GM is dead. Long live GM.

Now that the old GM has filed for bankruptcy, the media started talking about the face of the new GM that will emerge from the procedure. The discussion is about which brands will survive, how many dealerships will have to be closed and so on. What not many people talk about is whether consumers will line up to buy GM-made cars in the future.

A big part of the buying decision will be the authenticity of the brand GM that stands behind the vehicle. Today, GM stands for big, traditional American cars. The government pushes a new agenda of higher fuel efficiency and smaller cars. Nobody knows whether the brand GM will be able to adapt, even if the factory floor will. Only if the new-GM brand is believable, then consumers will buy the cars that are being produced. Now would be the time to spend money on smart marketing initiatives to transition people's hearts and minds. Social media could play a critical part in engaging the public. In fact, GM could become the first case study of a major brand transformation using social media.