DETROIT, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Saab Cars USA reaches back to its unique
aircraft roots as the foundation for a new advertising campaign created with
Lowe New York.  The all-new "Born From Jets" campaign launches this month and
supports the most aggressive product portfolio expansion in Saab's 58-year
history as an automaker.
   The fully integrated campaign comprises national broadcast and cable,
national and regional print ads, regional radio, outdoor boards, point of
sale, interactive, direct mail and nationwide promotional activities.
   The objective of the "Born From Jets" campaign is to raise awareness of
the storied Swedish carmaker as a premium brand that offers aircraft-inspired
design and performance.  To that end, it will launch with a 30-hour "burst" of
media activity beginning on Oct. 23, 2005 that promises to deliver 75 million
impressions in the all-important 25-54 age group.
   Saab Cars USA general manager Jay Spenchian says Saab has genuine
performance credentials, but that too few people are aware of this premium
European brand.  On top of that, Saab must set itself apart from other car
makers that claim "performance" as their brand promise.  Spenchian says by
reaching into Saab's history, his team arrived at a solution that addresses
both issues.
   "Saab is an acronym for 'Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget,' or Swedish
Aircraft Company," he said.  "The company began to build airplanes in 1937,
and when it turned to cars ten years later, the spirit of the jets that Saab
built at the time carried over in the vehicles' design, performance, safety
features and ergonomics.
   "Jets are inherently cool -- they represent speed, control, safety,
quality and reliability.  Saab is the only car company that can claim such a
heritage.  Nobody else can say 'what our founding engineers knew about thrust
and power inspired us to build a more exciting vehicle' or 'what they knew
about keeping pilots alive inspired us to build a safer vehicle.'  This is
unique to Saab and it really resonates with potential customers."
   All versions of the "Born From Jets" campaign will contain two lines of
copy that recall the aircraft link: "Saab was founded by 16 aircraft
engineers, and their spirit lives on" and "When you used to build jets, you
don't just build another vehicle."  The copy also contains proof points -- for
example, the fuel-efficient 250-hp V6 turbo in 9-3 Aero models or Displacement
on Demand which increases the fuel efficiency of the V8-powered 9-7X SUV.
   The TV spots are a high-energy combination of actual photography and the
latest technology computer-generated imagery.
   The first spot to air, "Delta Formation," shows a fleet of Saab Gripen jet
fighters performing aerobatic maneuvers over a desert.  As the shot cuts to
the ground, we see a speeding Saab 9-3, while back in the sky the jets make a
delta formation.  With highly orchestrated precision they fly over the Saab
until, seen from high above, the 9-3 leads the tip of the formation.
   The voiceover says, "Saab was founded by 16 aircraft engineers.  Their
spirit lives on."  As the 9-3 storms through a cloud of dust, two attendants
flag it in with air crew paddles and the car pulls into a driveway.  The
voiceover continues, "When you used to build jets, you don't build just
another car."
   The tagline reads, "Saab.  Born From Jets."  Different versions of this
spot will feature each car in the 9-3 range -- Convertible, Sport Sedan and
SportCombi, an all-new 5-door version arriving in November 2005.
   The second TV spot, titled "Transformer," features the new 9-7X, Saab's
first SUV.  Additional spots are planned for early 2006 to launch new versions
of Saab's flagship vehicles, the 9-5 Sedan and SportCombi.
   "We are all proud of the 'Born From Jets' campaign," said Mark Wnek,
chairman and chief creative officer of Lowe New York.  "It draws on a unique
aspect of Saab's heritage to tell a compelling story and to increase people's
awareness of this exciting premium brand."
   Born from Jets Media Plan (30-hour "burst")
   Sunday, Oct. 23
   7:00 p.m.    NBC    Dateline
   8:00 p.m.    ABC    Extreme Home Makeover
   9:00 p.m.    CBS    Sunday Night Movie
   10:00 p.m.   NBC    Crossing Jordan

   Monday, Oct. 24
   8:00 p.m.    NBC    Surface
   9:00 p.m.    ABC    Monday Night Football
                NBC    Las Vegas
                FOX    Prison Break
   10:00 p.m.   NBC    Medium
   Late         CBS    David Letterman
                NBC    Tonight Show with Jay Leno
                ABC    Jimmy Kimmel
                NBC    Conan O'Brien

   Cable Networks
   A&E, BBC, Biography, Bravo, Comedy Central, E!, Fine Living, Food Network,
Fox News, MSNBC, National Geographic, TLC, Travel Channel
   Magazines
   Conde Nast Traveler, Automobile, Autoweek, Car and Driver, Bon Appetit,
Food and Wine, The New Yorker, Coastal Living, Elle Decor, Golf Digest, Golf
for Women, National Geographic Adventure, Runner's World, Ski
   National Newspapers
   New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal
   Lowe Worldwide was founded in London in 1981, with a handful of people and
the ambition to build a top global agency through producing effective, high
quality creative advertising.  Today, the group has earned an enviable
reputation for building powerful brands for an outstanding roster of global
clients which includes Unilever, Electrolux, Johnson & Johnson and Nestle.
The agency has positioned itself as the "next generation growth network" and
capitalizes on the strength of individual "lighthouses," empowering them to be
the expert or leader in their market.  http://www.loweworldwide.com
   Saab is a division of General Motors Corp.  Saab Cars USA is the importer
and/or distributor of Saab 9-2X, 9-3, 9-5 and 9-7X automobiles for Saab
Automobile AB, Sweden.  For more information, please visit
http://www.saabusa.com
SOURCE  General Motors Corporation

Tom Beaman, Manager, Communications of Saab Cars USA, +1-313-667-6602,
tom.beaman@gm.com ; or Hollie Geren, Senior Vice President Corporate
Communications of Lowe New York, +1-212-605-8109,
hollie.geren@loweworldwide.com