Instead of using incentive programs to sell cars in 2006, General Motors marketing will lean toward the idea of providing "the best product at the best price," reports AdWeek (via MediaBuyerPlanner).
Whereas Mazda - with target demographic now the second youngest, behind only Toyota's Scion, and getting younger - will favor experimental advertising, including cinema, online and text messaging instead of TV.

"We're not going to market the deal, but our competitive MSRP advantage segment by segment," said Mark LaNeve, GM's vice-president of North American sales, service and marketing. "Last year the product story got lost in the corporate story."

In 2004, GM spent $2.6 billion in U.S. measured media and $2.4 billion through the first 10 months of last year. GM's marketing budget will remain flat in 2006. LaNeve said the media buying would have "much better separation because GM is pulling [the GM divisions] apart in key media properties."