Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

If Google executives have it right, U.S. consumers will be accessing as much information through their smartphones as they do through computers by the middle of next year. This leaves marketers in the position of scrambling to catch up with tech-savvy computers. For auto dealers, the race is on to connect with consumers through their smartphones.

Media companies and mobile marketing platform providers who gathered at the Borrell Associates Local Mobile Advertising Conference in Chicago this week, heard about the growing opportunity in the automotive sector. The good news is the automotive vertical market is growing quickly. The bad news is that competitors are entering the mobile space daily, competing to siphon off the flow of money that has been going to traditional media.

Last month, I blogged on several reports that projected a fourth quarter spike in auto industry advertising. A recent post in TV News Check suggests there’s reason for optimism in 2012. All three source of auto ad dollars – manufacturers, dealer associations, and dealers – should increase their spending next year.

The majority of automobile owners are do-it-for-me (DIFM) consumers when it comes to auto service or repair, according to recent research by The NPD Group. New research finds that the choice to have DIFM auto services is largely due to the need to maintain a car properly in order to keep it longer, and a higher degree of trust in professional auto services than do-it-yourself auto repair. 68% of today’s drivers say they will have all automotive service and repair performed by a professional.

Despite ever increasing gas prices, buyers still aren’t changing their automotive preferences when it comes to choosing a new car. According to AutoPacific’s new “Fuel Price Impact Survey,” many consumers still want trucks or SUVs, even in the face of higher gas prices than in summer 2010. While small cars promise high fuel economy, only 16% of respondents said they plan to purchase one for their next vehicle.

The U.S. auto market is just now recovering from the disaster in Japan earlier this year which affected parts and vehicle availability. In an earlier blog post this month, I highlighted a report that predicted a jump in auto industry advertising in the 4th quarter of this year as Japanese vehicle become available again. Within the next year, U.S. auto makers will face competitors from a different region and the ad market is likely to experience changes as well.