Omni Automotive Advertising Blog

Ever wonder where the future trends in automotive advertising are heading. Well, in this blog, and the second installment, Gordon Borrell, is “interviewed” about what he sees happening in the marketplace.

For instance, when asked about the migration of ad spending from ‘traditional’ to online marketing, he explains how dealers are moving away from print based advertising to online marketing, especially now that more households have computers in their houses. Dealers see the obvious benefits of online advertising and, in turn, are beginning to build their online identities.

So what should dealers be spending their money on? According to Borrell, 40% of their budget should go to TV or newspaper, which ever they see as being more effective. Then a mix between mix between the Internet, radio, cable, Direct Mail or billboards.

Where and when should you advertise?

“The dealers need to be ready to advertise price and item around key sales periods like weekends or holidays.”

Gee, really? Show me a dealership who didn’t run a Labor Day Sale and I’ll show you a dealer who didn’t meet their quota for that month!

All in all, Borrell isn’t telling us anything you don’t already know. Sales are down, traditional media is slowly being overwhelmed by the internet and TV ads still motivate the buyer more than any other factor.

Yet another trend in automotive dealer advertising, Pimps.

Apparently this dealer has a entire series of ads with the Credit Pimp “for real yo!”

This is the reason why people hate automotive dealer advertising. I’s either the ads yell at you or they just insult your intelligence.

Omni Advertising has issued a press release announcing a merger with Iris Zayas. Iris will be Omni’s Media Director and will oversee both traditional and interactive media for the agency.

“Everything we do here is around technology innovation; to keep our clients at the forefront of the digital revolution,” said Iris.

See more news about Omni Advertising here.

Why do people buy the cars that they do? Do they buy for safety? Reliability? Or is it the look of the car?

Well that’s what the research from CarGurus.com says. According to the study, car manufacturers should have more pictures and videos on their site. The study came to this conclusion based on the fact that 62% of the pages viewed on their website were of car photos and videos.

Langley Steinart, founder and CEO of CarGurus.com, had this to say:

“Cars are a very emotional and expensive purchase. Automakers have to connect with consumers emotionally.”

Steinart may be right, but the research seems to be a little iffy. Who’s to say whether the people looking at CarGurus.com are actual shoppers looking for more info on the car they want or are these people just car enthusiasts? This same point was brought up by Ian Beavis, VP-marketing of Kia Motors America.

So is it the look of the car or is it what’s inside that counts? This sort of sounds like a dating question? Are you going out with him/her for his/her looks or brain? To which the common response is, “if you say looks don’t matter, than you’re a liar.”

But to stongly appeal to vanity ain’t the answer either. Looks may bring you in, but it’s what’s inside that makes you stay. That goes for cars and relationships.

Continuing a trend, started yesterday, of strange advertising bedfellows comes the above ad for the Toyota Tacoma. Toyota has teamed up with World of Warcraft to market the Tacoma.

This spot comes a year after South Park made a show involving WoW. That show won an Emmy at this year’s Emmy Awards and was well received in the WoW community.

It seems Toyota likes to market the Tacoma using surreal imagery, like the Loch Ness Monster ad. I could never get past the fact that the window is down the entire time the Tacoma is under water. Loch Ness Monster attacking Tacoma, still with you. Window down while truck is underwater, sorry that’s just too unbelievable for me.

Via AdFreak.