In order for the All-New Silverado to launch successfully in an increasingly competitive market, it needed a campaign that reached a mass audience across vastly different consumer segments. It needed to be authentic to Silverado and the Chevy brand, while attracting those who may not think of a full-size pickup as the vehicle for them.

The objective of the magazine cover takeover was simple: contextually integrate Silverado into nine of the most popular magazines in a way that drives breakthrough with the core and opportunity audiences.

When the pickup market is more competitive than ever and the audience is seeing unprecedented diversification, how does a truck brand effectively break through? The answer: The strategic use of print magazines segmented by lifestyle affinities. No matter where you looked or what you were into, Silverado was front and center. The magazine mix was a diverse collection of publications from the sports-focused ESPN to the auto enthusiast favorite Motor Trend and even to the epicurean Bon Appétit. Integrating Silverado into lifestyle magazines puts the truck in an unexpected yet fitting environment to communicate that the All-New Silverado isn’t for just traditional truck buyers. It’s for everyone.

As the “Truck War” heats up and every major player is on a relentless march to make a better truck year after year, the full-size pickup segment is being forced to expand beyond just the core target and traditional truck buyer to grow the business. This segment is full of brand loyalists, so swaying a Ford or Ram driver to Chevrolet wasn’t going to be easy – new truck buyers were the next frontier in the “Truck War.” Without expanding to these new truck buyers, market share would be lost. Chevy needed a way to speak to its core and opportunity targets in a way that was relevant to the truck and the audience alike, without alienating either of them.

The front covers of nine of the most popular magazines provided the ideal real estate to speak to the entire new generation of truck buyers. Each magazine has highly differentiated audiences – from Silverado loyalists to the breadth of Chevy’s new opportunity target – and allowed for bold creative that seamlessly integrated the personality of the truck and the context of the magazine. Furthermore, the creative execution allowed for several Silverado trim levels to be shown off naturally to a specific audience. Opening up the magazine led to a consistent creative message on the back side of the front cover and the opening spread. The Silverado cover takeover was also promoted on each magazine’s social channels, further extending the reach in an organic way.

Chevy needed to achieve mass reach in a compelling way, and the magazine takeover delivered 14MM impressions across newsstands, in mailboxes, on coffee tables and in waiting rooms. It added to what was already a massive launch campaign in a way that was engaging and unexpected and wasn’t “just another truck ad.” The magazine takeover played an important role in driving awareness that the Silverado was all-new and redesigned. Additionally, imagery from the campaign helped maintain and enhance brand perception and opinion.