As the pandemic makes this year’s holiday season look and feel different in many ways — including how people will travel— a new program from Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book aims to make road trips a little warmer and help people drive in style.
The companies have created limited-edition “ugly” sweater light up face masks and steering wheel covers that they hope will spread cheer all season long.
Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book vice president of marketing Greta Crowley said the companies know it has been a challenging year.
“So we wanted to have a little fun this holiday season and try to add some cheer to consumers,” Crowley said in a news release. “The holiday masks and steering wheel covers do just that.”
Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book say keeping the holiday spirit alive is especially important this year, and as cars have become more of an escape and safe haven, keeping them looking their best is important. Seven out of 10 consumers are committed to purchasing accessories for their cars, the companies say, adding that people anticipate one to three pit stops on their holiday trips.
“Having a festive mask readily available will be key,” Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book said.
Through Friday, holiday travelers can visit http://www.holidayindrive.com for a chance to win accessories for the car and driver. Those include a pair of “ugly” holiday sweater light up face masks, which they say could make great gifts. No purchase is necessary. Entrants can also win an “ugly” holiday sweater steering wheel cover.
In the "about" section of its website, Orbee Auto describes itself as a company that is "on a mission to streamline and automate automotive dealership digital marketing."
Atul Patel, who is Orbee's co-founder and chief operating officer, joins the Auto Remarketing Podcast to discuss the inspiration behind the company, its efforts with industry associations to help train dealers and the next steps Orbee plans to take.
To listen to the entire 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.
TrueCar said it is celebrating its partnership with its TrueCar Military brand ambassador, NASCAR driver and Naval officer Jesse Iwuji, by announcing its ultimate eRacing fan sweepstakes in partnership with Iwuji.
TrueCar is giving sweepstakes entrants the chance to win “the ultimate sim racing rig” for one winner’s home. The winner will also receive a private eRacing lesson with Iwuji, along with a $300 eRacing gift card.
To enter the sweepstakes, fans can clicking the sweepstakes link and fill out the entry form on the TrueCar Military Jesse Iwuji page.
Iwuji said that for professional drivers such as himself, sim racing is an essential training tool.
“It helps us become better racers by simulating race experiences you can’t get anywhere else but on the track,” Iwuji said in a news release. “I’m excited to give one lucky fan the opportunity to have the ultimate sim racing rig and experience.”
Iwuji also said that as a service member and professional racer, he realizes the importance of having a support system to realize your dreams.
“I’m proud to partner with TrueCar to help empower someone to reach their goals and support their aspirations for sim racing,” Iwuji said. “Who knows, we may even find the next professional racer.”
Iwuji, who TrueCar noted is one of NASCAR’s few African-American drivers, was recently featured in TrueCar’s brand marketing campaign, “Drive On.” That campaign seeks to build brand awareness and brand affinity for TrueCar’s military channel. During Veterans Race Weekend, TrueCar sponsored Iwuji’s NASCAR Xfinity Championship race in Phoenix.
Earlier this month, Iwuji participated in TrueCar’s program, DrivenToDrive. That program helps veterans regain their freedom to drive. The program achieves that by providing veterans with a new vehicle retrofitted to their needs.
During the DrivenToDrive event ahead of Veterans Day, Iwuji surprised the DrivenToDrive winner, Karah Behrend, with a brand-new vehicle.
“At TrueCar, our foundation as a technology company lends itself well to a passion for driving, and we believe in making natural connections where they arise,” said TrueCar chief consumer officer Beth Mach. “In the spirit of this organic tie and today’s virtual-first environment, we are providing one lucky winner an incredible at-home sim racing rig and the opportunity of a lifetime to receive a private eRacing lesson from a NASCAR driver.”
The TrueCar eRacing Sweepstakes started on Monday and ends on Dec. 20. No purchase is necessary.
That Generation Z or younger millennial car shopper your dealership is trying to reach with a TV ad likely is not a cable subscriber, according to data from The Trade Desk shared by Cox Automotive.
In light of this shift from cable to streaming services — aka "cord-cutting" — Wayne Pastore of Dealer.com joins the Auto Remarketing Podcast to discuss how dealers are using connected TV and over-the-top content providers to ensure video ads reach the right audience.
And how Dealer.com is aiming to help.
To listen to the entire 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.
Orbee Auto's long-standing relationship with the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers resulted in another potential benefit for store principals and their staff.
On Friday, the marketing cloud company designed exclusively for dealerships announced a partnership with the association to provide digital marketing courses virtually and free of charge to its members.
Leading these courses will be Daniel Kim, chief executive officer and co-founder of Orbee Auto. The firm highlighted the 10-week educational series is now underway and is aimed at advancing digital marketing capabilities for employees of minority-owned dealerships.
Orbee Auto explained the focus of this training program is based on understanding the shoppers that land on a dealership’s website. The firm said attendees will gain a better understanding of how to source traffic through SEO, Facebook and other crucial online channels.
Additionally, the firm noted dealers will learn how to properly interpret digital marketing analytics. Furthermore, through a segment on marketing automation, the course reinforces understanding and knowing how to best target shoppers.
“I am so excited to have the opportunity to team up with NAMAD and lead this digital marketing course for minority dealerships,” Kim said in a news release.
“As co-founder of a minority-owned company myself, I wanted to be able to help these dealerships find new ways to succeed. With digital marketing being such a prominent aspect in running a successful business today, it was a no brainer for me to partake in this training course,” Kim continued.
Orbee Auto went on to emphasize the purpose of this program is to create the next generation of digital marketing savvy dealership employees and operators.
Upon completion of the program, the firm said participants will:
— Become knowledgeable in improving the ROI of their digital marketing spend
— Know how to make advertising budget decisions based on data and properly manage existing digital marketing vendors to correlate with the dealership's business objectives
— Learn how to create personalized experiences for online shoppers that drive vehicle sales and identify high-intent online shoppers.
“With how fast digital transformation is always evolving, it’s challenging for many dealerships to implement new technologies and services that effectively adapt to the ever-changing needs and demands of their customers. This is particularly the case with online digital retailing, which became almost mandatory for all dealerships large and small during the height of the COVID pandemic,” NAMAD president Damon Lester said.
“I believe that our collaboration with Orbee Auto as a leading martech company, in hosting this training, benefits our NAMAD members greatly by allowing them to dive deeper into digital marketing and challenges them to apply these learnings to their own dealerships,” Lester said.
Dealership personnel who already completed some of the coursework provided this feedback to Orbee Auto:
“So far (this course) has enlightened me on pertinent digital terminology and has given me insight on what is important to focus on for digital ROI,” said Daylyn Turner, who is general manager of JK Subaru.
“This is a phenomenal partnership between Orbee and NAMAD. One of the wonderful benefits of being part of such a strong association like NAMAD,” said Andrea Zadd, vice president of Crestmont Auto Group.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience thus far, and I’m looking forward to learning more,” said Martin Staten, director of digital marketing at Genesis Automotive Group.
NAMAD and Orbee Auto chief revenue officer Peter Fong have a long-standing relationship that began when Fong was the dealer franchising manager for Ford.
At the time, Fong was the liaison between the Ford Motor Minority Dealer Association and NAMAD.
Orbee Auto is a predominately minority company with more than 60% of its employees represented by people of color and more than 30% women, which the firm said can facilitate the understanding of being minorities within the automotive industry.
Throughout the course, Orbee Auto noted that feedback is requested to alter the lessons for students to receive the best possible educational experience.
According to NAMAD’s website, only 6% of American dealerships are minority-owned. The firms said this opportunity provided by Orbee and NAMAD presents participants with the ability to propel and advance in the digital marketing landscape.
“Orbee Auto and NAMAD will both work with minorities to defeat this curve and bring together minorities to become savvy in the modern world of automotive digital marketing,” the firms said.
To qualify for this training, participants must be a current member of NAMAD. To learn more, send a message to learning@orbeeauto.com.
Reputation management and social media engagement platform Widewail has launched an SMS-driven review generation tool that it says “gives businesses another lever to pull to automatically and continually generate content via SMS.”
The tool is called Invite, and Widewail says it delivers a timely review response strategy that keeps customers engaged, satisfied and loyal.
Stating that customer reviews are becoming a strong influencer on a business’ success, Widewail says it is helping organizations use customer reviews as one of their most important marketing assets.
“We are living in a new world where the trust of customer reviews — anonymous or not — drives buying decisions as much as, or more than, a brand marketing message,” Widewail founder and chief executive officer Matt Murray said in a news release. “Volumes of business today, in every industry, are gained or lost because of positive or negative reviews.”
The company adds that more local businesses and franchises are looking to operate a digital storefront for all or some of their products and services. Because of that, they have become dependent on others’ shared opinions to attract customers and maintain a positive reputation.
But online reputation management has become more complex, according to Widewail, and that is because of multiple platforms that host reviews, the volume and unpredictability of review and social content, and the lack of staff to manage an effective response strategy.
Widewail says its product “eases the operational burden” of reputation and engagement management. It also “maximizes” reviews to show publicly how a company is dedicated to customer service and satisfaction, which Widewail says is “the ultimate purchasing decision factor.”
“Widewail is enabling companies of all sizes in all markets to apply a strong review generation and response strategy across multiple platforms that builds their reputation, provides personalized support, and drives growth without piling on additional tasks to existing staff,” Murray said.
Murray continued, “We are giving our customers critical tools and services to strengthen their reputation, not drown in customer review content and influence.”
Widewail's Invite is a subscription-based review generation tool that is now available. Onboarding for new and existing clients takes less than an hour, and through a dashboard, customers can track customer review status, volume, and Widewail’s Invite product performance.
The company says it has seen 132% growth in its customer base over the past year.
Invite is the latest addition to the company’s existing reputation management platform, which features:
— Instant notification via text with a copy of a negative review and a suggested human-authored response to publish or edit
— Continuous monitoring of stores’ review sites on Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other industry-specific sites
— Access to real-time analysis and reporting across monitored sites
— Sentiment scoring for Facebook and Instagram
— Side-by-side comparisons among profit-centers
— Q&A seeding and management on the location’s Google My Business page
It’s even less likely in our current pandemic world that shoppers are walking the lot at your dealership. Dealer.com said it understands that the increase in online car-shopping activity demands an upgraded user experience.
To answer the call, Dealer.com is introducing an all-new search results page experience with strategic new upgrades that improve inventory search, browsing and digital tool usage for Dealer.com clients and their customers.
Site officials highlighted on Monday that Dealer.com’s new search results page (SRP) enhancements help different types of shoppers find the right vehicle faster by guiding them to the critical inventory information they need, and ultimately making it easier for consumers to reach their destination — the vehicle deal page (VDP) — from any device, anywhere.
“Today, nearly every shopper spends time researching cars online with hopes of landing on the perfect VDP, but every customer’s journey is different — from their approach to what device they are using,” said Katie Wilkins, senior director product management at Dealer.com.
“With this in mind, we built the new SRP experience to drive a faster more convenient path to the right vehicle across all device and shopper experiences,” Wilkins continued.
Now, shoppers can make more vehicle comparisons and informed selections sooner in the shopping process — no matter the device they are using. The majority of shoppers — 82% — engage with search results on a dealership’s website, according to an analysis of Dealer.com website platform traffic by Google Analytics.
The features of the new SRP experience are designed to benefit customers and dealers alike, including:
— A free-form inventory search bar provides multiple ways for consumers to shop and select their vehicle of choice.
— Auto-complete suggestions within the search bar guide shoppers to the right vehicles and attributes.
— Mobile-friendly faceted search means fewer clicks for consumers to reach the vehicle information they want.
— Larger inventory photos and a convenient photo carousel allow shoppers to view multiple photos before visiting the VDP, eliminating back and forth and helping them more quickly identify their vehicle preferences.
— Tabbed Content areas, including standard vehicle specifications, OEM and dealership incentives, and stacked pricing make key inventory details organized and accessible.
— Responsive, redesigned listings deliver a more intuitive user experience.
— Flexible list view or grid view design allows consumers to customize their experience.
“What really stood out to us about the new SRPs is that they were created with a mobile first design. They perfectly capture the details the customer is looking for in a clean layout,” said Jeffrey Ramsey, eCommerce Director at Jones Junction.
“Being able to easily scroll through the images from the SRP has created a more valuable VDP visit,” Ramsey continued in a news release. “This has led to more leads and a higher percentage of our traffic converting. After spending the time and money it takes to get a customer to our site, you don’t want to lose them when they’re looking for a vehicle. With the easy to use sort and filter functionality, it allows shoppers to navigate our inventory seamlessly.
“Overall, the new SRPs have improved our customers shopping experience and helped create more sales opportunities for the Jones Junction organization,” Ramsey went on to say.
The launch of the new SRP experience will begin in September and is a no-cost upgrade to all Dealer.com customers.
For more information on the all-new SRP experience, visit Dealer.com/SRP.
Dealerships that leverage marketing tools from Dealer Specialties and Experian now have more robust information to present potential buyers about their inventory.
Dealer Specialties announced on Thursday that it has teamed with Experian to make C.A.R.Score reports available within Experian’s AutoCheck vehicle history reports.
The companies highlighted this new relationship is an added benefit to mutual clients as it gives dealers the opportunity to show C.A.R.Score vehicle condition reports in the history report in an effort to give consumers more confidence to make their next vehicle-purchase decision.
Dealer Specialties recapped that C.A.R.Score is an all-new, consumer-facing vehicle condition report that displays the exterior and interior condition of the vehicle, including instrument and control panels, mirrors, upholstery, even the scent of the vehicle.
These interactive condition reports can show specific details that vehicle shoppers are looking for, yet, until now, were not available on vehicle history reports, according to the company.
Dealer Specialties noted that its vehicle inspectors perform a full, cosmetic vehicle evaluation that includes photographs of any visual damage. After inspection is completed, the vehicle is rated from 1 to 5 stars in an attempt to give consumers a clear understanding of the vehicle’s current condition.
“Consumers have shown an increasing trend toward purchasing automobiles online over the past couple of years,” Dealer Specialties president Shane Marcum said in a news release.
“With the recent impacts to the automotive space attributable to COVID-19, our C.A.R.Score consumer-facing condition reports provide confidence to both dealers and their customers in a time where transparency has never been more important to the completion of an automobile transaction,” Marcum continued.
C.A.R.Score reports will be displayed under the inspection history check and detailed vehicle history sections of Experian’s AutoCheck vehicle history report. Each section provides inspection data, location and a link to the full C.A.R.Score report.
To see an example report, go to this website.
Potential vehicle buyers might be watching more television nowadays while at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
With that potential in mind, CARFAX launched two new additions this week to its national television ad campaign, focused on stopping “the shame of overpaying” for a used vehicle.
CARFAX says it has the most accident and damage information, and its research suggested that consumers overpay for used vehicles by about $500 on average if they don’t know about damage information reported to CARFAX.
“CARFAX and Car Fox continue to relentlessly pursue ways to help consumers shop and buy used cars,” CARFAX vice president of marketing Scott Fredericks said in a news release.
“Millions of shoppers come to CARFAX.com every day in search of their next vehicle, knowing CARFAX can not only provide the vehicle history that’s been reported to us, but information to help price vehicles accurately,” Fredericks continued.
“The best way to prevent buyer’s remorse from overpaying on a used car is to always look for Car Fox, who is determined to help make sure you’re getting a great deal,” he went on to say.
CARFAX mentioned the new ads were made in collaboration once again with Oscar-winning creative studio Framestore. In each ad, Car Fox delivers the message of finding vehicles that are supposed to be priced more accurately based on CARFAX information.
In that news release, Shaun Kniffin, director of marketing for Germain Motor Company, shared what CARFAX has done for its dealerships and their relationship with potential buyers.
“CARFAX is uniquely positioned to help us provide value based on VIN-specific history,” Kniffin said. “We’ve found great success listing our vehicles on CARFAX.com, primarily because of the transparency it provides to our customers. They can feel more confident in their car-buying decision because they are receiving both the CARFAX Vehicle History Report and CARFAX History-Based Value.”
The spots humorously depict less-informed buyers sharing their embarrassing online car shopping experience so that others can prevent similar mistakes. There are 15- and 30-second versions of the ads titled “Car Fox & Shrubs” and “Car Fox & Bob” that began airing recently on network and cable TV stations nationwide.
Watch the new CARFAX ads at https://www.youtube.com/user/Carfax/videos.
DealerSocket looked to reinforce dealership advertising with a strategic move announced on Tuesday.
According to a news release from DealerSocket, company business unit DealerFire formed a strategic partnership with Stream Companies, a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled ad agency, that brings together advertising solutions with technologies to offer dealers what they believe is a consolidated approach to digital marketing management.
The firms said this new partnership taps into the power, strengths and capabilities of both companies to provide dealers with an innovative way to accelerate their digital marketing performance. Stream will serve as the full-service ad agency and ad tech provider and DealerFire as the website and SEO provider for dealers who will now have the best of both offerings combined together.
“Stream’s partnership with DealerSocket’s DealerFire will allow both companies to innovate faster and provide the best client service in automotive marketing,” said Dave Regn, co-founder of Stream Companies. “Innovation and integrated advertising, plus retailing, are key to long-term growth and competitive positioning in the marketplace.”
By leveraging each company’s technology and expertise, the ongoing partnership aims to drive client success under what the firm’s called their “core four” goals, including:
• Spark retail traffic with exclusive web & marketing integrations
• Captivate, convince and convert with strong brand message identification
• True transparency with business intelligence targeting and reporting
• Fanatical customer service with detail-oriented, high-touch support
“When I took a closer look at Stream’s offerings and what it has done to accelerate automotive dealerships’ advertising returns on investment, I knew it would be a perfect partnership and complement our websites and SEO offerings at DealerFire,” said Darren Harris, executive vice president and general manager of retail solutions at DealerSocket.
“Today’s announcement allows us and Stream to jointly deliver successful digital marketing that dealers need right now,” Harris continued. “Our partnership will allow dealers to optimize their clicks-to-showroom buying experience with DealerFire websites while fulfilling their broader digital advertising needs with a full-service, fully integrated ad agency with Stream Companies.”
For more information, visit www.DealerSocket.com or www.streamcompanies.com.
