by Amy Antenora
Managing Editor, aftermarketNews.com
GRAND BLANC, MI — ACDelco is launching new trade and consumer advertising campaigns this week designed to catch the eye of “Real Car Guys.” The campaign is being launched at this time to coincide with April’s National Car Care Month, in an effort to encourage proper vehicle maintenance.
Playing off of its longstanding history in the business, ACDelco is using this new campaign to position itself as the most trusted name and leading brand in the aftermarket, for virtually all makes and models.
ACDelco kicked off its new advertising campaign with a media event on Friday, March 26, at the Automotive Hall of Fame, in Dearborn, Mich. At the event, John Zamzow, ACDelco advertising manager, talked about ACDelco’s plans to build brand recognition with this new marketing strategy.
ACDelco worked with the Warren, Mich.-based Campbell-Ewald advertising agency to create the new campaign. Six months in the making, the campaign utilized both consumer and trade focus groups to home in on ACDelco’s target audience. Once the key audience was identified, Zamzow said the group took an “anthropological” approach to tapping into its audience’s mindset.
“We feel that we have a pretty good handle on the people who not only install our products at the service centers, but also the consumers who are buying our products,” said Zamzow. “What we’ve found is that we continue to be the leading brand among our competition. Independent service centers and customers tell us that we are the brand that they prefer the most.”
The new ad campaign’s primary emphasis will be on trade advertising, targeting independent service centers, counterpeople and fleet managers, said Zamzow.
The ad campaign’s tagline “Real Car Guys Know” is meant to tap into the strong sense of pride and quality that the target audience possesses, said Cindy Sikorski, executive vice president and creative director for Campbell-Ewald.
“The campaign really connects on an emotional level with our target audience,” said Sikorski. “It conveys the passion ‘real car guys’ have for maintaining their vehicles. The message to the average consumer is that even if you’re not a real car guy, you always have access to one through your local independent service center that features ACDelco parts.”
The trade campaign will include print advertising brand ads, fleet ads, promotional banner ads and product reference cards, in tech focused trade publications. The consumer campaign will include television and radio spots, as well as point-of-sale materials, aimed at both DIY and DIFM consumers. Key elements running through the campaign include repeated use of the brand’s red, white and blue colors and what the company described as “edgy and humorous” ad copy.
Additionally, ACDelco is incorporating the Internet into its new ad campaign with the updated www.acdelco.com Web site, which features retail and service locators as well as product and catalog information. The Internet campaign also includes a new e-newsletter and dedicated Web site for technicians — www.acdelcotechconnect.com — which features information on promotions and products.
ACDelco will also utilize the motorsports arena to get its message across, with television spots running on motorsports programming throughout the year as well as in two racing related print publications.
_______________________________________
Click here to view the rest of today’s headlines.
