»
GM, in what could signal a no-look-back shift to digital marketing, will dedicate half of its $3 billion budget to digital and one-to-one marketing in the next three years.
As the country’s third largest advertiser, GM’s switch may be the online marketing shot heard round the automotive world. GM, which spent nearly $10 billion on advertising last year, will use several online methods including gaming, search, mobile and a broad array of interactive applications.
Consumers looking to buy new vehicles were among the first to embrace online research to support buying decisions. And while television and print still have a place in product launches and awareness, many dealers now accept that the purchase process starts - and sometimes ends - online.
The news is not good for traditional media and may be exacerbated by a directive from GM’s Brent Dewar, vp-field sales, service and parts in North America. Dewar told Ad Age late last year that the auto maker will try to persuade its regional dealer ad groups “to shift their focus to digital vs. spot TV” starting this spring after the dealer co-ops, which spend $500 million annually, are revamped.
Other car makers are also upping online buys; Hyundai will double its online spending in 2008 over 2007.
Auto dealers are increasingly shifting their spend to online, with a particular focus on customer ratings and reviews and online video. 59 percent of dealers say they plan to use video on their own websites within the next 12 months, up from the current 33 percent, while the proportion of auto dealers using customer ratings and reviews will have risen from 29 percent to 43 percent, according to a new study by The Kelsey Group (via MarketingCharts). The proportion of those using social-networking sites will go from 15 percent to 33 percent, according to the surveyed dealers.
Clear Channel’s operating results for the first quarter were flat, reflecting a continued weak demand for radio advertising. Outdoor advertising performed better than radio in the quarter for the second quarter in a row, with revenue gains of 12 percent.…
Among the near-constant doom and gloom reporting about the newspaper industry, every now and then comes a story that points out how smaller, community newspapers are bucking the trend.
Small town newspapers are faring better than most of their regional…
Busy moms apparently aren’t willing to waste their “me time” watching television commercials.
According to new research from MindShare that focused on American mothers, reading, surfing the web and watching television were the top me-time - or personal down-time -…
Ryan Seacrest is in talks with CNN to replace Larry King, according to sources close to Seacrest.
The source, however, also says, “I don’t think it’s going to happen,” writes Fishbowl LA.
Seacrest is currently host of E! News, American Idol…
Editors at Hachette’s digital operation will do well to have their digital skill sets firmly behind them. The company has reportedly chopped 15 editorial jobs from a staff of about 100 in its digital operation; those positions will eventually be…
Most CMOs with more than 10 years of experience describe themselves as “extremely loyal” to specific brands, according to a survey of marketing officers at Fortune 100 companies conducted by LoyalTV.com, a video sharing website.
92 percent of CMOs with…
