The Super Bowl commercial…every year agencies gear up for the biggest spend of the year to get themselves in front of the largest captive audience in the world, however, the viral aspects that can transpire from the “right”  ad campaign has legs to last a lifetime!

Watch for Social and Mobile push components to increase reach and engagements!

Here are two automotive related commercials that will impact brand, reach and more… Everyone loves Bueller…Bueller? Oh YEAH!

Let’s see if it results in more sales and traction for the 2012 Honda CR-V

Honda Revisits Ferris Bueller with the 2012 CR-V

Volkswagen – The Dog Strikes Back

Game Day 2012 Super Bowl Ads

Toyota Re-Invented Camry- Super Bowl Car Commercials 2012

Acura Jerry Seinfeld – Super Bowl 2012

 Audi – Vampire Party Super Bowl 2012

 BMW – The Big Grab – Super Bowl Commercials

Cadillac – Green Hell – Super Bowl Ads 2012

Chevy Sonic Stunts – Super Bowl Ads 2012 – Car Commercials

Chevy Best Gift Ever – Super Bowl Commercials 2012 – Car Ads

Chevy Volt Aliens – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials  and Automotive Ads

Chevy Runs Deep with Rainn Wilson – Half Suit – Super Bowl 2012 – Car Commercials

Suzuki KIzashi – 50 Cent – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials

KIA Optima – Motley Crue Super Bowl Car Commercials 2012

Chevy Silverado – Super Bowl 2012 Car Commercials

GM Builds on Battery Safety to Ensure Confidence in Chevrolet Volt

Posted by Dealer in News

DETROIT – General Motors announced Monday initiatives for customer satisfaction and battery safety research to ensure ongoing confidence in the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle.

The initiatives follow six months of research and testing in the United States with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration designed to induce electric vehicle battery failure after severe crash situations.

The agency advised GM on Friday that it would open a preliminary evaluation of Volt battery assemblies after NHTSA test results caused electrical fires up to three weeks after an initial vehicle New Car Assessment Program side pole crash test.

Mark Reuss, president, GM North America, said the company would take every precaution to assure the driving public of GM’s commitment to the safety of the Volt being handled after a severe incident and the total satisfaction of everyone who owned one.

“The Volt is a five-star safety car.  Even though no customer has experienced in the real world what was identified in this latest testing of post-crash situations, we’re taking critical steps to ensure customer satisfaction and safety,” Reuss said.

“Our customers’ peace of mind is too important to us for there to be any concern or any worry. This technology should inspire confidence and pride, not raise any concern or doubt.

“The question is about how to deal with the battery days and weeks after a severe crash, making it a matter of interest not just for the Volt, but for our industry as we continue to advance the pursuit of electric vehicles.”

Senior GM engineering investigation team

Mary Barra, senior vice president, Global Product Development, said GM had established a senior engineering team to develop changes to eliminate concern of potential post-crash electrical fires and work with industry to ensure appropriate electric vehicle protocols were in place. Barra said such electrical fires had not occurred on public roads and NHTSA was not investigating any such potential imminent failure on the roads.

“GM and the agency’s focus and research continue to be on the performance, handling, storage and disposal of batteries after a crash or other significant event,” she said.

“We’re working with NHTSA so we all have an understanding about these risks and how they can be avoided in the future.  This isn’t just a Volt issue.  We’re already leading a joint electric vehicle activity with Society of Automotive Engineers and other automotive companies to address new issues, such as this protocol of depowering batteries after a severe crash.”

Barra said the team would continue to work closely with NHTSA, suppliers, dealers and manufacturing teams to initiate any necessary changes as soon as possible.

Volt owner loan program

Reuss said GM would establish a Volt owner satisfaction program.  Any Volt owner concerned about safety can contact his or her Volt advisor to arrange for a free GM vehicle loan until resolution of the issue.

“A vehicle loan program of this nature is well beyond the norm for a preliminary investigation, and it underlines our commitment to the vehicle and its owners,” he said.  “These steps are the right ones to take regardless of any immediate impact on our operations.”

Launched in late 2010, the Chevrolet Volt has won more than 30 awards in the United States and other markets.  The Volt achieved a five-star NCAP overall vehicle score for safety by the NHTSA and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  GM carried out more than 1 million test miles in vehicle development.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets.  GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling.

More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Women Car-Buyer Survey Results Announced

Posted on October 19th, 2011 by Dealer in News

        --  BlogHer, Inc. fielded a survey across two populations: U.S. online
            general population in 7 markets and 26 million BlogHer network users.
            The total sample size was 1,467 with a total of 1,090 women and 377
            men across the United States.
        --  The margin of error is +/- 2.46% with a confidence level of 99%.
        --  All portions of the study were conducted in August 2011.
        --  BlogHer was one of eight companies chosen to present research at this
            annual automotive Internet industry event.

Experian Automotive market analysis: Hyundai leads in corporate loyalty for first time

Schaumburg, Ill. — Experian Automotive today released its Q2 2011 market analysis showing that Hyundai Motor America continued gaining momentum in North America as it topped the industry in corporate loyalty for the first time. Hyundai’s corporate loyalty rate of 49.6 percent edged General Motors and Ford Motor Company out of the top spots with ratings of 48.1 percent and 47.6 percent, respectively. Hyundai’s corporate loyalty was bolstered by both its Kia brand, which had the highest brand loyalty ranking (47.9 percent), and its Hyundai brand, which finished with the fourth highest brand loyalty (40.5 percent).

“According to our latest market report, Hyundai has been making strides in customer loyalty for several years,” said Jeffrey Anderson, director of consulting and analytics for Experian Automotive. “The company’s innovation, 100,000-mile warranty program, and improvements in vehicle styling and quality among both brands have clearly helped them gain and maintain a strong and loyal customer base.”

Experian Automotive’s latest market analysis also showed that Kia had three vehicle models that finished among the industry’s top 10 for brand loyalty, including the Kia Forte, which was the top model for loyalty at 68 percent; the Kia Soul (fifth) at 59 percent; and the Kia Forte Koup (eighth) at 57 percent.

Other top performers in brand loyalty included the Chevrolet Cruze (second, 64 percent), and six Ford models including the Ford Fiesta (third, 63 percent) and the Ford Fusion (fourth, 61 percent).

Hyundai’s loyalty is also impacting its overall position in the market. The latest Experian data showed that Hyundai continued to pick up market share, with the greatest percentage increase year to date, jumping from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.2 percent in Q2 2011. Other market share gains came from General Motors, up 0.5 percent from 19.1 percent in Q2 2010 to 19.6 percent Q2 2011; Chrysler, up 0.3 percent from 9.4 percent in Q2 2010 to 9.7 percent in Q2 2011; and Nissan, up 0.2 percent from 7.9 percent in Q2 2010 to 8.1 percent in Q2 2011.

To learn more about the Q2 2011 Automotive Market Analysis report, or for more information on Experian Automotive, visit http://www.experianautomotive.com.

Contact:
Roslyn Whitehurst
Experian Public Relations
1 714 830 5578
roslyn.whitehurst@experian.com

Winterkorn: 500,000 employees by end of 2012 is possible.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) — Volkswagen is looking to increase its global staff by more than 10 percent next year, CEO Martin Winterkorn told a German newspaper.

Winterkorn, in an interview published Sunday by newspaper Bild am Sonntag, said it was possible for the group to have 500,000 employees by the end of 2012, up from 449,000 currently.

German premium-car makers BMW and Daimler, for their part, struck a more cautious note, saying their headcount next year would depend on the business development, the paper said, citing BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer and his Daimler counterpart Dieter Zetsche.

VW has been aggressively expanding globally under Winterkorn’s leadership.

Winterkorn told Automotive News Europe in September that VW wants to cut costs and boost profits further as part of its mission to rise to the top of the automotive world by 2018 with global vehicle sales of more than 10 million units and a profit margin of more than 8 percent.

“We are not just increasing volume but cost effectiveness as well,” Winterkorn said.

He said that capital investments should not exceed the current 6 percent share of revenue and the share for r&d should not exceed the current figure of 4 percent. “We are completely on track on both figures,” Winterkorn said in an interview.

A key to reaching the financial goals will be maximizing VW Group’s modular car-production system.

“You are no longer competitive in the auto industry without such a strategy. Our modular approach reduces costs, production and development time and makes possible an even greater variety of models and technologies,” Winterkorn said.

“For example, the modular transverse platform reduces one-time and unit costs by 20 percent. The production time per vehicle decreases by about 30 percent, to say nothing of the significant reductions in weight and emissions.”

Automotive News Europe staff contributed to this report.

About Atamian Volkswagen & Honda

The Volkswagen and Honda franchises are operated at 150 Main Street, Tewksbury, MA, which occupy land from Route 38 to I- 495 in Massachusetts. Reed Atamian has succeeded Bob and Virginia Atamian as Dealer Principal. Reed entered the business in the mid 1980?s and has pushed its growth from a few hundred cars a year to several thousand. Reed has been joined by nephew Benjamin, who represents the 4^th generation of Atamians in the business. Reed Atamian has also long been active in numerous community and charitable activities throughout the years. Local organizations benefiting from Reed Atamian’s sponsorships include the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Genesis Fund, The Boys & Girls Club, The Tewksbury Patriotic Activities Committee, T.H.E. FARM Tewksbury, Tewksbury Police Athletic League, The Highland Sports Association of Lowell, Tewksbury Youth Skating Association, Tewksbury Youth Soccer League, Tewksbury Little League, Tewksbury Girls Softball, Ocean Matters, and The Claddagh Fund.

Atamian Honda | Atamian Volkswagen

Reed Atamian is the owner and president of the Atamian Volkswagen Dealership located in Tewksbury MA. Atamian Honda & Volkswagen serve among many others the communities of Billerica, Wilmington, Lowell, Lawrence, Bedford, Westford, Burlington, Woburn, Andover, North Andover, Haverhill, Middleton, Danvers, Tyngsboro, West of Boston, Boston, Greater Boston, Southern NH, Manchester, and Nashua for Honda, Volkswagen, Used Cars, Pre-Owned Cars Sales and Service.

Please visit Reed Atamian’s Professional Site http://www.terryatamian.com, as well as his civic site http://www.terryatamian.org .

Volkswagen expects profitable U.S. sales this year for the first time since 2003, its U.S. CEO said today, despite an analyst’s warnings that the auto industry must stimulate U.S. demand or risk recession-level sales for several years.

Volkswagen’s Audi-brand sales made money last year in the U.S., Volkswagen of America CEO Jonathan Browning told the Society of Automotive Analysts, and all of Volkswagen should follow this year. The German automaker hopes all of its U.S. operations, including its new factory in Tennessee, will be profitable by 2013, a rarity in the company’s history in this country.

The automaker is planning for the U.S. light-vehicle market to improve to 13.5 million or 14 million sales next year, Browning said, compared with 16 million-plus before 2008. But sales are currently running at an annual pace of 12 million to 13 million, largely because of a decline in the number of cars per driver, said Itay Michaeli, vice president at Citi Investment Research.

So-called “vehicle density” declined during the recession. While Americans still want to own the number of cars they did in the past decade – for instance, having two cars for each family – the economy and the job market has made them reticent to buy, Michaeli said.

“Many people are just simply too afraid of the uncertainty,” he said. Michaeli advocated more use of job-protection incentives such as the original Hyundai Assurance program to give consumers reasons to buy. Otherwise, consumers, especially young ones, may get used to having fewer cars. That trend could last for several years, he said.

About Atamian Volkswagen & Honda

The Volkswagen and Honda franchises are operated at 150 Main Street, Tewksbury, MA, which occupy land from Route 38 to I- 495 in Massachusetts. Reed Atamian has succeeded Bob and Virginia Atamian as Dealer Principal. Reed entered the business in the mid 1980?s and has pushed its growth from a few hundred cars a year to several thousand. Reed has been joined by nephew Benjamin, who represents the 4^th generation of Atamians in the business. Reed Atamian has also long been active in numerous community and charitable activities throughout the years. Local organizations benefiting from Reed Atamian’s sponsorships include the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Genesis Fund, The Boys & Girls Club, The Tewksbury Patriotic Activities Committee, T.H.E. FARM Tewksbury, Tewksbury Police Athletic League, The Highland Sports Association of Lowell, Tewksbury Youth Skating Association, Tewksbury Youth Soccer League, Tewksbury Little League, Tewksbury Girls Softball, Ocean Matters, and The Claddagh Fund.

Atamian Honda | Atamian Volkswagen

Reed Atamian is the owner and president of the Atamian Volkswagen Dealership located in Tewksbury MA. Atamian Honda & Volkswagen serve among many others the communities of Billerica, Wilmington, Lowell, Lawrence, Bedford, Westford, Burlington, Woburn, Andover, North Andover, Haverhill, Middleton, Danvers, Tyngsboro, West of Boston, Boston, Greater Boston, Southern NH, Manchester, and Nashua for Honda, Volkswagen, Used Cars, Pre-Owned Cars Sales and Service.

Please visit Reed Atamian’s Professional Site http://www.terryatamian.com, as well as his civic site http://www.terryatamian.org .

What’s The Biggest Challenge for Internet Marketing Departments?

Article Courtesy of:  Dealer Communications

Fort Lauderdale, FL – AutoUSA Internet Sales Solutions recently announced the results of its 2011 auto dealer Internet marketing survey.

The survey results reveal the economy is having a significant influence on customers’ abilities to buy cars, and that staffing issues continue to be a major concern for Internet Sales Managers. But, despite an uncertain economy, 72% of respondents do not plan to cut back on their Internet marketing budgets this year.

The survey was conducted from mid-August through mid-September and summarizes results from 151 participants; 54% Internet managers and the rest a mix of Internet, sales, BDC, marketing and senior management titles. Following are highlighted questions with responses:

“What is the biggest sales objection you are currently hearing from customers?”

• Didn’t have desired model available: 25%
• Can’t afford a new vehicle: 14%
• Can’t get financing: 20%
• Consumer confidence with current political situation: 22%
• Not getting the price they want from dealership: 10%

Though inventory shortages are affecting many dealerships, the rest of the answers related to the economy add up to the fact that 58% of consumers can’t afford to, or are reluctant to, buy. 

“What are the biggest challenges for your Internet marketing departments?”

• Keeping up with lead volume: 31%
• Quality of staff: 28%
• Staff’s failure to adhere to written processes: 23%
• Lack of management buy-in: 21%
• Lack of staff accountability: 15%
• Lack of staff training: 15%

Additional responses included “other” at 15% that included a mix of responses about quality of leads, lack of inventory and staff morale, and finally, high staff turnover at 11%.

It seems that staff issues continue to be a major concern for Internet Sales Managers, as outlined by a study conducted by Kain & Stauning earlier this year. 

“How is the current state of the economy affecting your Internet marketing budget decisions?”

• 49% plan to spend the same amount as originally budgeted this year
• 31% say they are cutting back on planned expenses
• 23% say they plan to spend more than originally budgeted this year

When asked which area they are most willing to cut back on, 53% of respondents chose traditional advertising. Conversely, 40% of dealers plan to increase spending on social media and reputation management; 34% plan to increase spending on SEO/web site marketing; 23% plan to increase spending on third party leads; and only 15% plan to spend more on traditional advertising. 

“What do Internet Managers Want Most From a New Product or Service?”

• Getting customers into the showroom: 47%
• Additional sales volume: 28%

Summary:

In spite of a tough economy affecting customer’s abilities to purchase vehicles, dealerships’ Internet marketing departments are reacting proactively. Nearly three quarters of them plan to spend the same amount or more than they had planned this year, and nearly all of them plan to increase or decrease spend in certain areas, indicating they are monitoring and measuring results to see where they get the most bang for their buck.

Car companies have long been masters of marketing new models by claiming a dedication to innovation and cutting-edge technologies. But now they are using complex data-led innovation to stay ahead of the competition.

‘Connected automotive systems’, which exchange data with smartphones, the internet and even other cars, are no longer exclusive to premium models. These systems are expected to grow to 189 million units worldwide by 2016, up from a predicted 41 million at the end of 2011, according to a study by ABI Research.

Many data-led systems that exist in the US market, such as Ford Sync and Toyota Entune, are being modified for launch in Europe this autumn and early next year. The voice-controlled Ford Sync, a version of which is due to launch in Europe in 2012 in the new Ford Focus, enables users to send maps to their car from Google Maps and Mapquest, receives real-time traffic information and will automatically call an emergency operator and provide the vehicle’s location data following an accident when the airbag is deployed.

Ford is also developing cars that can network with other vehicles using Wi-Fi within a half-mile radius. Each car works as one node in a mesh of networked vehicles, sending data to the central network, which in turn can inform drivers of localised traffic jams.

Audi’s A6, A7 and A8 models use GPS location data to detect whether the vehicle is driving in a city or on a remote country road so the driver can adjust the length of the headlight beam accordingly. It can detect if the car is being used abroad and automatically turn the lights to suit driving on the other side of the road, along with changing the clock to reflect the new time zone.

The data has provided Audi with a variety of ways to simplify consumers’ lives, which can then be communicated through marketing. Audi UK senior product manager James Allitt says: “It’s not necessarily complicated. It’s just joined-up thinking.”

Allitt adds that data-led technologies can no longer be seen as add-ons to vehicles but are part of a holistic system of interacting technologies. The data allows brands to fine-tune the role a car can play in consumers’ lives.

Daniel Knight, product representative for BMW’s telematics system, ConnectedDrive, explains: “Within developed economies, technical connectivity infrastructures are now firmly embedded in our social and business environments. Consumers depend heavily on this infrastructure to maintain their daily routines. They expect to be ’connected’ whether they are at home, on foot or in their vehicles.”

Fuel efficiency, safety and social connectivity are the three pillars driving data-led innovation, irrespective of the brand’s demographic and price. This fits with consumer needs as 91% of people believe that fuel efficiency is the most important reason for their car purchase, with safety at 82%, according to KPMG’s 2011 Global Auto Executive Survey.

Toyota’s Touch and Go connectivity system will come as standard on selected models of its third-generation Yaris, which launches this month. Touch and Go uses Bluetooth to connect to drivers’ smartphones via an in-car interface, providing access to satellite navigation, speed and safety camera alerts, Google Local Search and localised information, such as petrol prices, weather reports and parking availability.

Toyota UK brand manager Nik Pearson says: “Smartphone technology has revolutionised the way we live and has become ubiquitous very quickly. One in three people have a smartphone in the UK, so incorporating that into something like the Yaris actively associates with this forward-thinking technology.”

While the Touch and Go equivalent in the US, Toyota Entune, features link-ups with internet radio stations Pandora and iHeartRadio, as well as online booking services such as Movietickets.com and Opentable, the European version only features Google Local Search and apps specific to Toyota, with a view to expand the range in future.

The decision to start simple is partly an effort to keep costs low. Pearson explains: “The price point in Europe is absolutely key. We want to get below the £500 recommended selling price for the system with the added benefit of a stronger residual value. Historically, the outlay on satellite navigation has been more than £1,000. In our segment, we want to keep it relevant – that’s why the £500 level is so important.”

The importance of fuel efficiency to customers is also economically driven. Fiat won a Marketing Week Engage Award earlier this year for its eco:Drive campaign, which taught owners how to drive more efficiently, saving more than £3m in fuel costs.

Brane Bosancic, corporate marketing manager of Fiat Group UK, says: “We live in an austere time now. Eco means two things: ecology and economy. Although the ecology was the main focus for us, it became quite apparent that people are very aware of the fuel prices and how much they’re spending. So economy also became an important part of the eco:Drive.”

Eco:Drive software can be downloaded from a computer, saved to a memory stick and then plugged into the customer’s Fiat. Journey data is recorded, sent to a server in Milan, processed through a system of complex algorithms and presented to the customer via their PC with easy-to-understand facts, figures and personalised tutorials.

The data is first collected by the car’s on-board computer, which controls the electronic stability program and braking system.

Bosancic says: “The computer looks at the performance of all the different parts of the vehicle at all times in split-second increments.

Our boffins in Turin thought that if the data was available to the car, we could extract some of it and get it out to the customer.”

With innovations so focused on complex data analysis and exchange, a key challenge for marketers is to convey the benefits of new technologies without confusing customers.

Audi’s Allitt admits: “Compared to traditional ways of car marketing – using performance or efficiency as the main hook – it takes a lot more explaining. It is being integrated into our overall communications strategy so we can explain the customer benefits a little bit better.”

Audi, BMW and Fiat focus on video content in their digital marketing to explain their telematics systems in a visual, immediate way.

For eco:Drive, Fiat created an animation that showed the journey its data was taking. Bosancic says: “We live in a digital age and the easiest way to communicate with people is online. Our video is simple and fun. If you want more information, you can go to the website and find out exactly what is happening to your data and what is going on in the car.”

Pearson agrees: “The key thing for us to communicate is that Touch and Go is easy to use. Our drivers are not like Gadget Guy [a character in Toyota’s current advertising campaign, above] as he’s got a million different things that do a million separate actions and none of them very well.”

To explain complex features, car brands have also been forming partnerships with well-known businesses in this area, such as Google Earth and Local Search. The idea is that consumers already understand these technologies and recognise the benefit.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that being associated with Google would help to sell our brand, but it’s important to explain that we’re interested in using technology and integrating it into what we’re doing,” says Audi’s Allitt.

With so much personal and performance data being used by car manufacturers, security is a key concern for marketers. Fiat’s Bosancic says that while the UK has tight privacy laws, other countries are even more stringent and there is no barrier to where consumers drive their cars. When it markets its data-led projects, the brand always emphasises the fact that the information is anonymous. “We assure people that it’s not ’Big Brother is watching how you’re driving’,” he notes.

Concern over how best to communicate data-led innovations does not mean car brands are holding back on their development. They are looking to consolidate their efforts to create new industry standards. Ford and Toyota are planning to collaborate on back-end technology and innovation, such as how to safely transfer data to and from a vehicle.

Toyota’s Pearson says: “It stops 32 different manufacturers creating 32 different data standards. It makes sense to have common data standards, especially in the US where Ford and Toyota are such major players. It makes it much easier for consumers to understand and for developers who want to create products for those platforms.”

Car brands promoting their data-led services have a tricky balance to find. They need to keep customers informed of their technological advances, such as Toyota’s collaboration with Microsoft to develop the Windows Azure cloud-computing platform for the car and BMW’s experiments with near-field communication technologies [see box, below]. These position the brands on the cutting edge. But at the same time, consumers need to feel confident that their car will not be out of date in six months’ time.

Audi’s Allitt says that because software is easier to update than hardware, using online data updates to cars’ operating systems will be key. Because updates can be made to systems that are already owned, consumers can feel they are getting new elements to their cars without having to change the model entirely.

Toyota’s Pearson says that in future, car data systems may even become open source. This would allow manufacturers to offer consumers even more personalised products and services through their vehicles. He predicts: “This will allow the system to be more dynamic, agile and relevant to more consumers.”

It’s Official Facebook Places has been executed! Killed off and done with not to show its face again…Well let’s not get carried away here. The information is shocking as to Facebook actually not crushing Foursquare in the local check in space let alone that many thought they would do quickly.

There are many stories out there surrounding the news:

Here is a segment from the Huffington Post:

Tucked near the end of Facebook’s 1,200-word blog post detailing a slew of privacy changes was a short obituary for a Facebook feature unveiled with great fanfare last year: Facebook Places, a check-in service that allowed users to share their locations on Facebook and redeem coupons.

Facebook quietly admitted that it would be “phasing out” Places, which had been available only on cellphones, while at the same time expanding the ability to add locations to posts by allowing users to tag cities, venues and landmarks in everything from status updates to Wall posts using any device.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/24/facebook-axes-places-who-_n_935082.html

Foursquare!

Was it the power of Four Square that led to the execution? Is this a tactic simply a graceful exit or surrendering of the location based check in war? Facebook clearly was out to crush FourSquare – so congrats to Foursquare for prospering.

Segment from TechCrunch:

TechCrunch’s MG Siegler counters that Facebook’s shift may signal the social networking site is “doubling-down” on location and attempting to place it front and center on every Facebook post, even as it moves away from check-ins. Its approach, moving forward, will be different from Foursquare’s, but its determination to tap into location just as fierce. After all, location information offers one more salient piece of data that can be used to sell more–and more targeted–ads. “[N]ow that location is being emphasized on every Facebook action (though it can easily be turned off) — and not just on mobile — a lot of people are going to use it. Location as a layer of context is about to get a big upgrade,” wrote Siegler.

Having teen children it is clear to me that they prefer Facebook Check Ins over FourSquare, I do wonder what they will allow those teens to do so to tap into some form of that local data goldmine.

Inbound Marketing – Brand & Reputation Management – Custom Ad Network Landing Pages

Car Dealer Review Strategy

How many new products can we market to a hungry and tentative automotive community… How high can you count?

Review Strategy..YES you need one!

For many dealerships keeping up with the latest, greatest, have to have it online marketing tools is fast becoming a full time job.  As trust agents for one of the largest automotive businesses in the country Media Crush acts in such a manner for The Herb Chambers Companies.

There are many ways to tackle this and most of you probably have tried many of them or a combination thereof.  While experience and an updated personal knowledge base are invaluable; an overall dissemination of new products has to occur to truly discover income effecting related marketing opportunities.

Step one seems to be the most influx at the moment:
Reviews!

There are a lot of steps to a dealership handling this; we will reveal them in a series of posts leading up to the release of a New Car Networks and Media Crush free e-book release by the end of the year.

Today’s consumers are coming to the dealership with more knowledge and information than ever before.  Armed with price points and most importantly the opinion of your dealership based on word of mouth and online reviews – they are here to negotiate.

Next Posts to include answers to some questions we are getting from the field.

With the recent changes in the way Google handles reviews and your Google Places accounts what should you be doing?

We are condition to make sure we inform everyone when we have been wronged, however, why don’t we take the time to let people know where to go for a great experience?

Is your dealership giving them an easy path to provide this input?  Do you ask for the review?
What type of reviews should we broadcast and how?

Dealer Rater a respected and well known review site has added some innovations to up the ante most likely based on the latest moves by Google and increased competitive pressure in the site development space.

We will publish our take on the DealerRater product after you all get a chance to digest the following letter.  PLEASE SHARE your thoughts… Are you a Certified Dealer?  Does this look tempting?  How are you rating this review enhancement tool?  Is this all getting a little bit too BIG BROTHER for you?

DEALER RATER Letter to Certified Dealers…

Dear Certified Dealer,

As you are likely aware, in late July, Google implemented various changes in regard to third-party reviews appearing on Google Maps/Places. Given what we perceive to be significant misperception within the industry regarding these changes and their subsequent impact, I would like to address the key facts surrounding these modifications.

• Third-party reviews are no longer fully integrated with Google reviews and Google star-count ratings. DealerRater reviews are, however, still indexed on Google and your DealerRater star rating is still prominently seen on the first page of Google search results. In addition, DealerRater reviews remain to offer high organic search placement.
• Third-party review snip-its no longer appear on Google Places. Google revamped the appearance and layout of its Places page to allow for increased emphasis on Google User reviews. The Places page displays Google user review counts, star ratings and review content, which is then followed by third-party review counts like DealerRater.

To help you address the changes, DealerRater has released a new product called DealerRater Push™ as a part of the DealerRater Certification package. When a consumer posts a review to DealerRater, DealerRater Push is able to instantly identify whether or not that consumer maintains a Google/gMail account. For every reviewer that does maintain a Google/gMail account, DealerRater Push will enable that reviewer to easily copy and paste their review and star rating to Google Places. DealerRater Push ensures that you generate numerous positive reviews on both DealerRater and on Google, and also enables reviews to post immediately to your Google Maps/Places page (rather than having to wait the 4 to 6 weeks it has traditionally taken for Google to find and index your DealerRater review content).

Google is a great starting point when you’re looking to monitor what your customers are saying and hearing about you online; however, you also need a comprehensive Online Reputation Management strategy in place to not only build, but truly manage and leverage reviews. DealerRater’s Certified Dealer Program provides various point of sale tools (such as rating reminder cards) as well as best practices training to help position your dealership for a successful Online Reputation Management strategy. As you’ll see in the “Lane Change” section of this newsletter, we’re continuously updating and enhancing the Certified Dealer program to provide you with the tools you need to leverage your reputation to close more business and gain a competitive edge.

Sincerely,
Chip Grueter
President, DealerRater

Inbound Marketing – Brand & Reputation Management – Custom Ad Network Landing Pages