GM Marketer's Ouster May Be Tied to U.K. Football Deal

General Motors Co. has dismissed Joel Ewanick, the global chief marketing officer it hired with much fanfare 27 months ago. The company says Ewanick "failed to meet the expectations the company has of an employee."

GM has named Alan Batey, vice president of U.S. sales and services, to fill the post until Ewanick's replacement is chosen.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified sources, says Ewanick was fired for not properly vetting the financial details of a European football sponsorship. Chevrolet signed a five-year deal in late May to be the official auto sponsor of football giant Manchester United. Last week the brand made a similar four-year agreement with the Liverpool club.

GM hired Ewanick, a former Hyundai Motor Co. advertising whiz, as U.S. marketing chief in May 2010 and promoted him to the global job in December. During his tenure, Ewanick orchestrated a massive shakeup of the company's marketing staff, a near-complete turnover of advertising agencies and then a consolidation of those that remained.

The company's market share has tumbled 1.8 points year over year to 18.1% in the first half of this year. The "Chevy Runs Deep" campaign for GM's biggest brand has fallen flat.

Marketing is the latest unit GM has shaken up this month. The company replaced the head of its Opel unit in mid-July, then overhauled global design and last week revamped its global product development structure.