More than 1,500 application essays came from teachers and students across the country. The top 25 were chosen and sent video production kits containing a Samsung laptop, camcorder and software from Adobe. Twelve finalists have been selected and are featured on this site.

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Judging Panel will select four grand prize winners and we´re asking you to help select the fifth grand prize winner — our Community Choice Winner — by voting below. Click on the videos below to view, then vote for your favorite!

Vote Now - Public Voting Closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, March 12, 2012!

Read more at https://pages.samsung.com/us/sft/video/showcase.html

The 2012 Subaru Impreza: Sensible Shoes Never Looked So Good

Check out what Todd Bianco of ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com has to say about the 2012 Subaru Impreza!

In any constellation, some stars appear brighter than others. In the constellation of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd. – one of Japan’s largest industrial companies – its subsidiary, Subaru, is that shining star.

Literally and figuratively, Subaru, which is the Japanese word for the Pleaides – has been a rock star in the depressed auto sales environment spawned by the collapse of the economy in 2008. Over the past few years, Subaru has seen double-digit sales increases and 2011 was its best year ever.

Perhaps it’s Subaru’s legendary reliability or perhaps its just that the company stayed laser-focused on its core “outdoor lifestyle vehicles” for its rabidly-loyal customers. Whatever the reason, there is no argument that Subaru has hit a successful formula that continues to resonate with hard-core enthusiasts as well as more recent members of the Subaru family.

If you know nothing about Subaru, you should know that it has two defining traits. First, it’s the only mass-market auto manufacturer that uses flat boxer engines in all its vehicles. (Porsche uses boxer engines in its sports cars, but not its other products.) And that boxer engine always drives all four wheels to form what Subaru calls symmetrical all-wheel drive.

Here’s an animation of how the Subaru boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive work:

While Subaru is a popular niche brand in the Southland, you really need to drive up to Big Bear, Mammoth or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest to appreciate how many people choose a Subaru over other AWD cars. The first time I went to Jackson Hole, I was amazed by the number of people (full-time residents) who had a big 4-wheel drive pickup or SUV and a Subaru wagon in their driveways.

The Impreza has been Subaru’s humble entry-level car for many years. For 2012, while Honda and Toyota played it safe with subtle evolutions of their core products, Subaru took a quantum leap with the Impreza. The body, while remaining almost identical in size to the outgoing model, received new creased and crisp sheet metal and the interior lost much of the cheap-looking plastics in favor of more tailored, textured and soft-touch materials.

Beneath the handsome new metal (with nicely detailed wheel wells) is Subaru’s new 2.0L boxer engine making a relatively modest 148 hp 145 lb-ft of torque. The new engine sheds half a liter and 22 horsepower, but you’d never know it because its power and torque is managed much more efficiently by the new Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) that replaces the old-school four-speed automatic. Both a 5-speed manual and the CVT are available, but the CVT is the only transmission offered on the top-line Limited model.

Subaru claims a zero to 60 mpg time of 9.8 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the last Impreza that had a more powerful engine. While it’s not glacial, it’s 1/10th of a second slower than a standard Prius. It did seem quick off the line, but it takes a bit more time and effort for the engine to achieve highway speed.

The big news, however, is that fuel economy jumped from a decidedly uncompetitive 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway to 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway. That stunning 30% increase instantly makes Subaru competitive with other subcompact cars, even while sporting the heavier AWD hardware not available on any competitor like the Honda Civic or Ford Focus.

The new Impreza has a smaller gas tank (14.5 gallons), but with the boosted fuel economy, it still has a potential cruising range of more than 500 miles.
The base 2012 Impreza 2.0i sedan is $17,495. Additional trim levels are Premium and Limited. Add $500 for the 5-door version and $1,000 for the 5-door Sport. I wanted to test the much more rakish and desirable 5-door Sport Limited model; but those are so popular, dealers can’t keep them in stock.

My gracious host at Subaru Pacific had a loaded Limited sedan (MSRP $24,895) ready for me to test. The standard Lineartronic CVT produces the best fuel economy. The sedan is identical to the 5-door/Sport model from the B-pillar forward, so both should have the same driving characteristics.

First, I’d like to state for the record that I’m not a big fan of CVTs. CVTs are a bit buzzy and the mechanical shifts I like to feel when driving are missing. That said, Subaru’s CVT is pretty advanced and civilized. Humming and complaining was reserved for heavy acceleration. However, in normal stop-and-go city traffic and highway speed cruising, the transmission works well and is unobtrusive.

The Lineartronic’s “M” mode gives the driver the feel and control of a 6-speed automatic. Handsome silver paddle shifters behind the steering wheel engage the fun. The LCD information screen between the analog gauges displays the number corresponding to the “gear” you feel you’re in. Slick stuff, but it’s more of a gimmick than useful. You’ll find yourself just leaving it in Drive and saving the manual mode for a steep decline….

Read the full article on ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com.

NHTSA Closes Chevrolet Volt Investigation

The following is GM’s statement regarding the closing of the NHTSA investigation.

"NHTSA's decision to close their investigation is consistent with the results of our internal testing and assessment. The engineering enhancements that GM announced January 5, 2012 will provide additional protection for the battery minimizing the risk of a post-crash fire in the days and weeks after a severe crash and rollover.

The voluntary action that GM is taking is intended to make a safe vehicle even safer. In fact, the Volt has earned top safety ratings from key 3rd party organizations and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

GM is proud of the technological innovation the Volt represents. We appreciate the confidence our Volt customers continued to provide during the investigation. Our overriding commitment will always be to provide our customers with the best ownership experience and peace of mind in the industry and we’re focused on delivering that every day."

Read more at ChevroletVoltage.com.

3 great places to eat near Teton Motors!

Need to kill some time while we work on your car? You’re more than welcome to wait on-site and enjoy our comfortable amenities including a friendly lounge area with free WiFi, coffee, TV, and magazines. However, there are plenty of places within walking distance if you want to stretch your legs or grab a bite to eat.

Beyond the basics, like Pizza Hut and McDonald’s (both of which are very close by), here are a few of our favorites:

Jackson Whole Grocer

A one-stop traditional supermarket where you can buy everything you need for a balanced lifestyle — organic, conventional & specialty items. They have plenty of prepared foods, hot foods, sandwiches, soups, and a salad bar. Open 7am to 10pm daily.

Cafe Boheme

A comfy bohemian style coffee house boasting “the best coffees, hot chocolates and French style sandwiches in Jackson.” They also make gluten-free options. Open Mon-Thurs 6:30am - 4:00pm, Fri 6:30am - 10:30pm, and Sat-Sun 7am-3pm.

Pica's Mexican Taqueria

Recently voted the "Best Mexican Restaurant" in Jackson (again), Pica's menu ranges from tacos and burritos to great salads and authentic dishes from different regions of Mexico, all with homemade corn and flour tortillas. Some favorites are the Baja fish and shrimp tacos, the wet burrito, and homemade chile rellenos. Open daily 11am-10pm.

Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

Teton Motors’ Damon Kowell featured in Jackson Hole News & Guide

Meet Damon Kowell: fisherman, big game hunter, budding chef, husband, father, karate black belt (yes, really!), lifelong car lover…and Teton Motors’ very own used car manager! Damon was featured this week in the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Read the full article below.

Damon Kowell, who manages Teton Motors’ pre-owned division, has car salesman in his blood. His grandfather sold the very first Ford Pinto in Pinto, Md.  Kowell says he “literally flipped a coin” to decide whether to join the Peace Corps or move to Jackson Hole. “The car business is fun, and I’m where I want to be,” he said. Kowell says work at Teton Motors is fun, gives him means to enjoy family, food, outdoors.

Salesman finds Zen of used cars

By Johanna Love

 

Damon Kowell’s first job, in first grade, was taking license plates off of cars at his dad’s automotive dealership. Almost 30 years later, Kowell, now 37, manages Teton Motors’ pre-owned division. He’s a car salesman because it’s fun, he says, and doing the job he knows by heart allows him the means to enjoy the forest, his family and good food.

Car salesmen are one of the least trusted professionals in the country, along with politicians, real estate salespeople and telemarketers, according to a 2010 survey by Maryland-based Sandler Training. “We’re cognizant of that,” Kowell said. “We do everything we possibly can to negate those perceptions about the car business.”

The Internet has changed the way used cars are priced and sold, Kowell said. Overpricing vehicles and haggling with customers are things of the past, at least at Teton Motors.

“We price them to sell and don’t have to negotiate,” Kowell said. “We’re forward-thinking with that. The only people who sell more cars than us are the big dealerships in Idaho Falls. That’s our velocity pricing. It’s how quickly you stock your shelves. We keep everything as fresh as we can.”

Kowell drives a used car himself, a 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser. He is a friendly guy. His demeanor puts people at ease. Salesmanship is in his blood.

“I come from a family of businesspeople,” he said. “We have the gift of gab.”

Kowell’s grandfather, Art, owned the Kowell Ford dealership in Cumberland, Md., until 1980. He sold the first Ford Pinto in 1971 to a Charles J. Pinto in Pinto, Md.

Born in Maryland to a fashion buyer mother and a car salesman father, Kowell moved with his parents and brother in 1980 to Albuquerque, N.M., where his father opened his own car dealership.

The skinny white boys from back East were picked on in the rough, primarily Hispanic city, so Kowell began taking karate. His master, a Korean man, worked as a head of special operations forces in the Vietnam War and after that headed security for the king of Laos.

“I was under his wing every single day,” Kowell said. He earned his first black belt at age 11 and competed nationally and internationally. For the past eight years, he has worked part time as an instructor.

“I liked the whole ethos behind it,” Kowell said. “The philosophy, history. Asian culture took a grip on me. Honor and respect were the two biggest things.”

Growing up, Kowell studied hard four days a week, because his father would pull him out of class one day a week to hunt, fish or ski. He still talks to his family on the phone every day.

Being close to outdoor recreation opportunities is the reason Kowell came to Jackson, but the small town’s low crime rate and laid-back attitude and the hedonistic bent of its residents is why he stayed.

“Everyone has a similar lifestyle,” Kowell said. “We’re not here to work crazy hours. People recognize we’re all here to enjoy life, to enjoy where we live. It’s the quality of life, not the quantity of money.”

After his job as lot boy in elementary school, Kowell ascended the ranks within his father’s dealership. He became a detailer, then was a grunt in the office, then sold cars and managed his father’s lots. He worked as a finance director at dealerships outside the family. After college, he took a traveling sabbatical. He attended graduate school in Spain, spent time in Croatia and snowboarded in Breckenridge, Colo.

When it came time for him to make another move, Kowell said, he was torn between the Peace Corps and Jackson Hole. He flipped a coin. You know the rest. He has been working at Teton Motors since 2001.

When he isn’t selling, fishing or hunting, Kowell is cooking. His parents cultivated his love of food, and traveling helped develop his palate. Meeting Anthony Bourdain after the saucy chef ’s first book came out helped steer Kowell’s cooking style: “The less ingredients the better. You don’t have to get too crazy. Simple is good.”

Kowell’s favorite cooking apparatus is his four-burner Weber grill, as big as his desk, with a smoker and rotisserie. He grills year-round, whether it’s Asian, Spanish, Mexican or wild game.

He cooks for three these days: himself, his wife, Trudy, and their 7-month-old daughter, Sage. Brown mixed-breed dog Bailey and Annie the dachshund complete the family.

Trudy was a nanny before having Sage, so she was experienced with babies and children, Kowell said, and becoming a father has been “pretty seamless.”

“I spend more time with my family now instead of every breathing moment hunting and fishing,”he said. “It’s a great split. She makes everything better.”

A fisherman since childhood, Kowell began hunting big game about six years ago. His buddies took him out on still, frosty mornings, and he fell in love with the experience.

“It’s a spiritual interaction with nature,” he said. “The connection with that fish or that animal, there’s nothing like it. It’s just peace. There’s nothing going through your mind.”

Back in the mountains, hiking in pursuit of a goal clears away any workaday details that clutter the mind, he said. “It’s like a principle of Buddhism,” Kowell said. “When you have nothing, that’s when you have everything. That’s why I like it so much.”

2012 Buick Verano cures wintertime blues

Does the thought of frigid upholstery, icy windows, and chilly interiors get you down? Not to worry…

Inside the 2012 Buick Verano, the forecast calls for safe, comfortable driving.

Buick’s new newest luxury sedan offers stay-warm features generally reserved for more expensive vehicles. Its optional heated steering wheel, for example, isn’t available in a Lexus IS250, Acura TSX, Infiniti G25, or Audi A3.

Customers have noticed. Karen Schindler, who bought her Verano at Dave Sinclair Buick in St. Louis, described the heated steering wheel as a “big surprise,” adding that she “really loves it” and that it gives Verano “great value for the price.”

Leather-equipped Veranos also come standard with heated front seats that warm automatically via remote start when the ambient temperature is below 45 degrees. The key fob-controlled starting feature standard on every Verano also activates the car’s climate control, rear defroster, and optional heated side mirrors.

“We wanted to go the extra mile to give Verano that ‘wow’ factor,” said product manager Michael Danowski. “Everyone has heated seats, but no one in the segment has a heated steering wheel or our remote start and automatic-warming features. If you park outside in the winter like me, you’ll start wondering how you ever lived without them.”

The six months of free OnStar service included with every Verano extends remote start capability for smartphone users. The RemoteLink app – offered at no cost for compatible Apple and Android phones -- allows the car to be started, locked, or unlocked from beyond the key fob’s 200-foot range. The app can also be used to pre-load a turn-by-turn navigation destination or check engine oil life and tire pressures.

OnStar subscribers are also protected by Automatic Crash Response and roadside assistance. A reliable link to these services can prove invaluable during a winter storm.

Snowfall is expected to be above normal this year for most of the country. Verano comes standard with StabiliTrak electronic stability control, which can apply braking at each individual wheel to keep the car on its intended course. Additionally, standard Bluetooth and steering wheel-mounted radio controls keep both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Safety systems like these, plus 10 standard air bags, helped Verano be named an IIHS Top Safety Pick for 2012. Every Buick model sold today is a Top Safety Pick.

The 2012 Buick Verano is available at dealerships now with a suggested starting price of $23,470.

Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/money/automotive/2012-Buick-Verano-cures-wintertime-blues/-/2318858/7650360/-/ou13cb/-/index.html