Taste-less Luxury

Lavish parties, tours aim to build auto brand loyalty
GM lures Hummer owners with a concert, Jeep tries with off-road courses and Lexus gives guests a 'taste.'

By Ed Garsten / The Detroit News

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The clouds were as thick and foreboding as the kind of impassable muck the tricked-out Hummer vehicles on display in front of the Anaheim Convention Center Arena were built to traverse.

But even a rare, late October Southern California downpour couldn't douse the turnout of invited Hummer owners and their guests for free sushi, burgers, beer and a private concert and autograph session with hip-hop hit makers Black Eyed Peas -- all on General Motors Corp.'s tab.

Automobile clubs are really all the rage as the brand loyalty fires are stoked with illusion of exclusivity.

As a confirmed pedestrian, I don't get the whole automobile pride thing. Does anyone out there belong to an auto club? Care to defend your membership?

A