CE Retail Launched for Chevrolet Dealer Groups

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 8 CE Retail has begun operations to
assist Chevrolet local dealer groups in growing consumer traffic and sales.
Building on the success of General Motors' initial pilot phase, CE Retail is
the result of efforts by GM and its dealers to work together in the local
marketplace to increase share of voice and, in turn, market share.
    "Our goal is to provide Chevy dealers across the country with the best
advertising and marketing communications in the business," said CE Retail
Executive Vice President and Managing Director Mark Bellissimo.  Bellissimo
announced that veteran retail automotive executive Dan Fletcher will join him
as executive vice president and managing director, and Steve Pitsillos has
been named executive vice president, creative director for the group.
    Fletcher joins CE Retail from General Motors R*Works, where he was vice
president, managing director, with responsibility for managing event
sponsorship and site-based and promotional marketing for all GM divisions in
the Western region.  Previously, he was part of the J.W. Messner, Los Angeles,
retail automotive team as co-president responsible for all Western account and
business operations.  Fletcher also gained broad client account experience at
Doe-Anderson Advertising, Louisville, Ky.; Young & Rubicam, Cedar Rapids,
Iowa; and Campbell-Ewald, Detroit.  He holds a bachelor of science degree from
Iowa State University.
    "The promise we're making to dealers is in our name -- retail," Fletcher
said.  "We're paying that off with experienced retail executives in each of
our regional offices."
    Pitsillos was previously senior vice president, creative director at
Campbell-Ewald, Detroit, where he was responsible for the creative strategy
and direction for Chevrolet's regional advertising initiatives.  An award
winning creative director, Pitsillos joined Campbell-Ewald in 1994 and
previously supervised the creative product for Ford's Great Lakes regional
advertising account at J. Walter Thompson, Detroit.  He holds a bachelor of
general studies degree in economics and communications from the University of
Michigan.
    Indianapolis dealers were among the first of Chevrolet's major advertising
markets to sign-on with CE Retail.  "Chevrolet's local dealer marketing
program had to happen," said Bill Estes of Bill Estes Chevrolet, Indianapolis.
"And it took eight giant steps forward with the creation of a dedicated shop
like CE Retail, headed by a highly experienced retail guy like Dan Fletcher.
He understands the dealer mentality and brings an intensity and urgency to the
table that dealers respect."
    New creative is currently breaking in markets including New York and
Las Vegas, and will continue to be developed and adapted for local markets as
dealer groups sign-up.
    Headquartered in Southfield, Mich., CE Retail is a division of Campbell-
Ewald dedicated to local Chevrolet dealer groups with five regional offices
across the country and several field offices.

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