New Car Advertising

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Sat 18 Sep 2004 11:09
New Car Advertising - Cardew

I read recently that most manufacturers spend 2-3% of their total budget on advertising; and some considerably more. That amounts to several hundred pounds per car.

Most people are cynical about any form of advertising and some adverts - like those for underwater Mitsubishi Colts or the pop-up butterflies that appear on this site are plain irritating.

Whilst one assumes that marketing professionals know what they are doing, can adverts really influence people to buy Car A rather than Car B?
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Sat 18 Sep 2004 11:21
New Car Advertising - Stuartli
The cost of advertising is offset through tax returns.

If companies didn't advertise then their products wouldn't be known to the public.

Even the giants such as McDonalds, Pepsi and Coca-Cola spend billions of pounds, dollars, Euros etc on advertising annually.

It's also why second hand car dealers advertise so much. Most people only buy a used car every two, three or more years.

If your advertisement is not in the local paper on that particular occasion in their lives, then the competitors down the road will most likely get the trade.
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Sat 18 Sep 2004 12:54
New Car Advertising - Cardew
Stuart,
I am talking about manufacturers advertising new cars, not second hand dealers advertising their stock.

Consumers for McDonalds, Pepsi and Coca-Cola do not read reports on the merits/demerits of those products. They are cheap enough to sample and, if liked, there will be repeat purchases.

I would have thought most people base their choice of a new car on road tests, other people's opinions(including motoring scribes) and brand loyalty.

C
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Sat 18 Sep 2004 13:05
New Car Advertising - PoloGirl
I would have thought most people base their choice of a
new car on road tests, other people's opinions(including motoring scribes) and
brand loyalty.
C


Yep - you think that because you have an interest in cars (I make that assumption because you're here!), but many, many people don't do those things. They buy a Corsa, for example, because they like it's fun, cheeky, cheap/value image and a VW because they think the VW brand means solid, reliable, etc.

And where do they get those brand values? Mainly from the messages and lifestyles portrayed in advertising.

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Sat 18 Sep 2004 13:37
New Car Advertising - Stuartli
>>I am talking about manufacturers advertising new cars, not second hand dealers advertising their stock.>>

If you read my post again you will see that I was referring to new car advertising in the first paragraph.

Later on I stated: "It's also why second hand car dealers..."

With regard to McDonalds, Pepsi etc the point I was making - or at least thought I was - was that no matter how famous the name, advertising is still regarded as essential to keep that name, brand or whatever to the forefront.

It applies equally to car manufacturers.
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