You can expect to start seeing a new style of GMC ads starting today laden with the new tagline "Like a Pro." GMC calls it an evolution of the "We Are Professional Grade" slogan they've been using to sell their gussied-up trucks, SUVs, and crossovers.
“Our owners are dedicated individuals, respected by their peers, whose passion and abilities set them apart,” said GMC marketing director Rich Latek of the new ad campaign. “Their values reflect our ‘Professional Grade’ spirit and we look forward to bringing that emotional connection to life. And we’re excited to show how we think our customers live their lives like pros.”
The new ads attempt to make an emotional connection with new and existing GMC customers. They show the lives of upper-middle class GMC drivers going to work, going on outdoor adventures, and picking up small Canyons for their enthusiastic sons.
The new campaign still uses Will Arnett's voice, which does make us think of Gob Bluth and Lego Batman—two characters that do not exactly define "professionalism." This ad also features an unfortunate use of the line "like a boss" which, in case you haven’t heard, is the hottest meme of 2009.
Jokes aside, the new ads do a good job of targeting the right market. The things they show GMC trucks and SUVs doing are the things consumers imagine they often do in real life. There’s little to no emphasis on off-road capability, and there’s no bragging about horsepower or towing capacity, which is actually kind of refreshing in a truck ad. It focuses on how good the products are on their own merits, rather than worrying about one-upsmanship.
Of course, it's also a callback to one of General Motor's most iconic ad campaigns, the "Like a Rock" tagline used on Chevrolet trucks for over a decade starting in 1991. Here’s the new minute-long "Like a Pro" GMC ad.