Oldsmobile

Oldsmobile's 2004 discontinuation ended the oldest American automotive brand after 106 years. The division that had pioneered automatic transmission and front-wheel drive became redundant in GM's brand portfolio. Oldsmobile customers aged while the brand couldn't attract younger buyers. Sales collapsed from 1.1 million in 1985 to 270,000 by 2000. GM's 'Not Your Father's Oldsmobile' campaign acknowledged and couldn't solve the generational problem. Oldsmobile demonstrated that brands aging with their customer base eventually die.