If you have tuned into the start of college football, you may have noticed something new about the Dr. Pepper “Fansville” commercial.
This particular one features Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, a move made possible by the NCAA’s new policy and state-by-state laws that allow student-athletes to benefit from their own name, image and likeness.
While some top-tier athletes are slinging soda (Uiagalelei) or Cajun chicken (North Carolina’s Sam Howell inked a deal with Bojangles), there has already been some movement in automotive, as well …
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“Your mom is a used-car salesman.”
No, that’s not meant to be a lunchroom jab from your grade-school days.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
It’s actually just one example of the messaging from CarLotz’s first major brand campaign, which aims to debunk pre-conceived notions about pre-owned and emphasize that “it feels good to be a used-car person.”
And that’s whether you’re buying or selling a used car, both of which consumers — including our beloved mommas — can do through CarLotz.
Other examples of messaging in the campaign shared by the company include “It's brand spanking used!” or “The smartest way to sell your car is to let someone else do the work” or “It's a brand used day.”
The used-vehicle consignment and retail remarketing business launched this campaign in early August, beginning with out-of-home, radio and digital spots – with plans to add TV, additional video content, sponsorships, local activitations, influencer marketing and in-hub displays.
The campaign is running in the Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Nashville, Tenn.; Orlando, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; San Antonio; Seattle; St. Louis and Tampa metro areas.
“This campaign is all about flipping the script on what it means to buy used. We want to turn ‘used car’ into a badge you wear with pride,” CarLotz chief marketing officer Michael Chapman said in a news release.
“This work is a direct reflection of the pride our employees and our guests feel working with CarLotz. There is something special about the people who buy and sell at CarLotz. They know the true value of getting used and they love it,” he continued. “At the end of the day our job is to plant a flag in the category, continue to put the value back in the hands of buyers and sellers and remind people that, ‘it feels good to be a used car person.’”
Arts & Letters, which is based in CarLotz’s home market of Richmond, Va., led the strategy and creative for the campaign. Media planning and buying is led by Noble People, with Familiar Creatures leading the social.
“From the ground up, CarLotz is a company built around putting people first,” said Andy Grayson, director of strategy at Arts & Letters Creative Co. “So, when we looked at the category and saw that everyone else was focused on their process, we knew the right thing to do was to make the strategy all about people and the pride they feel buying used from CarLotz.”
More assistance is in motion for Blue Oval retailers. automotiveMastermind — part of IHS Markit and a provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for dealerships — recently formed a partnership with FordDirect.
As a result of the relationship, the companies highlighted that the new integrations will be offered to both current and future Ford and Lincoln dealerships in the United States that use Mastermind — the automated sales and marketing platform that can empower dealers to close more deals by predicting future buyers and consistently marketing to them.
There is no additional cost to dealers for the integrations with FordDirect, according to a news release.
The companies explained the partnership is designed to deliver bi-directional data sharing that allows both operations to improve their respective services to Ford and Lincoln dealers.
They said Ford and Lincoln dealers will enjoy the benefits of seamless billing via the OEM parts and accessory statements, automatic co-op processing and integration with FordDirect CRM.
Executives also mentioned automotiveMastermind will be building additional upcoming data-driven integrations such as incorporating VIN data and AXZ pricing into the Mastermind platform.
Mastermind is currently 100% co-op approved for Ford, according to the companies.
“Our mission at FordDirect is to help our Ford and Lincoln dealers sell more vehicles,” FordDirect chief executive officer Matt VanDyke said in the news release. “We believe the benefits of our relationship with automotiveMastermind advances that goal, and we’re pleased to reduce the administrative workload on our dealers with streamlined billing and co-op processing,”
And automotiveMastermind chief executive officer and co-Founder Marco Schnabl added, “Empowering our dealer partners to take a data-driven approach toward building lasting relationships with their customers has always been the focus of automotiveMastermind.
“This new and exciting relationship with FordDirect puts Ford and Lincoln dealers in a great position to capitalize on the innovative technology that Mastermind offers. It will make the sales process more seamless for the dealer professionals, as well as their customers,” Schnabl went on to say.
Engaged dealership personnel might be engaging with potential buyers via text message more than ever nowadays.
Recognizing the growing influence of text communication in dealer/buyer engagement, Fox Dealer recently announce the acquisition of Simplext Digital immediate response solution and the formation of a partnership with LetzChat, a text-and-chat platform providing real-time translation in more than 100 languages.
Often considered a less intimidating form of communication for car and truck buyers when compared with in-person or phone conversation, Fox Dealer explained that texting solutions can enable direct discussion with a sales or service representative, rather than a lead bucket or automated tools.
The company said this technology can streamline the process for both shoppers and vehicle owners in need of scheduling service appointments.
“We have been looking for texting and chat tools that will further our efforts in helping dealers streamline their direct communication with customers, improving engagement and ultimately generating sales,” Fox Dealer chief executive officer GianCarlo Alabastro said in a news release.
“These new technologies complement our existing website, advertising and digital retailing platforms and will be available within that structure or as a stand-alone tool,” Albastro continued.
Simplext Digital supports dealerships because its technology can spark sales-driven communication in an easy-to-use format for personnel. Potential benefits include:
— Real-time messaging
— Safeguarding leads within dealership walls
— Affordability through a low, fixed cost format
— Privacy to protect personal mobile numbers
— Easy set-up and installation
— Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) compliance through opt-in messaging
The company went on to highlight its newly formed partnership with LetzChat allows Fox Dealer to access a text-and-chat tool capable of immediately translating text and website content in more than 100 languages.
LetzChat’s modern, proprietary, and accurate translation APIs provide customers with a multitude of services, from highly adapted localized solutions to large-volume automated enterprise services.
The addition of Simplext Digital technology follows February’s launch of Fox Chat, a live text and video service for GM Canada dealers facilitated through the General Motors Dealer Digital Solution program.
For more details, go to foxdealer.com.
In addition to announcing a partnership with SpinCar, CarGurus revealed its fifth annual Best Used Car Awards on Tuesday, recognizing later-model vehicles across 10 segments.
The awards are based on a CarGurus analysis of metrics that included long-term projected value retention, driver satisfaction, user reviews, expert evaluation along with popularity and availability of the respective model.
Beyond the 10 category honorees, the Editor’s Choice award went to the 2017-2021 Mazda CX-5.
“CarGurus’ Best Used Car Awards have become an industry mainstay for the last five years, and the extra layer of guidance and trust they provide is even more important this year, as car shoppers consider purchasing a used vehicle due to the current new-vehicle inventory shortage,” CarGurus deputy editor Matt Smith said in a news release.
“Each of this year’s winners and finalists earned their accolades through our data-driven analysis that looked into several factors such as availability, value retention and reviews from both industry experts and consumers,” Smith said. “This especially holds true for the 2021 Editor’s Choice winner — the second-generation Mazda CX-5, a vehicle that earned strong scores across the board in our assessment.”
The following are the winners and finalists, listed in order, by vehicle category:
Small Crossover/SUV
1. 2017-2021 Mazda CX-5
2. 2017-2021 Kia Sportage
3. 2017-2021 Honda CR-V
Medium Crossover/SUV
1. 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2. 2016-2020 Kia Sorento
3. 2013-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Large Crossover/SUV
1. 2011-2019 Ford Explorer
2. 2015-2020 Chevrolet Tahoe
3. 2017-2021 GMC Acadia
Luxury Crossover/SUV
1. 2016-2021 Volvo XC90
2. 2016-2020 Lexus RX
3. 2016-2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
Sedan/Hatchback
1. 2017-2020 Hyundai Elantra
2. 2016-2020 Kia Optima
3. 2016-2021 Honda Civic
Luxury Sedan
1. 2014 – 2020 Lexus I
2. 2011-2018 Volvo S60
3. 2015-2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Midsize Pickup Truck
1. 2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma
2. 2015-2021 Chevrolet Colorado
3. 2017-2021 Honda Ridgeline
Full-Size Pickup Truck
1. 2015-2020 Ford F-150
2. 2011-2018 RAM 1500
3. 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Minivan
1. 2017-2021 Chrysler Pacifica
2. 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey
3. 2011-2020 Toyota Sienna
Sports Car
1. 2015-2021 Ford Mustang
2. 2014-2019 Chevrolet Corvette
3. 2016-2018 Ford Focus RS
CarGurus teams up with SpinCar
In other news from the company, digital automotive merchandising software provider SpinCar is adding its interactive 360° WalkArounds to CarGurus.com through its partnership with the company.
This will give dealers the ability to offer virtual vehicle tours on the CarGurus marketplace, providing an enhanced experience and greater transparency.
The 360° WalkArounds videos that dealers create through the SpinCar platform are now added to CarGurus listings.
“SpinCar’s advanced merchandising capabilities provide us with the opportunity to create additional value for our audience of car shoppers searching for the perfect vehicle and for dealers who rely on CarGurus to help them sell more cars,” CarGurus vice president of product management Andrew Grochal said in a news release.
“We share a commitment to making car shopping better, and we’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that this technology has on lead conversion. We look forward to continuing our work with SpinCar to bring innovative experiences that empower consumers and bring even greater levels of transparency to the car buying process,” Grochal said.
Added SpinCar co-founder and chief executive officer Devin Daly: “CarGurus has established itself as a go-to resource for consumers and dealers by applying technology and data in innovative ways to the car shopping experience.
“Now, more than ever, shopping for a car has become an online activity and effective digital merchandising is critical for dealer success,” Daly said. “We look forward to helping dealers succeed in this new environment by partnering with CarGurus to bring even more engaging digital experiences to the largest audience of in-market vehicle shoppers in the country.”
Video can be a powerful tool to help your dealership answer questions from potential vehicle buyers and service drive customers.
Based on that premise, Covideo, an Indianapolis-based video messaging software company, has partnered with automotive CRM Elead to launch an integration that allows shared users to record, send and track videos within the CRM.
According to a news release distributed on Friday, users now will have access to Covideo’s proprietary software directly within their Elead’s account, allowing them to record new videos, utilize existing videos, add them to their messages and automatically track the activity.
Additionally, the companies said videos sent through Covideo’s desktop or mobile applications will also be automatically logged to the corresponding customer’s record in Elead.
“This partnership aims to save dealers time and effort, while also creating a more efficient process to engage buyers, strengthen relationships, and drive higher sales,” said Covideo chief executive officer Jason Price, who leads the company founded in 2004 that offers video messaging used by dealerships for internet lead responses, vehicle walkarounds, appointment reminders, service repairs and more
Covideo added that its integration for Elead is the first of its kind that can allow users to incorporate personalized video into messages and accurately track the outreach without manual entry.
“With Covideo’s integration, salespeople and BDC teams can do everything from start to finish from a single screen,” Price said. “It’s hands down the fastest, most streamlined way for dealers to incorporate video into their outreach.”
Dealerships interested in integrating Covideo and Elead can reach out to Covideo at support@covideo.com, contact your designated account manager, or visit covideo.com/requestademo/ to request a demo.
Two service providers your store might already use now are working together, so potential buyers know as much information as possible about your used-vehicle inventory.
On Monday, Rapid Recon and iPacket, providers of digital reconditioning and digital selling solutions, announced the launch of the Rapid Recon Digital Vehicle Portfolio powered by iPacket.
“The addition of the Digital Vehicle Portfolio to Rapid Recon is the most important selling tool since the inception of Rapid Recon 11 years ago,” Rapid Recon founder and chief executive officer Dennis McGinn said in a news release.
The Digital Vehicle Portfolio is geared to help dealers convert more shoppers to engaged and active sales leads. The tool can give online shoppers detailed, accurate and clickable VIN-specific insight into a dealer’s used-vehicle inventory, including:
• Recon summary reports that can educate shoppers on the quality and integrity of the dealer’s vehicles and dealership
• The original OEM MSRP window sticker
• New-model brochure
• Certified pre-owned or in-house warranty docs
• Other value-building documentation
“The iPacket integration with Rapid Recon is a tremendous addition for sales operations,” iPacket founder and CEO Seve Astorg said. “It helps educate vehicle shoppers about the exceptional recon process the dealer uses to build integrity, value and trust in the dealership and the used cars it sells.
“Integrating Rapid Recon’s solution and data into iPacket for our mutual dealer partners delivers an unmatched digital transparency solution,” Astorg continued.
Other content provided by the Digital Vehicle Portfolio includes the vehicle history report, warranty options and the dealership’s “Why Shop Here” marketing messaging.
“Our customers tell us that we build the best reconditioning management software, and they also tell us that iPacket builds the best sales presentation software. It just made sense that we partner up to bring to market the best products dealers want, from the companies they trust,” McGinn said.
The companies highlighted that more than 1,400 dealerships use iPacket, while more than 2,400 stores use Rapid Recon. The Digital Vehicle Portfolio is supported by Rapid Recon customer support and client performance teams.
“It is 100% automated, eliminating document scan and upload tasks,” the company added.
For more details, go to this website.
Imagine Autos is bringing a new video-centric car buying experience to consumers. The site works to deliver an easy-to-use, interactive layout that lets consumers watch videos of vehicles they're interested in purchasing. Imagine Autos is “bringing the car buying experience” to the digital age by being one of the only third-party car listing site that focuses on video, according to the company.
Imagine Auto was launched by the founder of LESAutomotive.com — a leader in high-definition automotive video marketing.
Imagine Auto features one of the web’s largest automotive inventories. And interestingly, Imagine Autos utilizes artificial intelligence to feature spotlight icons on each video, allowing customers to skip to the features most important to them — like safety and connectivity.
"At Imagine Autos, we believe the automotive shopping experience should be interactive, engaging, and transparent," said founder and CEO Philip Ly, in the recent press release. "Photos are insufficient to instill trust for a major purchase such as an automobile, and data analytics prove the value of videos for online consumer decision-making. People want to see vehicles with greater detail in an easy-to-use, visually attractive environment, which our site uniquely provides."
Imagine Auto's Instagram-style navigation instantly begins with a video of the car you're hovering over for a smooth viewing experience. And companion apps for IoS and Android have been released, as well. The mobile app even has an immersive augmented reality (AR) experience “that puts the car of choice in your driveway”, according to the company.
This AR program allows shoppers to choose from new cars and visualize the vehicle in a real environment; this AR experience is currently only available within the mobile app for new models.
The new offering means to create a “seamless customer and dealer experience by supplying more tools to dealers to reach consumers.
Imagine Autos also offers a "Deal Rating," which gives the consumer insight into whether the vehicle's price is a "fair deal." "good deal," or a "great deal," based on Kelly Blue Book ratings and data.
In this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, Jessica Lanier, who is vice president of marketing at Manheim and NextGear Capital, joins the show to discuss the digital shift in remarketing and the message of Manheim's "Our Mission is Yours" campaign.
Plus, we discuss lessons learned from the pandemic and much more.
To hear the conversation, click on the link available below, or visit the Auto Remarketing Podcast page.
Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast on iTunes or on Google Play.
LotLinx, known for its inventory marketing technology, is now participating in supporting the U CAN-CER VIVE foundation — a dealer group cancer research non-profit — through a recent donation.
It was founded by siblings Ryan and Kelley LaFontaine of the Michigan-based LaFontaine Automotive Group, in February of 2016. Since then, in just over five years, the organization has raised over $2.5 million. These funds went to a total of 10 research grants, five of which the auto group noted are live in the state.
In terms of how LotLinx’ plans to further support the non-profit, the company says it plans to join the LaFontaine Auto Group at the foundation's first event of the year, U CAN-CER VIVE Evening for the Cure, which happens Friday in Pontiac, Mich.
"On behalf of the passionate team at U CAN-CER VIVE, we greatly appreciate the support from LotLinx," said Kelley LaFontaine, co-founder of U CAN-CER VIVE, in a news release. "Their donation will go directly toward needed cancer research and ultimately get us closer to our mission of a cancer-free world."
Neal Gann, president of LotLinx, said in a release: "LaFontaine has been a trusted partner of ours for several years. At LotLinx, we are passionate about helping clients succeed — both in and out of the dealership. We're proud to have the opportunity to support LaFontaine's mission of providing funding for cancer research and hope our involvement can continue to spread awareness."
And this isn’t the only philanthropic effort LotLinx has participated in for 2021. The team explained the company has been involved with several other dealer clients’ non-profit organizations, as well.
