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Posted on 09/12/2006 8:55:31 AM PDT by abb
September 12, 2006 -- Big automakers have been rapidly shifting their ad budgets to the Internet in recent years, but deep-pocketed dealer groups are poised to pick up the pace of spending even more.
In July, the Northern California Ford dealers, which have a multimillion ad budget, made their first Internet foray after seeing fewer results from television, radio and print.
Like the national automakers, the dealer association noted that car buyers do most of their homework online, according to Jim Cooper, a managing director for ad agency JWT in San Francisco.
"People aren't coming in on a Saturday morning to kick the tires," Cooper said. "By the time they come in they're armed with research."
That migration to the Internet has helped to push up ad rates for popular auto sites, along with bidding for related search terms on Google and Yahoo!
Initially, it also made it expensive and inefficient for regional auto groups - made up of local dealers that pool their ad dollars - to compete online. As local businesses, they also had to figure out how to zero in on buyers in their area.
While the big automakers still spend more online, regional dealer associations that control billions are starting to catch up, ad execs said, which would accelerate the shift from TV and newspapers to the Web.
Auto advertisers boosted Internet spending to $422.1 million in 2005, a 13 percent jump from the previous year, according to a report by Ad Age and TNS Media Intelligence. Over the same period, they cut TV spending to $8.41 billion from $8.85 billion, the report said.
After lagging, some dealer groups are now under pressure from automakers, which often match the funds dealers spend on advertising, to ramp up their Internet marketing.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Ping
I wish the automakers would take dealers out of the equation and sell direct to the public, or at least make them optional.
"By the time they come in they're armed with research."
That's a fact. Even back in the Internet Stone Age of 1998.
We walked into the Jeep dealer, talked to the salesmen and I said "I'll pay 'this much' for that vehicle - period". He gave me the "well I have have to talk to the manager" baloney and I said, "fine, go talk, I'm paying 'this much". About 1/2 hour later we drove off in the new Jeep. Only time in my life I felt like knew I didn't get screwed by a dealer.
We did the same again in 2001 when I bought our daughter a new KIA and with same dealer and the same salesmen. He knew not to waste any time and we were out in about an hour.
I did the same thing three times armed with info I received from Consumer Reports. Dealers, like any vendor, do not want a consumer knowing more about his product than the vendor does, they hate an educated buyer.
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"Ejector seat?!?! You must be joking!?!?"
Is that the Mark II?
That one is not mine, just a picture I found in a search. It is just like mine but I don't seem to have any good pictures without people all around it.
Same color though but mine is shiney, lol.
What year is that?
I liked them in black too -
I recall the first one I saw in Fort Lauderdale - impressive and classic
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I can see the influence for the T-Bird roofline and rear fenders there
Mine is a 1957 Lincoln Continental MarkII. There were only 3 or 400 made - from what I've read in books.
The one in the picture is either a '56 or a '58 but looks the same in style and color.
I recall that small AC intake port on the top front of the rear fenders
Very Barris California custom
I can see it in this photo too
I am confused about the MarkII part now, is there a MarkIV? It has sat in the garage so many years I forget about it.
Yes, airconditioning and power windows in a 1957 car!!
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