GM retracts 'Don't say 'Chevy''

DETROIT, June 10 (UPI) -- U.S. automaker General Motors put an in-house directive in reverse Thursday, backing away from a memo that asked employees to stop saying "Chevy."

The original memo signed by Alan Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, and Jim Campbell, GM vice president for marketing told employees at the corporation's Detroit headquarters "consistency" is important for the Chevrolet brand -- and it would be helpful in that regard to stop referring to Chevrolets at Chevys, The New York Times reported.

The memo said, "In global markets, we are establishing a significant presence for Chevrolet, and need to move toward a consistent brand name."

"When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding," the memo said. "Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer."

Several newspapers pointed out that "Chevy" has been used in GM advertising for decades and GM quickly retracted the directive on Thursday, the Detroit Free Press reported.

GM called the first memo "poorly worded" and said the reaction was proof of "how passionately people feel about Chevrolet."

"We love Chevy. In no way are we discouraging customers or fans from using the name," the second memo said.