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Car Dealer Ads in Medium to Small Markets

G

Gregg

I live in the NYC market and very few local TV dealers can afford to advertise on the major NYC channels. I'm always amazed when I leave the NY market how the auto industry almost single-handedly keeps local TV stations alive... Car dealers, car repair chains, regional dealers' associations and the national auto industry.

It's just overwhelming how many car ads there are when I go to other cities outside the top 30 markets. It seems on the ABC, CBS and NBC stations in Portland ME, that more than 50% of the ads are car-related, most of them done for local dealers. I imagine the traffic managers who schedule commercials for local stations have their hands full trying not to run two local dealers back-to-back. Sometimes they have to run a station promo or public service announcement between car dealer ads so they can get them all in one break.

I notice that one station has eased the "no two car spots in a row" restriction by mixing in some national or regional car spots next to local dealer spots. So we might have Happy Harry's Hundai Dealer on Route 10 next to a New England Ford dealers' spot.

And the second aspect is that everyone wants to be a star... or make their kids or grandkids into stars. So even if they're not the best spokesman or the most photogenic, so many car dealers want to be in their own spots. I don't know if the producer figures he'll get repeat busines from Happy Harry if he puts Harry or his daughter or even toddler in the spot. (The toddler has to shout something cute, like "My dad/granddad is the greatest!")

This sometimes happens with other local advertisers, such as restaurant owners. But I'd say more than half the car dealers who advertise in the Portland ME TV market are the spokesmen in their own ads.

I suppose if you're paying thousands of dollars each year to put your ads on local TV, who's gonna tell you to leave your face and voice out of the commercial?



Gregg
[email protected]
 
And in a large market [Seattle], I can't STAND Ken Phillips and Car Pros Kia in Tacoma. Those ads run CONSTANTLY on Q13/KCPQ.

-crainbebo
 
@ Gregg:

You must've had fun in greater Portland when the late "Jolly" John Pulsifer was with us! I grew tired of him when I lived in Old Orchard Beach, ME from 1985 to 1987. By the late 1990s, I actually WANTED to hear his cheesy and campy radio spots, often aired by WBLM-FM 102.9 (Classic Rock) of Portland. Speaking of Maine and cars...anyone else who's lived in that market knows the meaning of "Is there a sale at Lee Dodge? Why yes...there certainly is!". :D

P.S. Happy Harry's was a drug store chain taken over by Walgreens in the mid-Atlantic a couple of years ago. I saw one of their stores along US Route 202 North/East in Wilmington, DE. Cool sign! :p
 
If only all car dealers could be like Joe Isuzu. ::) (Yes, he was national, I know...)
 
I do not see Cal Worthington commercials any longer. "Go see Cal, go see Cal!"

I know he was huge in Southern California. He had some dealerships in Northern California for a while.
 
"... blowing away high prices!" (pumps shotgun and shoots out the windshield of an old Datsun)
Commercial ends by reminding us that we get a free shotgun or rifle with the purchase of any new Toyota pickup.

I LOVE small town car commercials. Furniture commercials are usually cool too!
 
Every market has its lunatic car dealers-- a TV classic. In my half-hour show, each break has one car dealer spot-- one Honda national ad, and the rest are local.
 
poledo said:
"... blowing away high prices!" (pumps shotgun and shoots out the windshield of an old Datsun)
Commercial ends by reminding us that we get a free shotgun or rifle with the purchase of any new Toyota pickup.

I LOVE small town car commercials. Furniture commercials are usually cool too!
Click to expand...

what about buy here pay here places like Neil's Finance Plaza? they usually on channels and times people with bad credit are watching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtKrxvzeVaM
 
In the Dayton, Ohio area the Hidy group runs the exact same spots for their Honda, Hyundai and Ford dealerships, just changing the brand name for each spot. Often you can catch 2 of their spots in one break. They always look and sound like they were done on a first-generation video phone, poor video and audio quality with stupid scripts, and the shouting grandkids included at no extra charge. And just why would I make the second or third biggest investment in my life, buying a car, with these clowns??? Not gonna happen.
 
A lot of the car ads out here are on stations during the midday during trash TV and court shows. This would be the same with law firms, and places like Car Hop, where they can get you into a car for no credit at all, plus Everest College!

Another one that is lunatic out here is Auburn Valley Kia. They have a "giant" mascot, but just like with most car dealerships, a man comes out and describes it all...

-crainbebo
 
crainbebo said:
A lot of the car ads out here are on stations during the midday during trash TV and court shows. This would be the same with law firms, and places like Car Hop, where they can get you into a car for no credit at all, plus Everest College!
Click to expand...

Does any place that sells new cars advertise during daytime trash talk and court shows?
 
@NoMadCow: Probably, but I would say the bulk of car dealer ads nationwide are sold in primetime and late night. Usually, the three O&O's in NYC will start their late local news right after a car commercial - or two - or three...

And speaking of car ads: Anyone think it's a bit too soon for Ford to be using Train's "Drive By"?
 
nomadcowatbk said:
crainbebo said:
A lot of the car ads out here are on stations during the midday during trash TV and court shows. This would be the same with law firms, and places like Car Hop, where they can get you into a car for no credit at all, plus Everest College!
Click to expand...

Does any place that sells new cars advertise during daytime trash talk and court shows?
Click to expand...

I think all those spots are snapped-up by ambulance chasers and fly-by-night correspondence schools.
 
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