McCann subsidiary MRM will handle the account, joining sibling PR agency Weber Shandwick on the Chevrolet roster. The result coincides with a pitch for Chevrolet being run out of Singapore. McCann and Leo Burnett are also contesting this pitch, as are Ogilvy & Mather, Religion and Formul8.
The client is undecided as to whether the pitch will remain local, or cover other Southeast Asian markets.
Agencies have been tasked to tackle mixed perceptions of the Chevrolet marque, which is either commonly seen as ‘too American’ or a ‘re-badged Daewoo’ by Asian consumers.
GM wants to position itself as a premium brand and challenge the assumption that Chevrolet is a ‘gas-guzzler’ targeted exclusively at young consumers.
However, it has tough competition against Japanese rivals such as Toyota and Honda, or cheaper Korean marques Kia and Hyundai.
Daewoo is majority-owned by GM, and the latter has received criticism for confusing consumers with different brands for the same car.
The Chevrolet Optra is branded Buick in China, Daewoo in Vietnam, and Chevy in the US.