Of Course GM Sells Corvettes to Influencers First (Aka, How to Create Future Customers for Free)

If you sold halo sports cars, would you pass up free advertising from influencers for some guy who goes to cars n’ coffee once a week?

YouTube. A highly-popular medium for the automotive enthusiast world. And a massive double-edged sword. Who among us doesn’t watch and enjoy certain automotive channels? And who doesn’t loathe click baiters and fake-happy fools who breathlessly spread rumors as news? Which brings us to the topic of social media influencers getting cars like the 2023 Corvette Z06 before regular customers, which has stirred up quite a bit of controversy recently.

Regardless, it’s pretty clear that General Motors sees influencers as a great way to attract future Corvette customers without spending a dime.

That much is obvious after sifting through this CorvetteForum thread, which asks a simple question – how much influence do social media influencers really have on car shoppers? The answer, at least as to how that pertains to enthusiasts, is very little. If you’re already a member of the most popular Corvette community on the internet, and you have the means, of course, you’re going to want the Best New Corvette Ever Made.

CorvetteForum members don’t need anyone to film themselves revving an engine in a tunnel to know the Z06 is special. So it’s understandable why folks waiting for a Z06 are frustrated to see the first batch of deliveries heading to influencers like James Condon (Stradman), Emelia Hartford and Austin Everett (Speed Phenom). Not to knock those folks, of course, but we understand how the situation can look and feel a bit like line-cutting.

But here’s what folks are missing (or ignoring)…

1. Insiders and/or celebrities always get hot new vehicles first. But before social media, very few people noticed, so the situation seemed “fair.” (It wasn’t and will never be.)
2. Influencers are also paying customers. Sure, they have sponsors and (some) get free parts for builds and modifications, but GM isn’t giving away Z06s for free or even a discount.
3. GM’s goal isn’t just to sell cars today; it’s to sell cars tomorrow, next year, and for decades.

As we mentioned above, GM clearly sees influencers as a means to an end. Free advertising. Brand building. Awareness. Because, and pardon the strawman argument, if you sold halo sports cars, would you want the first customers to share your car with millions of people (for FREE)? Or would you rather some very nice person bought a weekend toy they take to cars n’ coffee on the weekends while making an occasional forum post?

Seriously, what customer is more valuable?

Remember, the Corvette isn’t just a sports car. GM’s goal isn’t just to sell a few thousand of them every year. The Corvette is a freakin’ mission statement about engineering and capability and cool factor… born to create Chevy and GM and Cadillac customers. And how does GM place Corvette posters on the literal walls and into the hearts of kids and teenagers so that, when they grow up, they’ll want to become C10 Corvette and Silverado buyers?

Enter the influencer with legions of younger fans who aren’t your typical Corvette owner or buyer. Maybe these fans never even considered buying a General Motors anything…

And then one day they see their favorite YouTubers take delivery of something truly magical like the Z06. For me, it was the Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, and Bullitt that made me an enthusiast. For younger generations of all ages, now is the time for them to fall in love with the brands they’ll chase the rest of their lives.

GM knows CorvetteForum members are going to buy Corvettes. You already fell in love.

But what about everyone else? What about future generations? Those folks probably aren’t convinced that the Corvette is the sports car they should buy, so having people like Hartford and Everett – who actually use their cars, take them to the track, and modify them – is a great way to do just that.

And as we’ve already noted, it’s also free. In the past, if you want to build brand awareness, you had to pay for it. Television. Newspapers. Racing teams. And here in 2022, you can sell cars to paying customers who are going to make you and your car look like the coolest thing ever made… all because you let them jump to the front of the line.

We understand why it’s frustrating for those at the back of the line. But it’s also a genius move on GM’s part, one that will most certainly pay off in a big way for years to come.

Photos: Chevrolet

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