NEWS

TALK about stick the knife in! If ever proof was needed that the car retailing world is a cut throat industry, it is this. Spotted on Twitter late last night from large American car dealer was this simple Tweet: ‘Receive a $1000 rebate on your Toyota or Honda. Send me a DM for details.’ Now [...]

I WAS given a fascinating insight into the complicated life of a car manufacturer marketing chief this week. It’s social media that’s giving him the biggest headache. Working out how to use websites like Twitter and Facebook is baffling car manufacturers. Most know they should be using it but to what extent, and how, is [...]

GFORCES has bolstered its senior management team with three new regional account directors. This move will help drive the company’s strategic goal of 100 percent customer satisfaction. GForces boasts more of the company’s top-200 car dealers on its books than any rival. They’ll be supported by the highly qualified trio: •    Scotland and Northern Territory [...]

KIA is to begin repositioning itself as a more aspirational brand over the next few years, reports industry title Marketing. MD Michael Cole said it is Kia’s aim is to improve its perception amongst car buyers. By doing this, it hopes to claim 3 percent of the UK new car market by 2012. ‘We can [...]

KIA has appointed a new media partner to help provide a separate image and voice to its Korean sibling Hyundai. Havas Media will begin work with Kia with at the start of 2010, in reinforcing the brand differences between Hyundai and Kia. It is a worldwide approach that replaces several existing advertising agencies, in a [...]

INTERNET marketing is 4 times as successful in generating sales leads than traditional offline methods. The power of the internet over print advertising and direct mail has been revealed by car dealer web company GForces. In a double bonus, internet marketing is also far cheaper. Offline methods cost nearly 10 times as much per lead! [...]

NEW marketing director of the Good Garage Scheme, Rachel Greasby, is vowing to improve OUR image. She wants to spearhead a big drive to push up the standing of the motor industry, as she takes charge in her new role. The Good Garage Scheme is to play a big part in this. She explained that [...]

LAND Rover wants to get 50,000 potential buyers to take a test drive in a new model before the end of ’09. The bold initiative has been imposed by UK marketing director Anthony Bradbury, in a ‘single minded focus to get bums on seats. ‘Currently, everything we do includes looking at opportunities for people to [...]

I was speaking to Jaguar’s marketing director, David Steele, earlier in the week, about the new XJ. Seems the advertising campaign is already well underway for the vital new big exec Jag. What’s he got planned? Plenty – with a strong emphasis on digital and new media. ‘These are where our key customers for this car [...]

RENAULT is the latest brand to appoint a new head of marketing, in another key UK role. Advertising big-spenders Renault now have Phil York in control of the budget. The long-time Renault man will also take charge of product planning, pricing, vehicle distribution, market analysis and direct marketing plans. No wonder Renault has given him [...]

NEW marketing directors have been appointed at both Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Toyota GB. Rolls-Royce has charged Jolyon Nash with succeeding Graeme Grieve. He’ll head up the posh brand’s sales and marketing division, with the huge task of launching the new baby Rolls. He was educated in the UK, but has worked both here and [...]

Is your online strategy ready for the upturn? According to our experts, dealers who ignore the potential of the internet will be guaranteeing themselves a place in the slow lane when the good times return. Richard Aucock spoke to leading lights in the car business – here are his exclusive findings… WE are nearing an [...]