Rich White, Executive Director, Car Care Council and Senior Vice President, Marketing & Member Relations, AAIA
As the Car Care Council (CCC) successfully wraps up another year, CCC Executive Director Rich White (also senior VP of Marketing & Member Relations for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA)), gives us an update on the council’s “Be Car Care Aware” initiative.
With 2005 coming to a close, how successful has the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign been this year?
The campaign is growing at every level: consumer awareness, media interest and industry participation. Press releases, video news releases, syndicated newspaper articles, TV and radio interviews successfully delivered vehicle information and advice to millions of consumers. In 2005, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of vehicle check lane events hosted during National Car Care Month as a result of participation by program groups. This is especially gratifying as the next phase of the campaign is to focus on the professional technician and independent repair shop owner to help “pull through” the car care messages to the consumers in their communities. We want to do a better job of helping technicians, shop owners and counterpersons to communicate with their customers.
Was the Car Care Council able to capitalize on the issue of soaring gas prices?
The media was hungry for information about how motorists can save money at the pump by maintaining their vehicles. Just one of the press releases we distributed earlier in the year generated 760 newspaper articles, with two-thirds of those stories appearing in the top 50 markets. We are preparing new outreach materials and a new video news release for what is expected to be another round of $3 per gallon gas in the Spring.
How do you measure the success and effectiveness of the “Be Car Care Aware” campaign?
I’m often asked that question. Measurement has always been a key component of the campaign’s strategic plan since the beginning. In 2004, we asked a third-party agency with no connection to the campaign to evaluate our media exposure. The campaign’s operating budget for the year was about $500,000. The agency determined the return on investment (ROI) based on the media value of consumers reached through the publicity campaign was $10 million. Who wouldn’t be ecstatic with that kind of ROI?
You just returned from AAPEX. What’s the buzz about the campaign from exhibitors and attendees?
There’s probably no better venue during the year to gauge the industry’s interest in the campaign than at AAPEX. I noticed many “We Support Be Car Care Aware” signs in the booths and many attendees visited the AAIA business center to get more information about the campaign and ask questions. We also had an exhibit at CARS. In addition, the 1,200 folks who attended the AAIA Town Hall at AAPEX heard about the need for consumer education from the industry panelists.
You conducted a seminar on how to host a vehicle check-up event during AAPEX. How was that received?
Based on the evaluations from attendees, they thought it was a valuable demonstration. We unveiled the new “How To” DVD at this seminar. The purpose of the seminar was to show how easy it is to plan and execute these popular consumer events, whether they are a simple single bay setup or a large event in a parking lot. We pointed out the business-building benefits for program groups and distributors to help their customers get involved. We are adding content to the DVD so it can be used for one-on-one presentations or can be shown to groups to help prepare for National Car Care Month in April.
What’s ahead for the campaign? Any new plans or initiatives you’d like to share with our readers?
One of our most exciting initiatives for 2006 will be a new Consumer Car Care Guide — a kind of generic vehicle owner’s manual — that we are working on now. This guide will not only include vehicle maintenance tips and information, but also service interval schedules and wear and replacement rates for the major parts, components and systems of the vehicle. We hope to have the manual produced early in the year, so it can be used to promote National Car Care Month. It’s also being designed for cost-effective customization by aftermarket companies.
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