General Motors is ousting its Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick, according to a news report.
The Wall Street Journal ‘cited unnamed people familiar with the situation’ as saying that Ewanick has taken heat from executives and company outsiders recently for high-profile moves, including a decision to stop paid advertising on social network Facebook.
The move by GM CEO Dan Akerson is the latest in a series of executive dismissals as the company restructures its operations, the Journal said.
Ewanick was named the vice president and global chief marketing officer in December 2010, after he joined the company in May 2010 as marketing head for its North America unit.
At General Motors, Ewanick was responsible its brands globally, ensuring consistent representation for all brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Opel and Vauxhall, and was the single point for marketing.
GM was Facebook’s third-largest advertiser in the US after AT&T and Procter & Gamble. GM reportedly spent about $10 million last year to advertise on Facebook.
Further, Ewanick had announced that General Motors would stop advertising in next year’s Super Bowl and was also heading Chevrolet’s controversial “Chevy Runs Deep” campaign.
Ewanick came to General Motors from Nissan North America, where he served as vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer. He had earlier served as vice president of marketing for Hyundai Motor America, where he was known for marketing efforts that helped power Hyundai’s growth in the U.S.
Prior to his three-year tenure at Hyundai, Ewanick held executive positions at Hinckley Co., Monitor Clipper Partners, Palmer Johnson, Porsche Cars North America, Saatchi Saatchi Team One Advertising and Yamaha Motor Corp.
