It isn’t uncommon for longtime JKR client University Kia in Huntsville, Alabama to be at the top of local, regional and state sales numbers in terms of new Kia vehicles sold. After all, it’s something they’ve been doing it for years!
July was no exception, as they took first place not only in their district, but for the entire state of Alabama – selling 21 more new Kias than their next-closest competitor. We congratulate them for achieving yet another impressive sales milestone.
Among the many things that separate University Kia from the competition is its exceptionally creative TV ads, which have gained the dealership widespread local acclaim. Managing Partner Arthur Seaton and his son Ajay have become celebrities in our area, to the point where Arthur was featured on the “Tennessee Valley Living” show, which airs on WAFF-TV in Huntsville. The segment was so popular that, three months later, he appeared again on the program.
These unique ads are just one of the ways we keep University Kia connected to the people in the greater Huntsville area. To find out more – and specifically, how JKR Automotive Advertising can help you achieve similar results – give us a call today at (321) 397-0777 or visit www.jkrads.com.
The subject of the ideal automotive spot length should be closely examined before executing a monthly advertising campaign. It is certainly an important factor when predicting and, ultimately, gauging the effectiveness of conveying the intended message to the target audience. Here at JKR Automotive Advertising & Marketing, we’re often asked about this very thing.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, there are factors to consider when determining the proper duration.
Radio and television spots are generally either 15, 30 or 60 seconds long and, of course, vary in price depending on duration, among other factors. So … should a dealer opt for a longer spot that allows for more information; or should they choose a shorter spot that could perhaps be given more airplay due to the cheaper rate? Let’s discuss!
Pros and Cons of a :15 Spot One of the unique uses of a 15-second spot is utilizing them as “bookends”. It’s essentially a 30-second spot broken up into a pair of 15-second ads, which helps combat a frequency issue with a dealer whose budget might be smaller than some others. On the negative side, research has shown that the recall abilities of consumers are lower with a :15 spot than that of its longer counterparts.
Pros and Cons of a :30 Spot For starters, the obvious: A 30-second spot will be less expensive to air and produce than a 60-second spot, and 30 seconds is ample time to get your message across in many instances. In the case of an automobile dealer with co-op guidelines to follow, it may be difficult to get all pertinent information into a spot, add in the elements to make it co-op eligible, and still achieve some degree of creativity.
Pros and Cons of a :60 Spot Other than price, there really is no downside to a 60-second spot. They provide more room for creativity and storytelling. Advertisers can take their time to develop a narrative, engage viewers emotionally, and captivate their attention for a longer duration. The extra half-minute can be particularly impactful for campaigns with a specific target audience or spots requiring specific co-op terminology to be compliant.
What’s the Answer? Ultimately, the best length for an automotive spot length – Radio or TV – depends on the specific circumstances, budget and objectives of the advertising campaign. If you’re unsure what’s best for you, give JKR Automotive Advertising a call today at (321) 397-0777 and we’ll help you come to the correct decision.
In our next blog, we’ll continue highlighting the elements that make up a great automotive advertisement. This time, we’ll take a closer look at automobile dealers who choose to be the spokespeople for their stores.
Automotive adverting can be found almost anywhere. You hear ads on the radio and see them on TV, online and even on billboards. The goal, of course, is to leave a lasting, positive impression upon the audience so they want to know more about your store and its vehicles/services. To do that, many decisions must be made concerning your advertising. Over the next several blogs, we’ll be looking at some of the most important elements that go into the production of an automotive advertisement.
In this post, we’ll be discussing whether your advertisement should be funny or serious, and which one is right for your particular situation.
Option One: Funny Some dealers are firm believers in creating fun, light-hearted advertisements, taking advantage of humor’s ability to bring about an emotional connection with their audience (audio only, visual only or both). Through the use of humor, automobile dealers can create a hard-to-forget experience that sticks in the mind of the audience even after the commercial has ended.
Because the average consumer is bombarded with advertisement on a regular, day-in-and-day-out basis, a funny commercial effectively cuts through the proverbial clutter and helps the dealer stand out amidst a sea of competitors. The use of humor can increase the likelihood of brand recall, and it also helps showcase the dealership’s personality and values.
Option Two: Serious Other dealers choose to avoid humor, instead opting to present factual information in a serious manner in an effort to establish credibility and build trust. They would rather appeal to the practical side of the audience by highlighting the key features and benefits of their vehicles, as well as the “hook” that makes them want to buy that specific model.
In addition, if a dealership has an already-established reputation for being serious and ultra-professional, a humorous commercial could be a detriment to their store’s image.
Which One Should You Choose? The truth is, it depends on the dealership. Humor is engaging but not always appropriate. Serious elicits feelings of trust but sometimes seems a little stuffy in certain situations. Ultimately, the choice between funny and serious comes down to your view of what the dealership’s identity and message should be when presented to the target audience. When you fully understand the positives and negatives of each approach, you’ll be well on your way to creating advertisements that capture and retain interest.
If you have questions about which is best, give us a call today at (321) 397-0777 and we’ll help you make the best decision for you and your dealership. Next time, we’ll take another look at another important ingredient of an automotive advertisement.
As an auto dealer, you have important products and services the people in your community need. But that by itself isn’t enough to make you successful; you have to let them know you’re there to satisfy those needs and persuade them to visit your dealership. That’s where advertising comes in, and the automotive advertising channels you choose make a big difference between just surviving and thriving!
While many dealers opt for online ads, dealers should never forget their bread and butter: radio and TV advertising, otherwise known as “traditional advertising”! While social media advertising certainly has benefits, radio and TV advertising remain the more effective option for dealers. Why? There are a number of reasons.
First, traditional advertising has a wide reach and, when coupled with a high frequency, can effectively target specific audiences at the lowest cost per thousand. According to this article from Nielsen, radio and television still reach more Americans than any other advertising medium. This means dealerships will reach customers who are most likely to be interested in their products or services multiple times over the course of a week, presuming an appropriate campaign is being deployed. As a hidden benefit, they also reach people who are not yet in the market for a vehicle, but soon will be.
Second, radio and TV ads can help to build brand recognition and establish a dealership as a reputable business. By consistently airing well-produced ads, dealerships can create a strong brand image and increase their visibility in the market. This is all part of the dealer’s effort to earn increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
Third, traditional advertising allows for more creativity than social media advertising. With radio and TV ads, dealerships can create engaging, memorable advertisements that stick in the minds of potential customers. They can use humor, music and other creative elements to make their ads stand out. Social media advertising, on the other hand, is often limited to a few seconds of video or a static image with a short caption. And even the best social media campaigns don’t yield the same amount of net profit as radio or TV.
The Takeaway The tried-and-true traditional forms of advertising – radio and television – are still proving to be effective in terms of reaching a broad audience and generating new leads. To get more than their fair share of their respective auto-buying market, reaching potential customers at the beginning of the buying cycle (or better yet creating a buyer by solving their current problem) – something radio and TV excels at – is of utmost importance.
In the next blog, we’ll discuss the types of radio and TV creative that JKR Automotive Advertising offers its clients … which ones are right for specific dealerships … and the elements that make our ads so successful. If you don’t want to wait until then, feel free to call us at (321) 397-0777 and we’ll give you the details that will change the way you do your advertising.
When the COVID period is looked back upon in the future, it will be remembered as one of the craziest times in automotive advertising history. On one hand, computer chip shortages and supply chain issues made it difficult for dealerships to get new inventory. On the other hand, however, people were lining up to buy new cars sight unseen, often for little or no discount off the MSRP, meaning better profit margins than ever before. It was the Wild, Wild West!
During that time, dealers made adjustments in the way they did business, including changes in the way they advertised. Prior to COVID, the automotive advertising industry was the clear leader in the purchase of traditional advertising (think: TV, radio, print, billboard and the like). But when the pandemic changed the marketplace, many dealers switched from a mix of traditional and digital to mostly just digital advertising, figuring they could save money that way. As part of this seismic switch, dealers were persuaded to buy leads from dot-com companies such as cars.com and kbb.com to gain new customers.
But here’s the thing about these dot-com companies: They are some of the biggest purchasers of traditional media! Think about it … in your everyday life, you see and hear any number of dot-com companies that advertise on traditional media every day – and not just automotive. There’s Amazon, Google, Facebook and all the big companies of various industries that conduct their business online. According to this article from Advertising Age, Amazon alone spent $56.1 million in advertising on radio from January through November of last year; and companies like Geico ($21.04 million), Progressive ($19.15 million) and AT&T ($15.12 million) spent big dollars on TV advertising (See this Statista report for more information.)
What was Old is Becoming New Again We at JKR Automotive Advertising have noticed that the winds of change are beginning to calm down in the post-COVID world, and things are making a slow but steady return to the pre-pandemic way they once were. In part, it’s because automobile dealers are realizing two things: (1) By the time you add up all the digital channels it takes to do what dealers perceive to be a well-rounded ad campaign, it often costs a similar amount (or more) as a traditional campaign, which is seen and/or heard with frequency by almost everyone in their area rather than just a select, targeted few; and (2) They are figuring out that there’s less of a need to buy leads from third-party entities when they can produce the leads themselves without additional help – much like they did during their pre-COVID ad campaigns using traditional media.
Why do you suppose those big companies spend so much money on traditional media? The answer is simple. They use it as the vehicle through which they constantly remind everyone of their existence and the perks they can offer their customers. Attention, automobile dealers: Does that sound familiar?
We are not saying there’s no place for online advertising; not at all! We are merely pointing out that on part of a multi-pronged advertising approach that should include a healthy dose of radio and television! Think about it this way: It isn’t who sells the most cars; it’s who has the most net profit at the end of the day!
Next time, we’ll discuss what you do with your customers once you get them to your physical and/or virtual dealership … and how to increase your odds of turning these opportunities into sales.
JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.
To find out what JKR Automotive Advertising can do for your dealership, call us today at (321) 397-0777 to get the wheels in motion.