The Sweet Life of a Chevy Girl
Houston mommy bloggers team up with Chevy for promising partnership
Chevrolet has a special place in its corporate heart for the community of bloggers who give honest feedback about the company’s vehicles. Crowned the “Chevy Socialites,” the close-knit group of women share their experiences behind the wheel and beyond on their blogs, covering everything from the trials and tribulations of motherhood to their favorite design element in a Chevy car or truck. It’s a responsibility the women take seriously, and they have plenty of fun along the way.
Dana Clover is known for many things (making funny faces, appearing on Wife Swap) but within the Chevy Socialite circles, she is the voice of the local Facebook and Twitter accounts. An active blogger for the past seven years, Clover has quite an online presence with her site, The Homesteading Housewife, which encompasses takes on motherhood, favorite recipes and everything in between.
Clover is an ideal person to connect others to Chevy through social media, since she owns a social media management company. She believes the work the Chevy Socialites do matters to the decision-makers within the car company.
“I drove a Silverado, and I told them the truck need running boards because it was difficult to get in if you were wearing a dress. I received a personalized letter from the company saying they would use that information,” Clover says. “We feel like we are really being listened to at Chevy.”
She is also impressed at the way Chevy has taken full advantage of social media, incorporating it into its marketing strategies.
“The possibilities are limitless. The way Chevy is embracing social media really is on the cutting edge,” Clover says.
This December marks Shannon Stilwell’s first full year as a Chevy Socialite, and over the past 12 months she has driven both a Chevy Cruze and a Chevy Traverse and recorded her experiences on her blog, Potamus Prefers. The mother of two young boys, Stilwell looks for things like storage for her son’s special needs stroller, as well as safety features. Stilwell takes full advantage of her blog and Twitter to give her assessments.
“I think it's a wonderful word-of-mouth marketing opportunity, because mommy bloggers are honest. If they think a vehicle isn't safe for a child, is cramped or needs a different feature, they aren't afraid of voicing their opinions, unlike a paid commercial advertisement that may be all positive,” Stilwell says.
The opportunity to test drive cars is a definite perk, but Stilwell says there are other benefits as well.
“The perk of being a Chevy Socialite is that I get to know a lot of other mommy bloggers in all of the Chevy markets,” Stilwell says. She most recently drove the Traverse and says that even though she thought it may be too big for her, the features were top notch.
Lori Pace is the voice behind A Day in Motherhood, a blog about mothering three small children while life keeps on spinning. A former stockbroker, Pace began her blog after she and her husband bought a fixer-upper. Between the renovation and motherhood, she needed an outlet.
“I needed a place to talk to adults, so I just started it. It has become a full-time job, but I love it,” Pace says. She connected with Chevy through business2blogger.com nine months ago and has enjoyed a wide range of memorable experiences. Pace test-drove the Chevy Traverse and when her car needed some work, the dealership closest to her said to hold onto the Traverse until her car was available again.
“It’s a perk of being a Chevy Socialite. It’s a cool program, and they really support all of the Chevy community. You have access to their fans and followers and it makes you more known,” Pace says.
Not all of the benefits happen behind the wheel. Pace was invited by Chevy to watch the World Cup Finals from the sidelines when it was in Houston in 2010. And, like other Chevy socialites, Pace values the connection she has with her fellow bloggers.
Love, Life, Family & Then Some pretty much covers the scope of blogger Haley Quarles. She started blogging in February 2007 to connect with other women also juggling children and life in general and found a support system that blew her away.
“I was staying home and going nuts. I had no idea how amazing the blog community was,” Quarles says. “The mom bloggers are a tightly knit group that really helps each other out.”
As a Chevy Socialite, Quarles test-drives vehicles, documenting her experience on her blog. The relationship between Quarles and Chevy has given her a new perspective on the brand.
“I don’t think I would have ever considered a Chevy Traverse, but then I drove it and it is an awesome car,” Quarles says. “We are moms, so we can relate to our readers and give them inside information before they walk into a dealership.”
Quarles says once a Chevy Girl, the bloggers are kept in the loop and included in events and promotions.
“Everybody knows about the Chevy Girls. It is such a positive affiliation,” Quarles says.
