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August 22, 2005
GM and Chrysler Are Cheating
I recently put in the registration feature for comments in my blog (I turned on "Accept Comments From Registered Vistors" in Movable Type, my blogging platform) because I was getting 25, sometimes 40 comments a day from bots, mostly online poker, Viagra, and other drugs. The only way to stop this unwanted inundation was by asking people to register. I also turned off getting returns by TrackBack pings (I unchecked the "'Allow TrackBack Pings' On By Default" box) because I got three or four TrackBack spams from Chrysler for a 300 sedan and from GM for a Buick LaSabre. It’s fascinating that Chrysler and GM have found a way to manipulate blogging functionality to try to sell cars. I’m pissed, but I guess they are desperate.
In Business Week’s July 22nd Special Report, "The Best Global Brands," (I'd link to it, but it's no longer available unless you're a www.businessweek.com subscriber), of the worldwide car manufacturers, Toyota was #9, Mercedes-Benz #11, BMW #16, Honda #19, Ford #22, Volkswagen #56, Porsche # 76, Audi, #79, Hyundai #84, and Nissan #85. No GM or any of its brands and no Chrysler or any of its brands were in the top 100. The only American car company on the list was Ford.
GM and Chrysler aren't going to get on the top 100 global brands list by sending spam via Trackbacks to bloggers, a desperate, unethical tactic. Bloggers of the world unite and tell GM and Chrysler and any other company that sends spam via comments or TrackBacks to stop it.
Posted by Charles Warner at August 22, 2005 05:55 PM
Comments
Niall Kennedy ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mediacurmudgeon.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 24, 2005 02:41 PM writes:
No, I am not a reseller just a fan of telling a correct story before accusations fly. It is really difficult for a company to track down everyone benefitting from the use of their brand or brands to market in harmful ways or even sell a false product. One good way to get the companies to change is to track down the affiliate or affiliate network and report them to the proper company.
Media Curmudgeon at August 24, 2005 01:51 PM writes:
Niall - You make a very intelligent and cogent point. The unwanted TrackBack pings for Chrysler and GM cars probably did come from resellers like those that send spam for online poker and Viagra, but because I don't know who the resellers are and can't badger them, I'm heckling the OEMs. Even if I did know how to reach the resellers, they would pay no attention.
The only way to stop the unwanted intrusion is to point out the hateful practice and blame the manufacturers in hopes that if they get enough complaints they will stop using unscrupulous resellers.
Just curious, are you a reseller?
Niall Kennedy at August 24, 2005 01:07 PM writes:
What makes you think this unwanted marketing came straight from GM or Chrysler? When a company produces a popular product there are bound to be resellers trying to benefit from the buzz. We see this with drugs such as Viagra but the unwanted blog marketing is not coming direct from Pfizer.
Media Curmudgeon at August 23, 2005 08:54 PM writes:
Bill Grimes sent a comment via e-mail:
"Excellent and helpful discovery."
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