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LA Auto Show Day 1…In A Nutshell

Well that was a blur….and a pain in the feet. It's always that way after sitting in the office, or the car, or client's dealerships and OEM offices. But to stand for all but 90 minutes in a day is tough. Anyway, the day was full to say the least. After breakfast (Thanks Motor Press Guild!), it was time to listen to Stefan Jacoby, Volvo's new CEO. Hmmm. Insightful but the conversation around the table with High Gear Media at breakfast was more than a bit higher on the engagement meter.

Then it was time for the Volt road trip replay, oops, the GM press conference. Aside from the obviously dirty car and great impact that their trip from Detroit to LA provided, the car part of it didn't have the normal sizzle. The Camaro convertible was nice…

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VW's booth was packed. And that's not only becase of the food spread after their conference. Lots about the EOS convertible and Heidi Klum, not enough about the Golf Blue-e-motion or next-gen Passat. Not earth-shattering, but better than GM. Could have been more "we're taking over the industry by 2017".

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Jaguar (ok, and Land Rover too), which has surprised my since changing ownership, seems to be getting their swagger back (pun intended). The concept and approved-production cars seem to be edgier and willing to take more risk than in the past 10 years. The stand didn't seem to really work for the media trying to see but it was clear that they're gaining on the buzz factor.

Mercedes may have won the "our press event can kick your press event's butt" based on the Ducati and cupcake tie in, but so did the car stuff. It was the second bland presentation of the day (both German) but the CLS63 is just simply rocking and the B Class did get a lot of nods. They'll continue to sell cars and compete for the luxury sales title with Lexus and BMW. It seems to be about little notches in the bedpost these days….

Porsche was about the Cayman R. And food. And wine. The historical video was cool and the Cayman definitely hits on way higher marks than the past version. They didn't disappoint this year and their booth (room) always seems to be just beyond pristine. So someone should tell their people to turn down the stuffed-shirt feeling and have some fun. Isn't that what Porsche is about anyway?! (that and a lot of dead presidents).

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Sorry, Nissan was accidentally missed but onto Fiat. After taking part in Mini and Smart press conferences and being around the Audi A1 marketing machine, it's not surprising to see a small car. I hope the 500 can make the brand, dealers and customers happy. I'm still reserving comment but my temperature is going to have to go up slightly…soon.

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Subaru is just killing it in sales and they don't need much in the way of redesigning their product line. So that's when it was lunch.

Ford continues to impress. Got to hear/see about a few of the buzz models and spent 15 minutes chatting with @ScottMonty. The upcoming Focus ST definitely got my attention on the spec's alone. Then there's chatter about an electric Focus. What really was fun? Slot car racing and a new simulator (they've had some over the past few years at LA Auto Show, SEMA, NADA, etc). Still bummed that I missed them when they were penny stock just a few years ago…

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Honda seems to be going steadily, but slowly, down the path of alternatives. You can count on that. Honda's Fit EV keeps the drum beating but their gas cars are so efficient, where is everything going? The cars still need more life (but the last two seem to at least be designed by someone with a pulse) but their engineering is so sound, you just have to listen for 40 minutes. (Actually I started a conversation with Brian Glickman from Edmunds so my story should be changed!). No oohs or aaahs but some nodding heads at the close.

Skipped Dodge and Lotus for compelling conversations and walking around before the early departure this afternoon.

A few things are clear:

  • Budgets are coming back, spurred by sales and profits. The booths are bigger again, there's espresso machines and music blaring, heck all companies had their lights on the whole time! The buzz is back and it feels good. As one of my friends said today, even the carpet padding is a couple grades up from the last couple years and that's a great sign!
  • Giveaways are cool, but if it's less than two inches by two inches or you wouldn't want/keep it yourself, send it back to the ad agency or widget maker.And make sure everyone there gets your media kits…you never know how many of the non-media people acutally do stuff for lots of dealerships!
  • IMPORTANT: Now get the excitement from the show flloor to the dealers, back it up with better education than they've been receiving and we'll really have something to celebrate. Retail sells cars. Not the OEMs.

That's my story and I'm…sticking to it! Maybe another round tomorrow. Press conferences are Hyundai, Audi, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Chrysler, Wheego, Morgan and Perana.

Best Practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

November 17, 2010 by Gary May 0
IM@CS on Social Media Club LA Panel: Social Media Affecting the Automotive Industry

It was a pleasure to participate with other industry colleagues on a panel at Social Media Club LA’s event last Tuesday evening: How Social Media Is Affecting the Automotive Industry. Chris Heuer kicked off the evening as only the head of the global Social Media Clubs could. Serena Ehrlich moderated the panel and fielded the live and web-based questions. Thanks to TechZulu and Efren Toscano for covering the event live and to Dave Barthmuss and the GM team for providing some great pizza!



Watch live video from TechZulu on Justin.tv

August 29, 2010 by Gary May 0
Vendoritis Or Dealeritis: Part Deux

After the recent seminars and events in the Los Angeles area it seems more clear than ever: dealers want to do more, are mostly eager to address new opportunities (or old ones sold as new), are baffled by new technology including social media, are looking at the factories for direction and don't seem to have the right questions to ask the not-so-prepared, over-eager vendors.

In a number of panels that spanned these events, the tough questions either weren't asked or answered. This is not a knock on either the speakers or the crowds, most very qualified to talk about new media and marketing. It's just a fact. One panel on social media had some great experts. On data. Not one person doing it for an OEM or a dealer (or, judged from afar, likely even doing it themselves daily). Another panel had some great participants from very disparate areas of automotive talking about some specific activities they're doing. Truly great examples, results and actions were shared. The missing component was how the average dealer, yes including those in attendance, can implement a plan.

What is happening, as our world moves forward at a speed more reminiscent of the amazing La Mans cars running around Circuit De La Sarthe as this is being written, might be another dose of "ignorance is bliss". And that doesn't help anyone. Dealers asking their factories and reps for help (as was overheard quite frequently lately) are getting shrugged shoulders, "we're working on that right now" or "hire the right company or employee to handle that" responses. In other words, dealers are on their own.

So the dealers' sources for information are limited to their 20 group, industry events and magazines, word of mouth and the old fashion pitch by the vendor. Most dealership decision makers aren't reading the blogs and forums because if they were, they'd be asking questions and participating (yes, we regularly scan for them). So, as with the first "Vendoritis Or Dealeritis" post a while back, the question needs to asked again: how do dealers move forward?

Our industry is always in flux. Lately there has been a more interesting bend, however. Dealers and vendors, for example, fixated solely on SEO for the past year plus are now looking at poor conversion stats to fix.There will be the same issues with social media in a year: those that chose to hire crap automation and get to 5,000 Facebook fans and 10,000 Twitter followers will discover that it's not done anything for brand or business building since over 1/2 of their social media throng is over 500 miles away if not in another country.

When you take your eyes off the ball, you can't catch it. You likely won't even see it. Many today say "bullshit, I can do it all". Well, good luck to you. The best of the Fortune 100 acknowledge that they can't. Maybe automotive retailers can do it all: sell the cars they need to monthly and still talk up a great story online. Just like the vendors that do a mediocre job for you somewhere else in your store and tell you that they can add something to their plate. Yeah, and there's a bridge in the desert that I need to show you…

Best Practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

June 12, 2010 by Gary May 1
IM@CS Announces Accomplished Automotive E-Commerce Marketing Executive Jim Elliott As Newest Team Member

In response to further growth and significant prospects for 2010, IM@CS has expanded its consulting team and increased coverage with a Detroit base in addition to Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, CA, and Detroit, MI (PRWEB) January 4, 2010 — Interactive Marketing and Consulting Services (IM@CS) president Gary May was pleased to announce on December 31, 2009 the addition of Jim Elliott to the growing IM@CS team. Elliott, who comes with over 20 years with Ford Motor Company in addition to Web 2.0 startups, will be responsible for dealership and OEM consulting as well as business development for the company. His Detroit-based location also adds flexibility in accessing clients quickly and facilitating increased coverage.

Jim Elliott is known as a pioneering innovator in the areas of e-commerce, sales, marketing and channel management, primarily in the automotive industry. With an interest in collaborative and innovative environments and a special interest in online community start-ups, Elliott’s specialties include e-commerce, interactive marketing, 6-Sigma Black Belt, independent franchised distribution channel management, business development and other hands-on experience in spearheading business.

“I have known and worked with Gary May for most of the past decade, and I lept at the chance to work with him. Gary and I share a passion for winning on the web for our clients in a way that enables them to both grow revenue and reduce costs. Smart dealers know that the web is evolving quickly and they can now empower themselves to compete better digitally. IM@CS brings the tools and strategies to enable them to do just that.”

As an e-commerce executive, Elliott led SmartAuction website management and development of strategic site changes for the online B2B vehicle auction with GMAC. His field expertise, highly developed with Ford Motor Company, continued as Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Roush Performance vehicles and parts throughout eight states and four Canadian provinces. Elliott has built trusted relationships with dealers in many regions across North America through personal integrity and delivering results.

“Having worked in the past with Jim, he has always struck me as one of the more thoughtful, intuitive marketers. His forward-thinking approach and diligent review of opportunities that have translated to success in very large organizations will easily transfer into our company as well as accelerate our comprehensive services and growth.”

IM@CS, a full-service online branding/marketing, sales coaching and process consulting firm, has offered best practices in online media, Web 2.0, interactive content and targeted marketing since 2007. Clients include leading edge dealerships, automotive manufacturers, portals and service providers. IM@CS also serves other large consumer-facing businesses including real estate, specialty markets and unique/high-end services.

Visit www.imacsweb.com today. Call 310-377-6481 or info(at)imacsweb(dot)com for more information or
contact IM@CS at P.O. Box 3789 Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274

# # #

Contact Information
Julia Murphy
Interactive Marketing and Consulting Services
http://www.imacsweb.com
(310) 377-6481

Online Web 2.0 Version
You can read the online version of this press release here.

January 7, 2010 by Gary May 0
A Day With The Marketers…Automotive News Style

Today was a day filled with marketing statistics, reporting, ideas, videos, commercials, banter, conjecture and more. Ultimately what Automotive News set out to achieve again this year was, I my opinion, point the industry/crowd/listeners to what is and will be happening in the landscape of media and marketing. Did it happen?

Joel Ewanick from Hyundai detailed a number of aspects of the Hyundai Assurance program that has gained the brand major accolades in addition to being mimicked by over 100 companies. His retelling of the time line (just over 30 days) that they produced the campaign in along with the supporting aspects of such a program was impressive. The presentation lacked a 'forward' element, which I'm sure HMA already has done, but that's not likely what he was asked to speak about.

Scion's Jack Hollis struck what I thought was the closest blow to the nail from an engagement standpoint regarding experiential marketing, lifestyle and connection with customers. "We want community" is as close to where a marketer needs to be today! Great visuals were backed by his actual participation in events (and no, not just in a room to watch usability studies through a two-way mirror).

Judy Wheeler form Chrysler (replacement for the absent Steven Landry) had a good presentation that understandably had no major 'forward' view. After having their marketing budget slashed by 50% last week by the White House and Auto Task Force, there was not much to address besides the 'impending' marriage with Fiat. She did bring some ads that are in the hopper which centered around what Chrysler and Jeep brand "build".

John Maloney of Volvo hit on some solid points around their shift from the traditional 'national' unveiling and detailed a number of great points about the XC60's recent 'new' launch campaign. It sounds like Volvo will use the money-saving, impact increasing method again in the near future. He also focused on the brand's image with the new 'City Safety' accident avoidance system.

John Mendel from Honda spoke the words that you rarely hear today: brand, value, consistency. He repeated that call time and again throughout his session which included a throw-back to a nearly 50-year-old Honda motorcycle commercial! Flipping from decade to decade in content and conversation, Mr. Mendel was able to address the solid focus at Honda (along with their agency RPA) that should enable them to deliver more 'safe' marketing. Hopefully they do get a little more edgy than their Facebook and Twitter involvement…

And then there was Mike Sullivan, a.k.a. "L.A. Car Guy", bringing color and comedy to the stage for a retailer's perspective. He got into hard hitting numbers, results, marketing mix, Internet effect and other, more typical in better financial times, tangibles like charity, community involvement and other brand building mantras. Mr. Sullivan and his staff are more than dedicated to their marketing goals and seem poised to achieve success through their different initiatives. They still may have some room to grow on integrated media and retention, but they are clearly looking for more ways to deliver on their Interactive brand.

The closing panel with all the speakers answering questions got a little better, especially around the newspaper/print aspect. While Chrysler's recent direction was more heavily tilted toward print, the overwhelming opinion was a shift away from the paper and to the web. By the same token, these marketers have not hit pay dirt as many marketing efforts still leave behind the largest potential as well as target: the consumer. Content consumption has changed and even content creation has had a noticeable shift. Out industry still lacks the 'teeth' it needs, especially at retail, to really engage the consumer to become part of their lives, especially away from their vehicles.

Overall, it was a great time around well over a thousand ad agency, automotive marketing, manufacturers and service provider folks. Wonder what it'll be like next year…

Best Practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

May 20, 2009 by Gary May 1