Apr
15

How to turn the reusable grocery bag into an automotive marketing machine

By | Advermarketing

BagLead

Apologize for craptastic image. Photoshop died. Resorted to Paint.

I hate grocery stores. They are cold and filled with people who are either slink around aimlessly or speed down aisles like Supermarket Sweep contestants; both of which are irritating.

People, driving a grocery cart is like driving a car; similar rules apply. Don’t block the box, look both ways and most importantly don’t park in a NO PARKING ZONE (like in front of the meat section).

As frustrating as grocery shopping can be, it does give me a chance to [Read more...]

Mar
11

Game of Thrones is no place for automotive content

By | Advermarketing

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GoTLeadAutomakers love the opportunity to have their vehicles star in a hit TV series or movie. Hyundai and The Walking Dead, Jaguar and Mad Men, Chrysler and Fast and Furious 6; and the list goes on and on.

This is nothing more than good ol’ fashioned product placement. Brands have been doing it since the beginning of advertising. In many cases product placement works well, especially if combined with an appropriately timed and strategized campaign across other mediums to build on the groundswell of brand chatter. But that doesn’t mean it always works well.

Game of Thrones

At the end of this month the long awaited HBO series Game of Thrones returns. Disclaimer: I’m a big fan.

[Read more...]

Oct
24

Xbox SmartGlass for Brands

By | Advermarketing

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This week Xbox published a walkthrough video on YouTube of a new application called SmartGlass. This technology will forever change how humans interact with brands while consuming media.

The technology was first showcased during the annual E3 tech geek conference earlier this year. The most recent video shows exactly how the technology works and more importantly gives users (and marketers) a glimpse of ways they may use it.

The app can be downloaded on any tablet or smart phone and allows users to interact with their Xbox.

In one example a video that is being watched on a tablet is transferred directly to the Xbox allowing users to consume media seamlessly from tablet to television.

But that isn’t the remarkable part.

Once the television is displaying the media content, the tablet becomes a supplement to that content. Instead of just displaying user controls such as scene selection or fast-forward, the tablet displays additional information relevant to the media being consumed (Watch the video below for more examples).

The internet has already declared a revolution in TV viewing since the dawn of the [Read more...]

Oct
22

Facebook Gifts: Automotive Giving

By | Social

Facebook continues to evolve, for better or for worse. These changes are likely in response to advertisers and in hopes of courting new ones. Facebook must demonstrate a sustainable revenue model to put shareholders at ease.

While the auto industry is just one of many consumer brands on Facebook, Borrell Associates predicted that in 2012 the auto industry will spend $30.8 billion with 40 cents of every dollar going to digital.

Digital companies, Facebook included, know how important (read lucrative) it is to accommodate the auto industry. The job announcements below were all pulled within the last month. These companies look to flatter not only manufacturers but also retail dealer groups who sit in the trenches of consumer interaction.

I’ve had a few interesting concepts for Facebook and the automotive industry, most notably [Read more...]

Jun
13

GM Announces Verano-T. Forgets to tell Buick.

By | Industry

Last night’s weekly #GMChat was centered on one thing – the recently announced 260hp boosted Buick Verano, complete with a manual transmission (score!). In preparation for the chat I decided to re-read the press release. I went to Buick’s website. Nothing. No mention of the Turbo Verano. No press release, no gallery uploads, no buzz – nada. All the press material was posted on the General Motors main site.

I understand the need to create a central point for the media to view material, but GM should consider the community along with the media when it comes to product announcements. If I told my coworker about the new Verano, would they start searching Google for the nearest General Motors store? No. They’d [Read more...]

Dec
17

Future of Lincoln

By | Industry

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Earlier in the week it was announced that Team Detroit (Dearborn, Michigan) would open a new not-yet-named office in New York City to tackle the rebirth of Ford’s luxury brand, Lincoln. Heading this organization, Cameron McNaughton of McNaughton Automotive Perspectives (MAP). I pulled the following text from a post on the MAP blog titled “Does the concept of ‘Tier 1 Luxury’ have a future?”:

“I think the future of luxury rests with the next generation and if I were introducing a new luxury entrant or re-building a luxury brand I would focus all of my energy on understanding how Millenials will define luxury and what I need to do to satisfy their requirements.

The luxury segment is going to go through a transformation and becoming a “Tier 1” brand with all its trappings represents “old luxury.” The long-term winners will figure out how to become the new generation’s luxury brand without losing their existing customer base. Fortunately, boomers are consumed with the need to be perceived as youthful and forward looking, so chances are if their kids think something is cool, they will too.”

Whether it was McNaughton who posted this or an associate at MAP, this could be [Read more...]