Compared to only a few years ago, a lot of automobile companies are pushing their boundaries when it comes to outdoor advertising. If you drive down the Don Valley Parkway or the Gardiner, you’ll see many billboards for cars and pass many buildings with car displays in the front. It seems like almost everywhere you go, whether it’s to the movies or an even to the mall, there is always a specific car on display for the public to see. Why is this in-your-face car display trend on the rise? What does it mean for advertising? Let’s get some answers.
Where are Automobile Companies Advertising?
Many automobile companies sponsor large events in a given area, and will always have between 1-5 of their newest cars on display for the public to come check out. Most of the time, they will also have trained reps to guide the attention of the public with certain incentives or prizes if they sign up on their devices. This has been proven to be an effective way of Outdoor advertising because automobile companies are able to target new customers and really position themselves to companies in a positive way. This brings both parties closer to the selling point. It gives potential customers momentum to discover more about vehicular innovations and performance. When there’s that added bonus of a bonus prize, whether it be for signing up or participating in an automotive event, consumers will fall into that give-and-take advertisement because of the chance they may receive something valuable in return.
Many large traffic areas will have specific automaker companies present. For example, Markville Mall has a Mercedes-Benz store incorporated within their mall. Sherway Gardens has a Tesla store in the center of their mall. Who would’ve thought to incorporate theses stores in the direct center of a shopping mall? But, in fact, it is absolutely genius. By making your automobile shop the focal point and potential meeting place in the shopping facility, you’re making people perceive it as a leader. It is the most effective way of gaining brand awareness and getting people thinking about buying into that specific brand, or showcasing new vehicle models and getting people persuaded towards that brand compared to it competitors.
How Do They Advertise?
Many dealers and service centers are using LED billboards to make creative and effective outdoor ads that are driving customers towards them. Most people, that are driving past these billboards, will turn to these businesses when they need specific projects to be done on their vehicles. Sometimes, they’re even looking to buy a new car. In the last few years, many vehicle companies used LED billboards to make very sharp images with a clear message being broadcasted to consumers. Whether they are just sitting in traffic or driving past it, many motorists will pay careful attention to the arresting messaging of a car advertisement.
How Does OOH Really Drive Customers to a Dealership?
OOH is reimagining how marketers can engage with potential clients and drive them to the purchase level. The most important thing for dealers is to use OOH companies to fuel their tech revolution via mobile location data to create more effective outdoor ad campaigns that further sales for the automaker. This means gaining insights as to where potential consumers go, what they do with their day, and what roads they travel on regularly. These insights will determine where the OOH should be positioned in order to get the best reach. CCO RADAR, a new OOH planning and attribution technology, worked with several domestic auto dealers in six different designated market areas with the intention to increase customer visits in auto dealerships. In the results, it was found that dealers who participated saw a 15.4% increase in visits to their dealerships, when people were exposed to the OOH campaign, compared to an unexposed control group.
Digital Marketing- The Best Advertising Tool for Automakers
With the advances in digital marketing taking place within recent years, many car companies are able to make clear, sharp ads that practically make vehicles on digital spring to life. In a study from DealerSocket, digital marketing of automobiles brings in approx. $2514 per sale compared to $1702 of traditional advertising such as radio, print, and TV ads. The same study noted that it costs only $150 of digital marketing to sell one car compared to $1581 in traditional media. As you can see, digital marketing is an extremely effective tool for many car manufactures- they want to be able to grab your attention for just a moment whether you are driving on the highway or just walking in the downtown streets. Digital marketing has been proven to be more effective then original print media. Slowly, we will start to see many companies move to digital marketing and expel the components of traditional marketing due to this driving force.
