I dont know, maybe he has it right ;-) Check out the production quality of this F'in video from NADA - The National Association of Auto Dealers, just put out in late 2008 - Ugh.. Although, clearly it was meant for broadcast TV..... [youtube aXw_Bu8Gj-U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXw_Bu8Gj-U youtube]
Mark Robertson
· 6 months ago
I dont know, maybe he has it right ;-) Check out the production quality of this video from NADA - The National Association of Auto Dealers, just put out in late 2008 - Ugh.. Although, clearly it was meant for broadcast TV and I realize it wasn't made by the manufacturer..... [youtube aXw_Bu8Gj-U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXw_Bu8Gj-U youtube] Makes me want to not only watch more auto videos, but go out now and get a car. Heck, Now, or back in November, was the best time to buy... Good stuff
Jason Lancaster
· 6 months ago
The auto industry struggles with internet marketing for a few reasons. First and foremost, consumers don't know what they want. As a marketer and a former dealership manager, I can think of countless times where consumers spent quality time researching a specific vehicle online before switching to a completely different make. The reason? There's no substitute for the physical experience. Therefore, a lot of clever online marketing efforts that show promise (with good participation and engagement) don't always result in sales because the consumer doesn't like the product.
In fact, I've had some dealers tell me that all of the efforts to show off unique features online actually detract from the "wow" factor that consumers get when they first sit in a new car. I don't know if this is a valid critique, but it's worth noting.
Secondly, there's a tremendous disconnect between dealers and automakers. Dealerships are looking to drive sales, automakers are looking to boost brand image. A lot of auto industry marketing efforts attempt to do both, despite the fact these are almost completely different goals. This usually results in a campaign that doesn't accomplish either goal.
Third, the economic climate in the auto industry for the last 5 years or so has been tight. The majority of automakers have seen sales declines every year since 2003, and it's difficult to justify investment in online video...or any other new "fancy" internet marketing model. The most successful automaker of the last decade, Toyota, has absolutely no need to worry about "cutting edge" online marketing - there average buyer is nearly 50 years old. When the industry leader doesn't make the effort, no one else will either.
Therefore, automakers (and dealers) are behind the curve. While I'm not convinced online video and social networking will lead the auto industry recovery, I'm quite confident that dealers and automakers can leverage social networks and highly targeted advertising to improve both their short-term and long-term prospects.
My best guess: The automaker that determines how to establish a sales funnel in a social network (without appearing too commercial) will have the most success. Until someone figures out how to replace the consumer's desire for the physical shopping experience (look and feel), online video is at best a complementary piece of the puzzle.
All Comments
Check out the production quality of this F'in video from NADA - The National Association of Auto Dealers, just put out in late 2008 - Ugh.. Although, clearly it was meant for broadcast TV.....
[youtube aXw_Bu8Gj-U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXw_Bu8Gj-U youtube]
Check out the production quality of this video from NADA - The National Association of Auto Dealers, just put out in late 2008 - Ugh.. Although, clearly it was meant for broadcast TV and I realize it wasn't made by the manufacturer.....
[youtube aXw_Bu8Gj-U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXw_Bu8Gj-U youtube]
Makes me want to not only watch more auto videos, but go out now and get a car. Heck, Now, or back in November, was the best time to buy... Good stuff
In fact, I've had some dealers tell me that all of the efforts to show off unique features online actually detract from the "wow" factor that consumers get when they first sit in a new car. I don't know if this is a valid critique, but it's worth noting.
Secondly, there's a tremendous disconnect between dealers and automakers. Dealerships are looking to drive sales, automakers are looking to boost brand image. A lot of auto industry marketing efforts attempt to do both, despite the fact these are almost completely different goals. This usually results in a campaign that doesn't accomplish either goal.
Third, the economic climate in the auto industry for the last 5 years or so has been tight. The majority of automakers have seen sales declines every year since 2003, and it's difficult to justify investment in online video...or any other new "fancy" internet marketing model. The most successful automaker of the last decade, Toyota, has absolutely no need to worry about "cutting edge" online marketing - there average buyer is nearly 50 years old. When the industry leader doesn't make the effort, no one else will either.
Therefore, automakers (and dealers) are behind the curve. While I'm not convinced online video and social networking will lead the auto industry recovery, I'm quite confident that dealers and automakers can leverage social networks and highly targeted advertising to improve both their short-term and long-term prospects.
My best guess: The automaker that determines how to establish a sales funnel in a social network (without appearing too commercial) will have the most success. Until someone figures out how to replace the consumer's desire for the physical shopping experience (look and feel), online video is at best a complementary piece of the puzzle.