GM PAC Annual Campaigns

The PAC for General Motors (GM PAC) tasks Sagac Public Affairs with crafting an annual campaign combining education and solicitation for donations. In preparation for this campaign, the team brainstorms campaign themes, selecting their strongest ideas to present in a themes presentation to the GM PAC team. These presentations cover the data that drives the ideas, the proposed creative direction of the campaign, as well as proposed copy direction and cadence. During these presentations, I would outline the design philosophy guiding the creative direction options, explain the function of elements within the design concepts, and reinforce the importance of brevity in email communication from a visual and psychological perspective.

Once GM PAC selects a theme direction, the copy team begins to draft the campaign copy while I design the visuals for the campaign. Each design utilizes imagery of GM vehicles from their brand library. I also pull design direction elements from GM marketing materials, creating a visually cohesive experience for the GM employees receiving these communications. Everything follows the GM branding guidelines, including colors, typography, and brand voice, while still providing a dynamic, engaging campaign that informs and encourages potential donors.

2024 — Protecting Our Lane

2024 Themes Presentation to GM PAC

In 2024, we provided two very different directions to the GM PAC team, one with a focus on legacy and one with a focus on the future. Safety and protectionism were two primary themes that we had discovered resonated with the employees of GM through survey data analysis. The legacy campaign would utilize historical imagery related to the safety innovations that GM had led the industry in implementing over the years. The campaign copy would tie this focus on safety with the importance of protecting the interests of GM and the auto industry as a whole through issue advocacy within Congress. The forward-focused campaign utilized the strong imagery and color palette found in the current Cadillac marketing campaigns.

Final 2024 Campaign

Ultimately, GM asked for a combination of the two themes, resulting in the Protecting Our Lane campaign. They wanted a focus on their GMC line of pickup trucks, so we created an animated GIF banner image that was used on all of the emails. We utilized imagery from all four of GM’s automotive divisions, starting with GMC in the first email and then on to Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac. These designs were bold and colorful, utilizing imagery of vehicles currently in production, tying the efforts of GM employees and the products they produce with the efforts of the PAC and how the efforts of the PAC benefit employees, GM, and the industry.

This email had a direct impact on a blockbuster fundraising year for GM PAC and paved the way for GM PAC to raise an impactful $3 million for the election cycle. This campaign won two 2025 Bronze Pollie Awards: Overall Best Fundraising Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division and Best Fundraising for Independent Committee, PAC, or Super PAC.

2025 — Driving Forward Together

2025 Themes Presentation to GM PAC

In 2025, we continued with two distinct theme options, focusing on safety in one theme and protectionism in the other, derived from our analysis of survey data of GM employee motivations. In addition to these themes of safety and protectionism, we wanted to focus on connecting GM government affairs’ advocacy efforts to the GM employee so they can understand how these efforts affect them in their day-to-day roles. I designed shield logos for each campaign that reinforce the central message and unify the campaign. Steering Toward Safety puts the reader into the driver’s seat, featuring imagery of hands on GM steering wheels. Policy That Protects features imagery of the safety features of GM vehicles radiating out, highlighting the technology and innovation within. Each of these campaigns would be built as responsive HTML email campaigns, creating emails that are more dynamic and engaging than previous campaigns that featured single, static image emails.

Final 2025 Campaign

GM PAC leadership liked elements from both proposed campaigns, but ultimately decided they wanted to focus on their driver assist feature specifically with the theming of this campaign. We developed Driving Forward. Together. Featuring a hero image of the driver assist system light activating on the steering wheel, accompanied by a campaign logo that also featured the green light of the driver assist feature. The emails themselves are clean, bold, simple, and to the point, engaging the reader quickly with the pertinent information.

2026 — Built On Tradition

2026 Themes Presentation to GM PAC

For 2026, GM had new PAC managers in place who wanted to produce a bold campaign that was engaging visually. We leaned into the hero GIF image concept that we had previously produced, utilizing dynamic video imagery. The team was excited with the three concepts that we presented: It’s Time to Roll, Built on Tradition: Powered By You, and Driving to Win. Each of these campaigns offered in-your-face imagery focusing on the speed, power, and excitement of GM vehicles, emphasizing the importance of connecting the employee to the efforts of the PAC. Each of these campaigns would again be built as responsive HTML campaigns. We wanted to reintegrate more of the imagery of previous campaigns that were missed from the 2025 campaign, putting GM vehicles at the forefront.

Final 2026 Campaign

GM PAC decided to go forward with the Built on Tradition: Powered by You campaign. This featured a bold hero GIF of a vintage Chevy Camaro with a new Chevy Performance crate engine under the hood, intercut with the GM employees hand-building that crate engine. This GIF clearly and concisely told the story of the campaign before even getting to the copy, preparing the reader for the message ahead. I have included the actual HTML emails below to show the responsive nature of this campaign while still utilizing the imagery of GM vehicles that inspire and engage the reader.

GM_BuiltOnTradition1
GM employees are the foundation of our success.

Honoring Our Roots, Driving Forward

For more than a century, GM has been powered by people who believe in the quality of our products — the same quality that underpins future innovation, growth, and leadership across the auto industry. That same spirit drives GM PAC, helping protect what we've built while shaping what comes next.

What is GM PAC?

GM PAC is our bipartisan, employee-funded political action committee. It gives GM employees a voice in supporting candidates and elected officials whose policies impact:

  • Our workforce;
  • Our customers; and
  • Our ability to innovate, compete, and grow.

By participating in GM PAC, employees support candidates who will help preserve our legacy while paving the way for the future of our industry. Because 2026 is a midterm election year, your participation is more important than ever.

Coming soon: a closer look under the hood of GM PAC, including how it works, why it matters, and how you can get involved.
Learn More

Contributions to GM PAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to the GM PAC will be used for political purposes in connection with federal and state elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Under federal law, the maximum permitted individual contribution to a political action committee is $5,000 per calendar year. All contributions to the GM PAC are voluntary. Eligible employees have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal, and any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions. You may give more or less, or not at all. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount contributed or the decision of whether to contribute. The deduction you select will continue until you elect to have it discontinue. Please note that federal law requires political action committees to report the name, mailing address, employer and occupation for each individual whose total contributions to the PAC exceed $200 in a calendar year, and such information is public record. Contributions from foreign nationals, or permanent residents (green card holders) not residing in the U.S., are prohibited. For further information on the GM PAC privacy statement, please visit gmpac.com.
GM_BuiltOnTradition2
How advocacy helps keep GM competitive today and prepared for what's next.

Policy in the Driver's Seat

At GM, success is engineered from the start. An important aspect of our success is our ability to advocate — or in other words, educate elected officials. Elected officials, such as members of Congress, state policymakers, governors, and other stakeholders, are decision makers with the ability to enact policies that dictate how the auto industry operates.

The Road Ahead

Policy decisions influence GM's ability to lead the auto industry. Some key areas steering our competitiveness in 2026 include:

  • Growing U.S. Manufacturing and Strengthening Our Foundations: Championing policies that support American jobs, resilient supply chains, and the communities where we live and work.
  • Shaping the Future of EVs and New Technologies: Ensuring clear and supportive rules that help our teams bring cleaner, smarter vehicles to life.
  • Advancing Safety, Trust, and the Customer Experience: Promoting strong safety standards, thoughtful technology deployment, and simple, consistent privacy protections that give customers confidence in every GM vehicle.

By participating in GM PAC, employees support candidates who will help preserve our legacy while paving the way for the future of our industry. Because 2026 is a midterm election year, your participation is more important than ever.

When you participate in GM PAC, you add your voice to the thousands of others in our company who care about maintaining our leadership and competitive edge in the industry.
Learn More

Contributions to GM PAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to the GM PAC will be used for political purposes in connection with federal and state elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Under federal law, the maximum permitted individual contribution to a political action committee is $5,000 per calendar year. All contributions to the GM PAC are voluntary. Eligible employees have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal, and any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions. You may give more or less, or not at all. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount contributed or the decision of whether to contribute. The deduction you select will continue until you elect to have it discontinue. Please note that federal law requires political action committees to report the name, mailing address, employer and occupation for each individual whose total contributions to the PAC exceed $200 in a calendar year, and such information is public record. Contributions from foreign nationals, or permanent residents (green card holders) not residing in the U.S., are prohibited. For further information on the GM PAC privacy statement, please visit gmpac.com.
GM_BuiltOnTradition3
How GM PAC's mechanics convert participation into results.

Precision in Every Turn

Just like a high-performance engine, GM PAC runs on careful calibration. Every contribution, every evaluation, and every decision is designed to keep GM's political engagement operating at peak efficiency — protecting our legacy and powering what comes next.

Every Decision is Engineered for Impact

Here's how your participation translates into action:

  1. Contributions

    2. Eligible members make voluntary contributions to GM PAC. Contributions pool together to create a larger, more powerful fund than any single effort could achieve.

  2. Steering Committee Evaluation

    3. The GM PAC Steering Committee reviews local, state, and federal candidates using core, business-focused criteria:

    1. Connection to GM facilities and employees within their district or state;
    2. Positions in leadership or on key legislative committees; and
    3. Alignment with policies critical to GM and the auto industry.
  3. Alignment with GM Values

    4. A candidate's words and actions must align with GM's stated corporate values, in addition to meeting core evaluation criteria.

  4. Bipartisan Support

    5. We must work across party lines, with both Democratic and Republican leaders, to maintain GM's influence and ensure our objectives are advanced.

  5. Driving Success

    6. GM remains competitive, innovative, and positioned to win in every lane of the industry.
Learn More

Contributions to GM PAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to the GM PAC will be used for political purposes in connection with federal and state elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Under federal law, the maximum permitted individual contribution to a political action committee is $5,000 per calendar year. All contributions to the GM PAC are voluntary. Eligible employees have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal, and any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions. You may give more or less, or not at all. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount contributed or the decision of whether to contribute. The deduction you select will continue until you elect to have it discontinue. Please note that federal law requires political action committees to report the name, mailing address, employer and occupation for each individual whose total contributions to the PAC exceed $200 in a calendar year, and such information is public record. Contributions from foreign nationals, or permanent residents (green card holders) not residing in the U.S., are prohibited. For further information on the GM PAC privacy statement, please visit gmpac.com.
GM_BuiltOnTradition4
Our people are the power behind GM PAC.

Fueled by You, For You

Across every lane, GM PAC turns participation into tangible results, but we can't do it without you.

Participation in GM PAC is voluntary, and we are committed to making it a program you take pride in and want to support.

All new GM PAC members will be entered into a drawing with a chance to win a small gift as a token of our appreciation. We invite you to stay tuned for additional perks of membership, as we gear up for what is promising to be a pivotal campaign year.

Fuel Our Results
Join GM PAC Today
Learn More

Contributions to GM PAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions to the GM PAC will be used for political purposes in connection with federal and state elections and are subject to the prohibitions and limitations of the Federal Election Campaign Act. Under federal law, the maximum permitted individual contribution to a political action committee is $5,000 per calendar year. All contributions to the GM PAC are voluntary. Eligible employees have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal, and any guidelines for contributing are merely suggestions. You may give more or less, or not at all. You will not be favored or disadvantaged by reason of the amount contributed or the decision of whether to contribute. The deduction you select will continue until you elect to have it discontinue. Please note that federal law requires political action committees to report the name, mailing address, employer and occupation for each individual whose total contributions to the PAC exceed $200 in a calendar year, and such information is public record. Contributions from foreign nationals, or permanent residents (green card holders) not residing in the U.S., are prohibited. For further information on the GM PAC privacy statement, please visit gmpac.com.
© Brian Kurklin 2026
   © Brian Kurklin 2026