Yahoo touts virtual Pontiac car club

Dubbed "[URL=http://pontiacunderground.autos.yahoo.com/]Pontiac Underground[/URL]", the site also hosts the official blog for Pontiac, which will be called "Inside Track."

Pontiac Underground will have Pontiac-related photos from Yahoo's Flickr photo-sharing site, film clips from Yahoo Video, links from Yahoo's Delicious bookmark site, and questions and answers from Yahoo Answers, all of which feature user-contributed content. Users also can swap road stories and buying tips via Yahoo Groups, Pontiac car clubs and other sources from around the Web that will be listed on the site.

Potential auto buyers rely on other people to help them choose which car to buy, according to a recent Yahoo Autos study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. Ninety-four percent of respondents who use the Web said they believe consumer-generated content is an important source when making buying decisions, the study found.

Yahoo, which has been de-emphasizing original content and downsizing its entertainment division with the departure of ex-ABC executive Lloyd Braun, is turning to consumers to create communities around specific brands.

The site was designed in partnership with interactive agency Digitas.

Credits: ifconfig