GM today released a strangely brief press release headed "Designer Isaac Mizrahi Checks Out Chevrolet Malibu Eco".
The statement read, "Renowned fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi knows style when he sees it. Chevrolet's all-new Malibu Eco midsize sedan caught his eye recently while parked outside his studio in New York. The Malibu Eco features a stylish exterior and premium interior with ice blue ambient lighting, soft-touch surfaces and textures, contrasting materials and two-tone colors."
The release concluded with a quick mention of the Malibu's fuel economy (25 mpg city, 37 mpg highway).
Accompanying it were two photos of the nattily-dressed designer and TV personality looking very impressed as he circled the car on what appears to be a downtown Manhattan street.
It could almost pass for a chance encounter, but it was in fact a teaser to what will be an advertising campaign featuring Mizrahi that will hit TV ad spots in the fall.
According to the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, the documentary-style commercials will be shot in four cities - Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami - and will feature a woman from that city acting as a sort of guide to Mizrahi, presumably as they tour in his Malibu Eco.
Casting directors required that the woman be a fashion-conscious local.
GM no doubt hopes that the designer's presence will boost the image of a car that, though just introduced for the 2013 fleet, has come in for bumpy publicity. While the regular Malibu has received positive press, its "mild-hybrid" counterpart was called "The Most Disliked Car of the Year" by Fortune Magazine this month.
The car's detractors claim that it stacks up poorly against other hybrids in terms of value and gas mileage, and also point to sluggish handling and cramped interior space.
A May recall over faulty airbags didn't help.
Maybe Isaac Mizrahi will.
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