ATLANTA (October 18, 2007)
www.autotrader.com/about/pressroom/media/pressrelease_detail.jsp?contentid=26229
REPRINT-“As an industry, we’ve got to do a better job of giving customers on-line access to the information they want,” said Perry. “And manufacturers, dealer associations and dealerships should review their media mix and direct more of their branding and informational advertising to the Internet because that’s where the customers are focusing their attention.”
While, according to the study, 42% of new-car buyers said the Internet was the most helpful source of information during their car buying process, only 8% said television was the most helpful source of information, 2% said direct mail was the most helpful source and only 1% said radio or newspapers were the most helpful sources.
However, 2006 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) data indicated 27.3% of dealer advertising dollars were spent on newspapers, 19.5% was spent on television and 18.1% was spent on radio, while only 11.5% of dealer advertising dollars were spent on Internet. Direct mail accounted for 10.2% of dealers’ advertising spend and 13.4% was attributed to "other" sources. In 2005, according to NADA data, 9.9% of dealer advertising dollars were spent on Internet advertising.
“There will always be a place for the kind of brand-building advertising that television, radio and newspapers are great at,” said Perry. “But when 42% of new car buyers say they find the Internet the most helpful resource for car shopping and only 11.5% of auto advertising dollars are directed to the Internet, there’s a huge disconnect between where the customers are looking and where the messages are going.
ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR $$$$ WISELY?
