Automotive Advertising

If you are looking for advertising agency recommendations, digital marketing guidance or just an answer to an automotive marketing question, you have come to the right place!

We are compiling a list of recommended vendors, solutions providers and integrated marketing packages for car dealers who are tired of being a General Contractor for their full service advertising programs.

Dealers have told us that they have too many cooks in the kitchen in regards to their automotive advertising and digital marketing strategies.

To reduce the time dealers have to spend on marketing management, we will provide a number of useful resources to guide dealers to greater success while giving them back valuable time.

Advertising Advertising Strategies in 2010

The Internet as a communications tool for car dealers is evolving and never before has the changing landscape been more challenging for dealer principals and General Managers.

As car dealers seek to develop online brand messaging their advertising budgets are being pulled in many directions.  Every month a new digital strategy is being presented as the next “big thing”.

Dealers are struggling to validate the benefits and implementation costs of social media, chat, streaming video, reputation management, SEO, SEM and a dozen other digital marketing pitches that come across their desk each month.

With little track records or case studies to help dealers with the education process, seasoned mangers are scratching their heads and looking for advice and support from the companies that they have leaned on in the past.

Unfortunately, these products are coming from more single source vendors and not their current automotive advertising agency.  Most traditional automotive advertising agencies that have delivered success with direct mail, radio, TV and print have stumbled to provide integrated digital marketing offerings.

Automotive Advertising Agencies clinging to traditional marketing expertise has created a disruption in the marketplace with no clear winners emerging from the chaos.

Dealers who once had a single call to make for their advertising and marketing strategies now have to make multiple calls and are forced into becoming a General Contractor to build an integrated marketing strategy. Dealers have neither the training, desire nor the sustainable skills to act as a General Contractor.

Next generation automotive advertising agencies must seamlessly merge the traditional and digital landscape to increase their value to car dealers.  The marketplace is screaming for integrated automotive advertising agencies that offload the burden currently on car dealers who seek to gain market share with the changing of advertising models.

The New Automotive Advertising Leaders

The automotive advertising agency of the future needs to shepherd vendor integration because it is what their clients truly need.  I truly believe that dealer Principals and General Managers are spending way too much time in the General Contractor role and if asked, they would give up that title in a heartbeat.

Automotive advertising agencies that seek to gain market share must invest in properly trained technical staff that understands SEO, SEM, website design, data communications, data analysis and third party data integration.

Automotive Advertising Agencies that fail to provide integrated traditional and digital marketing strategies are going to be asked an uncomfortable question by the dealer: “And remind me what I am actually paying you to do..”

When that question is asked, you can start the clock on when your account will be replaced by an agency that took the burden of the dealer and didn’t wait to let the market disruption be the last straw.

If you need straight answers and expert guidance on your digital marketing strategy, call PCG at 732.450.8200.

Automotive Advertising Sales Increase at Gannet

Gannet Company, Inc. announced their 2010 Q2 earning report and surprisingly Automotive Advertising revenue saw a sharp increase as compared to Q2 last year.  The media company’s second quarter broadcast revenue jumped 20%, in line with the company’s forecast and rebounding from a prior-year 21% drop, and its digital segment saw a 8% increase.

Print-ad revenue dropped 6%, compared with 7.9% in the first quarter and 26% a year ago. The last time print-ad revenue grew at Gannett was the fourth quarter of 2006, but Dubow noted this was the smallest drop in three years – a statistic that partly reflects comparisons to the company’s deep slump in the depths of the recession last year.   Read Full Story

2010 Driving Sales Executive Summit