http://www.marketingforecast.com Fast Forward Findings for Strategic Advertising+Marketing Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:30:11 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6544 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6544#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:00:59 +0000 Shannon Bryant http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=6544 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6544/feed 0 As Americans emerge from the recession, they are buying much different vehicles than they did before the crash - smaller and more fuel-efficient - signifying a major shift. Compared with consumers in the first half of 2007, Americans now are buying more cars, fewer trucks and smaller vehicles in general; smaller and less expensive cars within segments; and ordinary rides that replace bigger or more luxurious vehicles. Still, as they go down in size, buyers aren't necessarily sacrificing equipment. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6339 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6339#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:00:02 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=6339 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6339/feed 0 Consumers who are venturing into the car buying market for the first time generally do not have enough cash to purchase a vehicle. This situation means they must research financing alternatives before signing a contract. These buyers also need to consider the total cost of ownership before they make a decision. But a recent survey from Capital One Auto Finance shows first-time car buyers lack the information they need to make a financially responsible decision. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6322 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6322#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:00:32 +0000 Shannon Bryant http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=6322 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/6322/feed 0 Foresight Research recently introduced its proprietary "2010: Automotive Marketing Return On Investment" study. As part of that study, a detailed examination of the influence of the internet and social media on automotive purchase decisions was conducted and returned interesting results. In 2009, 86% of all new vehicle buyers used the internet in their new vehicle purchase process. Of this group, 90% used the internet to compare vehicles and pricing, while 83% checked it for incentives. For young buyers under the age of 35, nearly a quarter (24%) used social networking to share their decision. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5750 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5750#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 16:00:27 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=5750 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5750/feed 0 Sales in the pickup truck market are about to get more competitive. Mahindra & Mahindra, an Indian-based company, has been waiting for over a year to introduce its compact diesel pickup in the U.S. The firm had originally planned to launch the truck, to be named either the TR20 or TR40, last summer. But the entire auto industry slowdown forced Mahindra t change its plans. Now the company plans to begin actively selling its trucks in the U.S. by December. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5601 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5601#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 07:00:06 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=5601 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5601/feed 0 Car selling season is upon us and U.S. manufacturers hope to increase their market share. In particular, Ford is determined to make a success of its new subcompact car. Part of the company’s strategy has been to train dealers on how to sell smaller vehicles. The other part of the strategy is all about marketing. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5429 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5429#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:00:43 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=5429 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/5429/feed 1 In the past decade, automakers broadened their strategy to reach ethnic audiences. Manufacturers typically hired separate agencies to develop ad campaigns to promote their vehicles to African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics. But the recession changed all that. Last year, automakers cut marketing and the cuts extended to the ethnic demographics. While general automaker advertising dropped 13% overall in 2009, the budgets for Hispanic TV, magazine and radio shrank by 38% and spending in those same categories when targeting black consumers dropped 18%. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4881 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4881#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:00:53 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=4881 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4881/feed 1 If consumers like the sound of something they hear in an ad, are they more likely to buy? Ads are a complex combination of human voice, music, images and words designed to interact with a listener’s acculturated experiences and influence aspirations. Some ads achieve their goals while others fall flat. Could the success rate of ads be linked to gender bias based on the voice used? http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4614 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4614#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:00:35 +0000 Kathy Crosett http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=4614 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4614/feed 0 A key aspect of any auto manufacturer’s marketing mix is the auto show. These events have long served as showcases where manufacturers can tout their latest designs for reporters and consumers. But given the expense required to participate in an auto show, can a manufacturer expect a return on investment? http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4173 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4173#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:00:26 +0000 Shannon Bryant http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=4173 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4173/feed 0 Light vehicle sales in 2009 were 10.4 million, the lowest level in 27 years, and 21.2% lower than 2008. However, as American household net worth continues to recover, rebuilt wealth will help drive personal consumption which includes purchases of durable goods, such as light vehicles, according to R. L. Polk & Co. Polk predicts the light vehicle market will be 11.5 million units in 2010, according to its most recent U.S. light vehicle forecast. http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4048 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4048#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:00:25 +0000 Shannon Bryant http://www.marketingforecast.com/?p=4048 http://www.marketingforecast.com/archives/4048/feed 0 Automotive manufacturers are working hard to increase customer loyalty and attract buyers from other brands. With the uncertainty of the economy, retaining existing owners is critical to a brand's market success. A new study from J.D. Power and Associates finds that resale value and vehicle quality have become increasingly important reasons for new-vehicle buyers to remain loyal to an automotive brand. Mercedes-Benz ranks highest among automotive brands in retaining vehicle owners when they buy a new-vehicle, and improves their retention rate by eight percentage points from 2008 to 67% in 2009. Following in the rankings are Honda (64%) and Toyota (61%).