CHICAGO -

The emphasis on advertising in December focused around performance and innovation, according to Phoenix Automotive’s latest “Auto Insights” report. And it seems to be attracting consumers, as the percentage of shoppers in the market for a new car and planning to purchase a in the next three months grew in December.

That number increased slightly from November to 38 percent, which is 3 percent lower than December 2012.

The plan of action for these three-month intenders varied.

The number planning to visit a dealer increased by 19 percent, while intentions to research vehicles online rose by 5 percent.

These were the primary actions near-term new vehicle shoppers planned to take in December.

The report also highlighted which brands stood out the most for their advertising efforts in December.

Last month, Toyota and Porsche stood out among their peers with the top performing ads closing out 2013.

The Toyota came in with the top non-luxury ad for the second month in a row, according to Phoenix, with its Camry ad titled, “Obstacle Course.”

The spot aims to portray the Camry as a “thrilling ride,” said Kevin Severance, senior analyst at Phoenix Automotive and author of the report, as it shows the vehicle going through an automotive obstacle course.

“It portrays Camry as a performance vehicle in action and shares some exhilarated passengers’ reactions from after the ride,” Severance added.

For luxury, Porsche drew the most attention with its spot titled “Plug In Sport.” This TV ad depicts the Panamera Hybrid alongside cables carrying an electrical current.

With the statement: Although “few things on Earth move faster than electricity,” they’re “working on it,” Porsche is driving home the performance and speed potential of its hybrid unit.

Severance explained this ad is boosted by the following performance drivers: engagement, impact, cognitive, empathy and relevance connections.