”Transformers” was a movie that everyone was looking forward to, including GM. The movie features the brand new 2009 Camaro and GM is hoping Bumblebee, the character that plays the Camaro will be liked by everyone. Their hope paid off. Fans of the cartoon show from the ’80’s were loving the movie and loving Bumblebee.
Bumblebee, the scout of the good-guy Autobots, was disguised as a Volkswagen Beetle in the original series and animated feature. In the live-action movie, he’s a mid-1970s Chevy Camaro that transforms into a Camaro concept car. Why the change? Movie director Michael Bay wanted the muscle car to avoid any comparisons to another screen Beetle, Herbie the Love Bug.
And while the catchphrase from the original “Transformers” was “Transform and roll out!,” for the new movie it could be “Transform and sell out!” About 10 of this summer’s big movies have toy and product tie-ins, but nothing at the toy counter or cash register beats “Transformers.” Hasbro, which owns the trademark and started selling the action figures in 1984, made more than 200 deals licensing spinoff products from the movie. The most visible deal might be the one with General Motors. At a an undisclosed price, it put four GM vehicles into the cast.
Ratchet and Ironhide, Autobots that originally were Nissan vans, are a modified Hummer H2 and a GMC Topkick pickup truck, respectively. Jazz, originally a Porsche, is a Pontiac Solstice. Bumblebee won’t reach showrooms until 2009. Chevy discontinued the Camaro in 2002, but recently announced its return. “The first time I saw the new Camaro, I knew immediately that it would be the perfect Bumblebee,” Bay said.
GM, which supplied more than 60 vehicles for the movie, built its summer promotion and marketing campaign around the film, with a game that transforms the entire Chevy line. One of two prominent non-GM vehicles in the movie is Optimus Prime, a Peterbilt 379 big rig, which ended production in March. The other is Barricade, an evil Decepticon. It’s a Mustang. Which just happens to be a Ford.
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