NEW YORK - General Motors Co ousted its global marketing chief Joel Ewanick a little more than two years after he joined the company, the largest US automaker said on Sunday.

"He failed to meet the expectations that the company has for its employees," GM spokesman Greg Martin said. He declined to elaborate.

In a statement, GM said Ewanick's departure was effective immediately. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Alan Batey, the head of US sales and service.

Ewanick, 52, who did not return phone calls on Sunday, was named vice president and head of GM's US marketing in May 2010 and was promoted to global chief marketing officer in December 2010. He joined GM from Nissan North America, where he served briefly as vice president and chief marketing officer. Before that, Ewanick spent three years as vice president of marketing for Hyundai Motor America.

In an official company biography, GM said Ewanick "was responsible for improving the positioning of the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands and consumer consideration of GM vehicles in the United States."

Ewanick pulled GM's paid advertising from Facebook earlier this year and announced recently that the automaker would not be advertising during the Super Bowl in 2013. Both moves were regarded as controversial both within and outside of GM.

Under Ewanick, GM also consolidated its global advertising and marketing, in a move intended to save the company billions of dollars over the next five years.