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.

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 campaign 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.

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 here to show the responsive nature of this campaign while still utilizing the imagery of GM vehicles that inspire and engage the reader.