Lutz on Sidelines as Unknown GM Chairman Stars in New Ad Campaign

DETROIT — The overriding question in Detroit auto circles is: Why isn't high-profile Bob Lutz, perhaps the Motor City's best-known "car guy," starring in General Motors' new ad campaign touting its 60-day money-back guarantee on its vehicles?

GM Vice Chairman Lutz is expected to explain the thinking behind the choice for GM's surprising new pitchman when he makes himself available for questions Monday afternoon on the corporate GM FastLane blog.

In advance of that appearance, Lutz has described the new ad campaign as "aggressive" and "effective," in a recent posting on the blog.

GM Chairman Ed Whitacre, Jr., who said when he assumed that lofty position in June that he knew little about the auto industry, is the spokesman for the automaker in ads promoting the new 60-day money-back guarantee on GM vehicles. The ad campaign, dubbed "May the Best Car Win," kicked off over the weekend.

The ad campaign appears to be patterned after a similar one used by Chrysler following its government bailout in the 1980s.

In some of those memorable ads, charismatic Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca gave this command to the consumer: "If you can find a better car, buy it."

The grandfatherly-looking Whitacre — whom many auto consumers doubtlessly will be seeing for the first time — is a surprising choice for a pitchman. Clad in a dark suit, a dress shirt and a red tie and striding through what appears to be the inner sanctum of GM, Whitacre says in the ad: "Before I started this job, I admit I had some doubts. Probably a lot like you. But I like what I've found." Whitacre is the former CEO of AT&T.

It is surprising to see Whitacre in a necktie, since GM executives, most notably CEO Fritz Henderson, appear to be on a casual kick of late, shunning neckwear. When Henderson and Lutz announced the fuel-economy figures on GM's electric Volt, neither wore a tie, something that was duly noted in the conservative world of Detroit automaking and chronicled on WJR-AM radio.

Lutz said the new campaign gets the word out that GM has "indeed closed the product gap versus the competition¿. We haven't yet effectively gotten that fact across to the American people."

He added: "Every ad is going to give the consumer a reason to consider our vehicles."

Inside Line says: Lutz — the closest Detroit gets to diva material — gets set to explain why he's playing second fiddle to an unknown. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent