|
News and Industry Features
|
Report: 38% of consumers will drive to get best deal
Thirty-eight percent of U.S. auto buyers are willing to drive more than an hour for their best deal, underscoring the importance of aggressive advertising by dealers, the Fall 2009 Ad-ology Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey suggested. It also found online media is now more influential than social or traditional media on auto purchasing/leasing decisions, reports Rbr.com.Manufacturer Web sites influenced nearly half of recent purchasers, according to the study. Search results and online video were also influential, and nearly twice as many males as females reported influence from online video. Traditional media is still influential for automotive sales. Newspaper was the most influential traditional media overall, particularly so for older demographics, Asians, and African Americans. Social media had the most effect on buyers under the age of 54, females, and higher-income consumers. Auto purchasers who use Twitter say social networks influenced their purchase more than users of other social networks.
|
 ""
|
The Top 10 Initiatives to Implement in 2010
What they are, how to implement them and how to measure your success
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
|
Never Fly Solo
Learn how to recommit to the ‘core wingman values’ of integrity, service, and excellence
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
|
|
Edmunds: Oct. sales on track for 10M SAAR
With another week gone by, October sales look to be on track for Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate (SAAR) in the low 10 million range, according to the latest data from Edmunds.com, which issues a more detailed forecast later this week. General Motors' market share, which in the early going of the month stood at 22.4 percent, has slipped slightly to 21.7 percent in the latest Edmunds.com analysis. In terms of sales by segments, the market appears to be returning to a pre-Cash for Clunkers equilibrium between large SUVs and trucks compared with small cars.Sales of compact cars during this summer's Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) program, in full swing in late July and August, soared. Market share for the segment in August shot up to 23.5 percent. Edmunds.com's analysis shows the segment falling back to 15.3 percent this month, nearly on par with the 15.9 percent before the Clunker program. Analysts late last week forecast 2010 sales may be up as much as 15 percent.
|
 ""
|
Ford picks China’s Geely as preferred Volvo bidder
Ford Motor Co. narrowed talks on the sale of its Volvo Car unit to one bidder, a consortium led by China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Bloomberg News reports. Ford will be holding more “detailed and focused negotiations with Geely,” having chosen the Chinese company as the “preferred bidder,” the U.S. carmaker said in a statement today. Ford hasn’t resolved concerns about protecting intellectual property, said a person familiar with the talks. “Geely has the potential to be a responsible future owner of Volvo and to take the business forward while preserving its core values and the independence of the Swedish brand,” Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said. Ford has no plan to retain a stake in Volvo and has “no specific timeline” to conclude the discussions, it said.
|
GM runs over Publicis earnings
The post-bankrupt General Motors continues to have a major impact on earnings at Publicis Groupe, although the carmaker is apparently paying its bills on time, MediaPost reports. For North America in the third quarter, organic revenue for the holding company -- which buys media for GM via Starcom MediaVest Group -- dropped 5.3%. By comparison, if GM's results were stripped out, the decline would be 2.3%. On a conference call to discuss 3Q results, CEO Maurice Levy said Publicis expects organic revenue to continue to drop in the fourth quarter, due to GM curtailing spending. But he expressed optimism results could improve if some of GM's new launches -- such as Buick models, for which agency Leo Burnett has worked on creative -- sell well. That could persuade GM to increase Buick investments.
|
Ford rises, Chrysler falters in key quality survey
Ford Motor Co has made the most progress in improving vehicle quality among major automakers, while Chrysler ranks at the bottom of the industry for reliability, according to an annual Consumer Reports survey released on Tuesday, Reuters reports. Asian automakers dominated the magazine's influential list of recommended vehicles, with Toyota Motor Corp's Scion ranked the top brand followed by Honda Motor Co's flagship brand. Toyota's flagship brand placed third. Ford ranks as the only U.S. automaker that is competing with Asian brands with "world-class reliability," Consumer Reports said. About 90 percent of Ford's vehicles achieved average or better reliability, the study showed. Ford's Mercury brand ranked tenth for reliability -- the only U.S. brand to make the top 10 list. The Ford brand ranked 16th and Ford's luxury Lincoln brand ranked 20th.
|
Dealers concerned as Chrysler stays mum on car plan
Chrysler has been sending its dealers back to class, reminding them about the importance of courtesy and communication: Always return phone calls. Limit wait times. Open doors for customers. However, the automaker isn't following its own advice, The Associated Press reports. New management has said little about plans to revamp Chrysler's ailing lineup and return the once-great company to profitability. Dealers are left to wonder what they'll be selling this time next year, even as they struggle to unload unpopular models from their lots. The lack of communication is a symptom of an automaker so focused on its grand plan that it may be overlooking the basics of running the business.
|
VW races to iPhone with GTI ad-app
Volkswagen is, not surprisingly, launching a marketing campaign for its upcoming 2010 Volkswagen GTI. What is surprising is that the campaign is rolling out in the form of an iPhone App – and at least for the time being - will be limited to that platform, audiovox.com reports. The free app, which is called "Real Racing GTI," puts players on the fictional Mayapan Beach racetrack, and is tied to a contest in which, the New York Times reports, registered players can win one of six limited-edition GTIs. Other features of the Firemint-produced app enable users to post racing times to Twitter, add results to Facebook, or rip a video of the race to YouTube. The strategy is a significant development for adver-gaming, according to Andrew Yoon at Joystiq. "A car manufacturer using a video game as a promotional tool is nothing new; Toyota generated a lot of buzz with its laughably bad (but free!) Yaris on Xbox Live Arcade two years ago." What's new, he wrote, is that Volkswagen is releasing a free iPhone game in lieu of a traditional advertising campaign. "Don't expect to see any television commercials for the 2010 GTI - for now, Volkswagen is committed to promoting its new vehicle exclusively through its App Store game."
|
VW chooses Deutsch LA as its new ad agency
Chrysler, Cadillac, and Chevrolet aren't the only folks looking for new advertising agencies on the assumption that, to quote GM CEO Fritz Henderson, "We can do better." For the last four years Crispin, Porter and Bogusky has attended to Volkswagen's advertising needs, bringing us moments like the return of the "Rabbit" name, that talking black Beetle, the "Find Your Fast," "Unpimp Mein Auto," "Meet the Volkswagens" and Brooke Shields hawking Routans, BrandWeek reports. Now it's the turn of Deutsch LA, who won VW's print and digital business. VW has just 2% of the U.S. market, which is about half a percent higher than when Bogusky took over, but they desperately want to get that higher and they'll be showering $200 million on Deutsch LA to make that happen. Deustch LA's last automotive account was Saturn.
|
Move Ahead of your Competitors with Content Based SEO Strategies
By leveraging free and low-cost web publishing platforms, dealers can target any search phrases with effective content-based SEO strategies for Google page one dominance
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
|
Getting to the Inbox is No Longer Enough
What’s hot in e-mail marketing now
More info on the Digital Dealer Conference
|
Mercedes-Benz USA signs Multi-Year deal for US Open
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) announced a multi-year marketing partnership with the USTA that designates Mercedes-Benz the "Official Vehicle of the US Open" and the "Presenting Sponsor of the US Open Men's Singles Championship.Terms were not disclosed."
[FULL STORY]
|
|
|
In Dealer magazine
|
The why and what of advertising right now
by Jim Boldebook
Of.jpg?i=110209112152) course you would probably expect an ad guy to sell the benefits of advertising in a difficult market, but for those who have read my columns in Dealer magazine for the past 16 years, you’ll know there are times when I have advocated curtailing advertising expenses. This is not one of those times. The right advertising right now will not only maximize your share of available market, but will make it clear you are in business to stay…something consumers need to feel confident about in these tumultuous times. In fact, according to a new Ad-ology Research study titled “Advertising’s Impact in a Soft Economy,” almost half of U.S. adults believe that a lack of advertising by a retail store, bank or auto dealership during a recession indicates the business must be struggling. And people, by nature, are skittish about doing business with people on the edge of failure. Conversely, a vast majority of U.S. adults perceive businesses that continue to advertise as being not only competitive, but committed to doing business for the long haul. According to C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research, “It is critical to advertise in the current economic climate in order to maintain long-term positive consumer perception of your brand and the reliability of your business.” That being said, it certainly is not business as usual for anyone in the automobile or advertising business. It is a time to maximize impact of available dollars and leverage every marketing expenditure to its fullest value. Here are some thoughts to help you accomplish just that. Read more
|
|
|
ARCHIVE
|
Issue 11
October 21, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 11
|
Issue 10
October 14, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 10
|
Issue 9
October 7, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 9
|
Issue 8
September 30, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 8
|
Issue 7
September 23, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 7
|
Issue 6
September 16, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 6
|
Issue 5
September 9, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 5
|
Issue 4
September 2, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 4
|
Issue 3
August 26, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 3
|
Issue 2
August 19, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 2
|
Issue 1
August 12, 2009
Vol. 2
Issue 1
|
Issue 52
August 5, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 52
|
Issue 51
July 29, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 51
|
Issue 50
July 22, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 50
|
Issue 49
July 15, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 49
|
Issue 48
July 8, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 48
|
Issue 47
July 1, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 47
|
Issue 46
June 24, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 46
|
Issue 45
June 17, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 45
|
Issue 44
June 10, 2009
Vol. 1
Issue 44
|
[MORE]
|
|
|  |
|
|
|
