General Motors Corp. is dropping $50 million on a give-away promotion to generate traffic in its showrooms and build awareness.

The automaker plans to give away 1,000 2004 cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles in 56 days. The promotion began yesterday.

Some 5.5 million people are expected to participate in the Hot-Button program, which ends Feb. 29, the company said. Participants play by visiting a dealership and pressing an OnStar button in a designated vehicle. The communications system captures the last four digits of the consumer’s driver’s license, Zip code and home phone number. An OnStar operator will immediately tell them whether they have won.

Last weekend, former NFL star and CBS broadcaster Boomer Esiason kicked off the program on the Sunday CBS pre-game show for Wildcard Weekend. Esiason demonstrated how the game is played and claimed a prize: a 2004 Cadillac SRX to be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The game can be played in English or Spanish.

Media support includes TV, print, Internet and direct mail. The direct mail campaign—mailed in several waves this month targeting 6 million prospects—features information on both the Hot Button and 24-Hour Test Drive programs. The test drive campaign—where consumers can take participating vehicles overnight—was scheduled to end in December but was extended until March due to its success.

“We’re trying to weave existing campaigns into the Hot Button program,” said Monica Neville, senior VP, Momentum North America, Detroit.

McCann Worldgroup, Detroit, handles. Momentum is a division of McCann Worldgroup.

General Motors Corp. is dropping $50 million on a give-away promotion to generate traffic in its showrooms and build awareness.

The automaker plans to give away 1,000 2004 cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles in 56 days. The promotion began yesterday.

Some 5.5 million people are expected to participate in the Hot-Button program, which ends Feb. 29, the company said. Participants play by visiting a dealership and pressing an OnStar button in a designated vehicle. The communications system captures the last four digits of the consumer’s driver’s license, Zip code and home phone number. An OnStar operator will immediately tell them whether they have won.

Last weekend, former NFL star and CBS broadcaster Boomer Esiason kicked off the program on the Sunday CBS pre-game show for Wildcard Weekend. Esiason demonstrated how the game is played and claimed a prize: a 2004 Cadillac SRX to be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The game can be played in English or Spanish.

Media support includes TV, print, Internet and direct mail. The direct mail campaign—mailed in several waves this month targeting 6 million prospects—features information on both the Hot Button and 24-Hour Test Drive programs. The test drive campaign—where consumers can take participating vehicles overnight—was scheduled to end in December but was extended until March due to its success.

“We’re trying to weave existing campaigns into the Hot Button program,” said Monica Neville, senior VP, Momentum North America, Detroit.

McCann Worldgroup, Detroit, handles. Momentum is a division of McCann Worldgroup.