General Motors released a statement in October 2002 exposing the questionable business practices of one of its fleet customers. The statement said that Extreme Impact Marketing (EIM) of Coral Springs, FL, marketed and prematurely resold GM vehicles in violation of its signed agreement with the automaker. According to GM, such practices undermine the business relationship between auto manufacturer, dealer, and fleet customer. Earlier in the year, Aaron Oblong, head of Extreme Impact Marketing, approached GM Fleet and Commercial with its business plan and proposition. The plan included the purchase of 500 2003 Chevrolet Duramax Crew Cab pickup trucks, which EIM would use in marketing various products and services on college campuses. The pickups were intended for mobile advertising and to be driven around at college events and other activities to promote prod-ucts and services. Shortly after delivering trucks to EIM, GM learned that EIM was not using the trucks in the manner it agreed to, but instead was immediately remarketing the trucks in Canada and the U.S. EIM used various Web sites and other advertising media to remarket the trucks. Several GM dealers brought the situation to GM’s attention, suspecting the trucks were being sold in violation of GM policy. The dealers reported the specific vehicles, and GM checked the VINs and traced back the trucks to those that had been delivered to Extreme Impact Marketing, and titled to IAW Enterprises, Inc. of Hollywood, FL.
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