Solstice early orders were generated by using one of the most watched shows on television – The Apprentice with Donald Trump. Merely advertising on the show wasn’t going to build the enthusiasm and credibility needed to generate the first 1,000 orders; no, the Solstice needed to be integrated into the programme. The apprentice were challenged to create a sales brochure for the Solstice to generate awareness and ultimately sales. The real-life early-order program, that drove viewers to a website and then to retail, was communicated in a commercial adjacent to the Solstice integration in the program.

The promotion delivered against all goals. Over 11M consumers watched the Apprentice episode showcasing the Solstice. The first 1000 Solstices sold out in 41 minutes, generating $20M of revenue for Pontiac. 40,000 consumers went on-line for Solstice early-order certificates, resulting in 5,500 waitlisted orders. Pontiac.com web traffic increased 1400% during the Apprentice airing. Pontiac was so enthusiastic about the winning design that they actually produced it and had it in dealerships when the Apprentice aired. The Solstice now outsells the all new Mazda MX-5 Miata, previously the segment leader.