Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

For Carbone Auto Group

Krystal Blankenship Marist College

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Background
The auto industry is fierce with volume-based competition forcing value-based dealers to find their unique difference. The enthusiasm for automobiles that sparked Joseph Carbone to launch Carbone Auto Group (CAG) in 1929 is the uniqueness at the heart of the value-based brand. Identifying this distinctiveness has pressed the brand to reposition itself to highlight the happiness, fun, and selfexpression automobiles create. The excitement behind the brand will now be forefront to maximize CAGs competitiveness and support the brand in developing long lasting relationships with its key segment, The Valley Traditionalists based out of Utica, New York. Identified and described within this document is an integrated marketing communications (IMC) plan that will communicate the brands repositioning to the flagship Utica market and strengthen the brands relationship within this community and surrounding areas. With deep roots in Utica, NY, it is crucial that CAG communicate its newly defined brand and strengthen perceived brand attitude within its original market. To do this effectively CAG must provide products, services, and experiences that are unmatched by any competitors in the region formed from CAGs 84 years of expertise and enthusiasm for the automobile. CAGs newfound uniqueness has identified its key competitive difference that will support the strategies used in this campaign to reposition the brand as the fun dealer with incomparable expertise.

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Strategy Set-Up
Brand and Product Description
CAGs brand re-positioning which will be communicated via this IMC plan will take place in Utica, New York and the surrounding 40-mile radius.

Carbone Auto Groups Geographic Markets

BRAND POSITIONING STATEMENT

Utica, New York

Bennington, Vermont

Troy, New York

For the car enthusiast in all of us, Carbone Auto Group is the auto dealer that ignites your passion for cars, because only Carbone Auto Group has devoted 84 years to understanding the self expression that cars represent, enabling them to create the perfect driving experience for you.
BRAND PERSONALITY STATEMENT

Carbone Auto Group is your happy, fun-loving, life-long pal whos got your back and helps you uncover your pride in your ride.

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Product/Service Offerings
New Vehicle Sales

NEW VEHICLE BRANDS

Pre-Owned Vehicle Sales

New-Vehicle Leasing

Pre-Owned Car Auction

Parts

Financing

Service

Brand Features & Benefits

Feature Selection/Variety Benefit The large selection makes the shopping experience fun. Customers are able to find the desired car immediately, satisfying the need for immediate gratification Comfort and Convenience while you shop or wait for auto services. One-stop-shop for all service needs. Saves time and money while alleviating stress on busy schedules. A higher level of professionalism gained by years of experience. Provides streamlined sales and service processes that are time savers for the customer.

Modern/State of the Art Facilities Full service-Collision/Body Shop, Detailing, Service, Rust repair 84 Years of Experience

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Drive up oil change

No appointment needed for an oil change. Very convenient and saves time.

Pre-owned car auction

Puts the customer in control of their trade-in experience. Customers can choose to run their trade-ins through the auction vs. salesmans offer. This adds a heightened level of trust to the trade-in process.

Situational Analysis
The University of Michigans Transportation Research Institute recently identified baby boomers as the cohort most likely to buy a new car and auto brands pursuing this segment will generate a higher return on investment (Naughton, 2013, para. 4). Nielsen and BoomAgers (2012) in Introducing Boomers: Marketings Most Valuable Generation, call baby boomers marketings tidal wave (p. 4). Reason is baby boomers are a powerful cohort at 80 million strong, carrying values instilled by a culture of affluence and optimism that were developed in their formative years and have stayed with them throughout all stages of their lives (Introducing Boomers, 2012). Boomers are in a position to have more disposable income and buy more new cars than any other generation as they truly adore automobiles (50 and Over, 2011). In comparison to the <50 population, They buy more cars and they spend more to buy them (Introducing Boomers, 2012, p. 13).

CAGs Business Opportunity

Carbone Auto Group has an opportunity to capitalize on the steady growth of the baby boomer population located in Utica, New York. Current population trends are taking place presenting an ideal business opportunity for CAG.
SUPPORTING DATA AND RATIONALE FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

TWO MAJOR FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THESE TRENDS

FIRST, THE OVERARCHING FACTOR IS THAT

According to 2010 census data, Oneida county, of which Utica is

a part, has an aging population.

THE BABY BOOMER POPULATION IS AGING. BY 2020, THE POPULATION OF AMERICANS AGE 55 TO 64 WILL HAVE GROWN AN UNPRECEDENTED 73% SINCE 2000 (ROWLEY, 2012, PARA. 2). THAT LIKE OTHER UPSTATE NEW YORK CITIES, UTICA HAS LOST ITS INDUSTRY, DISCOURAGING RESIDENTS CHILDREN FROM RETURNING TO THE AREA AFTER COLLEGE (A. CARBONE, PERSONAL COMMUNICATION, AUGUST 1, 2013).

The population over 45 has increased by 12% over the last

decade (Oneida Countys Again, 2011).

A SECOND, MORE SPECIFIC FACTOR IS

In each of 11 counties within CAGs targeted geographical reach

in and around Utica, New York, the age 45-64 group is the largest percentage of the population (governing, 2010). (census, 2010).

Oneida Countys largest segment is baby boomers, at 28%

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Campaign Objectives
Business Communication Objectives
Carbone Auto Group has two current business objectives that this IMC campaign plan will address:

INCREASE SALES EFFICIENCY NUMBERS TO 100% OF GOAL FOR EACH MANUFACTURER ASSIGNED TERRITORY IN THE UTICA MARKET. Sales efficiency is an important performance indicator that measures a dealers market share in its manufacturer assigned territory against the manufacturers national market share. It is the single-most important measurement used by manufacturers to assess a dealers perfo rmance. (A. Carbone, personal communication, June 7, 2013). CAGs growth strategy includes future acquisitions of additional dealerships. To present favorably in the application process, the group needs strong sales efficiency numbers. Currently, CAGs advertising reach does not extend far enough out from the hub of its Utica market to reach the manufacturer assigned territories in their entireties. Therefore, to increase sales efficiency performance CAG must extend its advertising reach beyond its standard 20 mile radius around the hub of the Utica market to a 40 mile radius.

INCREASE MARKET PENETRATION WITHIN THE 20 MILE RADIUS AROUND THE HUB OF THE UTICA MARKET FROM 50-52% TO 60%.

Carbone Auto Group Market Penetration for Utica, NY Market

Make BMW Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ford GMC Honda Hyundai Jeep Nissan Subaru Total Makes FY2011 83.2% 42.1% 59.2% 24.1% 428% 43.1% 37.9% 34.4% 83.7% 68.9% 47.1% 77.3% 74.2% 52.0% FY2012 78.3% 48.9% 61.2% 22.3% 41.1% 48.9% 37.0% 38.0% 80.5% 69.6% 48.7% 73.6% 77.3% 51.3% L12M 77.6% 50.5% 59.6% 20.8% 41.2% 49.8% 38.9% 36.1% 80.9% 70.2% 53.4% 72.2% 74.8% 51.4% L3M 85.2% 46.2% 53.8% 19.4% 38.1% 56.0% 40.7% 36.2% 87.2% 81.4% 67.0% 81.0% 65.6% 53.4%

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Marketing Communication Objectives

Carbone Auto Group has three current marketing objectives that this IMC campaign plan will address:

IMPROVE BRAND AWARENESS: Around CAGs new brand positioning Within the newly targeted, previously unreached 20-40 mile radius geography around the hub of the Utica market Around the benefits that patronizing CAG provides as a value based new car dealer rather than a volume (price) based dealer BUILD POSITIVE BRAND ATTITUDE: Become the dealer associated with fun, happiness, and the self expression that cars bring to their owners Build consumer engagement CREATE BRAND PURCHASE INTENTION: Drive online shoppers into the showrooms Make CAG the go-to brand for auto shoppers aged 45-64, increasing market share from 52% to 60% in a 20 mile radius of Utica, New York

Challenges
Convince consumers that the extra value they receive when they shop CAG trumps the benefits of finding the lowest price elsewhere.

Overcome pressure to compete on price and special offers.

Given the ideal target for this campaign is the new car lease customer, one challenge that will have to be overcome is the new car purchasers attitude that ownership is superior to leasing.

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Customer Profile
Several different key segments fit the profile as CAG customers. CAG has traditionally targeted the 20-55 year old age group without further segmenting the audience. Our research shows that the ideal target audience in Utica, New York for CAG needs to be much more refined, introducing: THE VALLEY TRADITIONALISTS:

Demographics
AGE: 45+ GENDER: Male/Female GEOGRAPHY: 40 mile radius around Utica, New York INCOME: $50,000+ HHI EDUCATION: High School Graduate Plus

Psychographics
The six most prominent PRIZM (2013) segments that align with our demographics in the zip codes within CAGs Utica market are Traditional Times, Big Fish, Small Pond, Big Sky, Mayberry-ville, Country Squires, and Country Casuals. As noted by PRIZM (2013) segment explorer data, favorite activities and interests of these groups include:

Country Club Activities (ex: golf, tennis) Outdoor Activities (ex: skiing, boating, camping, hunting) Travel Entertainment (ex: dining out) Family

Opinions & Attitudes of Baby Boomers

Active, healthy, and primed for the next part of life (Del Webb, 2010) Feel much younger than their actual age. As they age, the gap between their real age and their perceived age expands (Del Webb, 2010). Eternally optimistic (Introducing Boomers, 2012, p.1) Self-indulgent (Introducing Boomers, 2012, p.1) Reinvention: Older years are for accomplishing items on the bucket list, such as travel, becoming an entrepreneur, picking a fun hobby job (50 & Over, 2011)

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Lifestyle of The Valley Traditionalists

Sunday churchgoers who are family oriented and motivated by ideals

Conservative men and women who are Snowbirds that migrate to Florida during the winter months and are willing to pay a bit more if it means supporting friends businesses.

Homeowners deeply established in Utica and love his or her luxury car or domestic upscale sedan (A. Carbone, Personal communication, August 2, 2013).

Attitudes/Behaviors towards CAG Products and Services

Aware of the CAG brand name because of its long-standing history in Utica, New York. The baby boomers in Utica are often more loyal to the CAG brand than the younger generation because they have a long standing familiarity with Don and Al Carbone (2nd generation owners) and they appreciate the community service that CAG offers to Utica (E. Carbone, personal communication, August 11, 2013).

Category & Brand Usage

CATEGORY USAGE Boomers choose vehicles that are safe, youthful, sporty and luxurious. (Archer, 2013) For Baby Boomers, image is more important than the car itself. "Part of what creates that image is showing that Boomers have money and are ready to spend it. (Mateja, 2012, para. 13). Their cars define them (Naughton, 2013, para 9). Buying preferences have changed because they can now afford the dream cars they have always wanted due to financial freedom and higher income levels (Archer, 2013). The 50+ population has made up for 62.3% of all new car sales in 2012 (Bird, 2012).

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Boomers like practical technology rather than gadgets. They are more interested in heated seats and good temperature control than touch screen dashboards (Kiger, 2012). Over the years, car manufacturers have come closer and closer in quality. Years ago, there was a distinct difference in perception of luxury brands vs. economy, today not so much (Kiger, 2012).

BRAND USAGE Customers utilize CAG not only to purchase products but also to receive fast, reliable service on their vehicles on an ongoing basis (Carbone Auto Group, 2013). One of the popular uses for the brand is leasing vehicles (Carbone Auto Group, 2013). Customers have reported in testimonial videos that CAG is fast service, efficient, and meets their needs in partnering with an auto dealer to purchase and care for their vehicles (Carbone Auto Group, 2013).

Purchasing Behavior

Baby Boomers are willing to spend their money on items they have always wanted (Introducing Boomers, p.4). Boomers are not necessarily brand-loyal (Introducing Boomers, 2012). They are just as likely to switch brands as are the younger cohorts (EPMSonline, 2012).

Baby Boomers make money and spend what they make (Introducing Boomers, p. 4).

Purchasing Behavior

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Media/Content Consumption Habits

Heavy Radio Use (index 108).

According to Arbitron ratings, heaviest radio use is during weekdays 3-7. Also Saturday/Sunday 7pm-12am (Ranker Utica-Rome, 2013)

Heavy Internet Use (index 108).

One-third of baby boomers shop online. They use the internet as their primary source for researching large purchase decisions such as cars (Introducing Boomers, 2012). Baby boomers are much more likely to use their desktop computer to research and compare products online before shopping. Only 12% of them use mobile devices for price comparison s while shopping in store (For Digital, 2013). Two out of three auto internet users, baby boomers amongst them, use third-party sites as a primary source of information, such as AutoTrader.com or Kelley Blue Book during the car shopping process (AutoTrader, 2012). According to MRI (2012) data baby boomers visit these following sites more than the average consumer: AOL Mail, NBCNews.com, NASCAR.com, MapQuest.com.

Baby Boomers Are Driving The Growth Of Social Media

53% of baby boomers are now on Facebook (Introducing Boomers, 2012, p.7). 60% of 35-49 year olds are on YouTube and 53% of 50-64 years old (YouTube, 2013).

Heavy Outdoor Use (index 116)

Billboards, signage, etc.

Television
Heaviest use is 55-65 year olds both prime time (index 121) and daytime (index 115). 45-55 year olds are heavy use prime time only (index 103). Leased car decision maker data shows primetime viewing, moderate watching only (index 118). Unlike the younger generation, baby boomers are unlikely to interact during a television show or type in a URL on their computer as they see it on a commercial. They are much more likely to interact and further investigate information seen on a commercial once the show comes to an end (Koeppel, n.d.). Although not averse to streaming or using digital recording devices, boomers are more likely to watch TV in a traditional manner, such as tuning in at 6:55pm for a scheduled 7pm program (Nagourney, 2013). A study revealed by Nielsen shares baby boomers favoritism for traditional TV viewing:

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(Nielsen, 2012)

Customer Print
My name is Mike Casatelli and I am a small-business owner in Utica, NY. I am semi-retired and will be selling my business soon, but I cannot wait to join the retirement world full time! Utica has always been my home and I cannot think of a better place to have raised my beautiful family. I take great pride in my home, as the land has been passed on through my family for generations. My wife and I have deep ties in the area and are very involved in the church that we both grew up in. After church, there's nothing better than going out for Sunday brunch with our close group of friends. Every now and then its on us because they have been so good to us and our kids over the years. This past year, my wife and I decided to purchase a condo in Florida. We spend the winter months there, love the warm weather. Although we'd never plan on leaving Utica full-time, we really enjoy the Florida lifestyle. We always get excited when it's finally time to pack up our Caddy and head down the Interstate! I have worked so hard to earn my Americanmade Cadillac and it feels great to finally be able to enjoy my dream car. I handle it with kid gloves because its one of my most prized possessions and makes me feel good about all I have accomplished in life so far. Many fond memories.

MIKE CASATELLI AND HIS WIFE DEBRA, MARCH 2013

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Customer Insights
Baby boomers are craving reinvention and automobiles are the symbol carrying them on their new journey of being.

Key Message
Find your new lease on life, the journey is with us.

Strategy
Campaign Idea
It's Your Journey. Enjoy Every Mile.

This campaign highlights baby boomers crave for reinvention embarking them on a new journey of being. There is a dual purpose for this campaign. First being to communicate CAGs brand repositioning from a trustworthy, honest brand to one that is devoted and an expert in the selfexpression cars bring to their owners. Secondly, the unique partnership CAG has with you, the customer, during your journey(s). CAGs IMC plan will position the brand as your pal throughout your continuous quest for fun and reinvention in your journey of being.

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Topline Campaign Overview

A Utica, New York based baby boomer couple will take on various family trips within a six-month timeframe through a series of commercials that will also play out on CAGs YouTube brand channel. The vehicle transporting them will be one from CAGs Utica dealership, which the initial car purchase and interaction will be the opening commercial rolled into a YouTube video for the campaign. The goal is for our target within Utica and the surrounding 40-mile radius to experience the fun partnership experience and limitless expertise of CAG. These cross-state drives will be presented with a humoristic twist based on the family that became family trip icons during baby boomers early years, The Griswolds. Some of the hit movies surrounding Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, include: National Lampoons Vacation (1983) National Lampoons European Vacation (1985) National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (1989) Vegas Vacation (1997)

Travel twists from these movies will be the basis of our commercials rolled into YouTube videos to emphasize the fun and self-expression cars bring to their owners. The Utica couple will be on a continuous quest for fun through excursions for holidays to family members homes, ski trips, the snowbirds yearly trip to Florida, and the popular fall activity, leaf peeping (travel excursions to view and photograph the fall foliage). The interactive campaign will be communicated through traditional media, social media, online channels and include a landing page on carbonecars.com. CAGs IMC plan will encourage interaction with our target through various (mini) #hashtag campaigns produced on Facebook. We will challenge followers to share pictures and comments relating to the unique scenarios surrounding the Utica couple. Sharing photos of their favorite and/or least favorite family truckster (automobile used during the Griswold family trips) that has been the vehicle of many family trips/journeys. A brief description of the craziest moment in their family truckster during the journey(s) Favorite funny photos from various journeys Facebook post asking followers to vote for favorite car game(s)/road trip game(s) - share photos and/or videos Baby Boomer women are especially a big portion of todays gamers and they spend far more time playing than their younger counterparts (Sherr, 2012, para 1).

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Followers and friends will vote on the uniqueness and fun of each inquiry, the most popular results will be the foundation of our closing campaign commercials/YouTube videos. The involvement and interaction with these #hashtag campaigns will allow user-generated content and CAGs brand personality to flourish. Creative marketing communications with a high personality quotient (PQ) is extremely important to Baby Boomers (Vassalo, 2011). Service and call-to-action auto promotions will tie in with the family truckster verbiage to encourage oil changes, brake alignments, truckster (car) deals. Promotions will also tie in with these commercials, which will be broadcasted via radio, billboards, and online advertising. Throughout the #hashtag campaigns the Facebook platform will post various engaging questions and personal material from CAG itself relating to the campaign. This will include: Entertaining photos of staff portraying their Griswold twists behind working for CAG Testimonial videos of customers appreciation for Griswold car troubles playing out in a positive note because of CAGs performance and assistance

HTML email newsletters will be issued to subscribers. The email design will enhance the engagement and awareness of the campaign by familiarizing baby boomers with promotions, #hashtag campaigns, and any further details to present the reader with a comprehensive overview of what is currently going on within the campaign, a reference piece.

Where the Campaign Will Run

The campaign will run within a 40-mile radius around the hub of CAGs Utica market. In May 2013, CAG made the decision to extend its marketing activities from a 20 to 40 mile radius reach. The rationale behind this decision is that the 20-mile radius does not reach the manufacturer assigned territories in their entireties and consequently the groups sales efficiency numbers are not meeting manufacturer expectations. Increasing the reach to a 40-mile radius will assist CAG in bringing its sales efficiencies to 100% of goal for each manufacturer. Additionally, this campaign should increase the current market penetration in the 20 mile radius, helping CAG work towards its business objective of achieving a 60% market penetration in that area by bringing brand awareness to a group not previously targeted by CAG, the baby boomers.

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Map produced at www.freemaptools.com

Timeline for the Campaign

The campaign will launch October 1, 2013 and run for 6 months, concluding end of April 2014. The rationale behind this is that these are typically the slowest months for CAG (A. Carbone, personal communication, August 11, 2013). Additionally, the fall is a popular car trip time as many take to the road for leaf peeping. Following that is Thanksgiving and Christmas, two of the most heavily traveled holidays of the year (Hunter, 2012). Shortly after, the snowbirds pack their cars and travel to Florida, and for those who stay around, many take several trips to ski resorts. This 6-month period provides several opportunities for the campaign to capitalize on the key message and build awareness around the new brand positioning. Furthermore, auto internet users begin their research and information gathering online roughly six months prior to making a purchase decision, making it important for CAG to run their campaign for six months (JD Power & Associates, 2011).

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Timeline for Tactics

Tactic Television Spots Billboards Radio Online Display Advertising Timeline October 2013 April 2014 October 2013 April 2014 February April 2014 October 2013 December 2013

Facebook HTML Email Newsletter

October 2013 April 2014 2x per month starting in November 2013 and continuing through April 2014

YouTube

October 2013 April 2014

Strategies for Awareness and Engagement

Media Usage for Awareness
TELEVISION. Baby boomers are televisions top viewing group, spending nearly 175 hours a month watching TV (The Nielsen Company & BoomAgers LLC, 2012). Furthermore, auto buying is a high involvement transformational product for which television is ideal to build brand awareness (Percy, 2008). Our commercials will promote the initiation of the campaign through strong visual content and encourage the audience to access the #hashtag campaign as well as promote call-to-action. It is important that this campaign utilize both network television channels alongside cable channels to best build awareness within the Utica market. Cable channels of choice that the IMC campaign will run on have been derived from a cross tabulation of MRI(2012) data comparing 45-54 year olds and 55-64 year olds television habits. The lists below define the most popular by choice of each age group.

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45-54 aged baby boomers:

Vehicle BBC America Biography Channel Chiller Current TV DIY (Do It Yourself Network) Family Net Flix GMC HLN HSN (Home Shopping Network) Nat Geo Wild Syfy Velocity

Proj 000 4251 3358 2703 663 4742 732 922 1166 2295 2096 5631 10486 941

Pct Down 7.8 6.2 5 1.2 8.7 1.3 1.7 2.1 4.2 3.9 10.4 19.3 1.7

Index 117 117 144 114 121 120 124 122 115 117 118 116 117

55-64 aged baby boomers:

Vehicle BBC America Biography Channel Chiller Current TV DIY (Do It Yourself Network) Family Net Flix GMC HLN HSN (Home Shopping Network) Nat Geo Wild Syfy Velocity Proj 000 3864 3058 2060 563 3759 690 853 1095 1893 1877 4456 9261 790 Pct Down 8.7 6.9 4.6 1.3 8.5 1.6 1.9 2.5 4.3 4.2 10 20.9 1.8 Index 130 130 134 118 117 139 140 140 116 128 115 126 120

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BILLBOARDS. Baby boomers are highly influenced by outside advertising (MRI, 2012) therefore billboards will be a key element for advertising purposes to build awareness for the campaign, positive brand attitude around the re-positioning, and the CAG image.
Vehicle Outdoor (Heavy) Outdoor 11 Outdoor 111 Outdoor 1V Outdoor V (Light) Proj 000 2633 2492 2582 1892 1750 Pct Down 23.2 22 22.7 16.7 15.4 Index 116 110 114 83 77

RADIO. Radio broadcasts will be used to generate awareness, as baby boomers are avid radio listeners. Approximately 30% listen to Adult Contemporary, 28% to News and Talk, and 25% to Classic Hits (Carborough, 2012). This traditional media tool will be used as a communication starter to encourage involvement by introducing the IMC campaign through mass exposure. Revealing the specifics surrounding the campaign will also be communicated on radio to make baby boomers aware of the promotions to create brand purchase intent and communicate CAGs brand personality to build positive brand attitude and improve brand awareness.

ONLINE DISPLAY ADVERTISING. To generate awareness we must utilize the Internet as baby boomers are 33% of all online users clocking in at around 30 hours of Internet use each month (The Nielsen Company & BoomAgers LLC, 2012). Online advertising will be used to drive online baby boomers to make contact with CAG to initiate the partnership and create brand purchase intention. As baby boomer auto internet users can begin collecting information up to six months prior to their vehicle purchase decision (JD Power & Associates, 2011) CAG will advertise the campaign idea on the most popular online sites identified by MRI(2012) data. 45-54 aged baby boomers:
Vehicle AOL Mail NBCNews.com NASCAR.com MapQuest.com Proj 000 4769 4340 1797 10689 Pct Down 8.8 8 3.3 19.7 Index 115 116 137 117

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55-64 aged baby boomers:

Vehicle AOL Mail NBCNews.com NASCAR.com MapQuest.com Proj 000 4029 3689 1265 9173 Pct Down 9.1 8.3 2.9 20.7 Index 118 120 118 123

Media Usage for Engagement

FACEBOOK. Facebook is ideal to engage and interact with CAGs target audience as 53% of Boomers are on Facebook (The Nielsen Company & BoomAgers LLC, 2012, p. 7). This will help communicate CAGs brand personality but more importantly develop dialogue with the sites public. Facebook will also increase brand attitude and provoke interaction through the sharing of photos and personal experiences/testimonials with CAG that present the Griswold twist as well as any #hashtag campaigns.

HTML EMAIL NEWSLETTER. Used as a single webpage the HTML newsletter(s) will remind baby boomers of CAGs repositioning and build engagement through call-to-action promotion details as well as share the social feed from Facebook. A study conducted by Creating Results (2012) details 61% of those aged 50-65 use email as their preferred means of digital communication. The CAG site will offer an opt-in subscription where viewers can sign up for the newsletter. All consumers currently in the CAG Customer Relationship Management system will be invited to join as well.

YOUTUBE (CAG BRAND CHANNEL). YouTube will be the key platform in sharing commercials that create brand purchase intent, build brand awareness, and engagement. To build up positive brand attitude CAGs YouTube brand channel will be compiled of many sections specific to a topic allowing the targeted audience to become associated with the fun, happiness, and self-expression CAG brings to its staff and car owners. The sharing capabilities of YouTube videos will push the social aspect of the campaign increasing engagement between the audience and CAG itself. It is a great tool for generating word-of-mouth (Ford & Freeman, 2009) as Bazaarvoice found 66% of boomers ages 47 to 65 turned to known parties for information and recommendations to influence their purchase decisions (eMarketer, 2012, para. 2). The activity seen on YouTube will further increase brand awareness.

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(YouTube, 2013)

Tactics
Campaign Landing Page
New Media A campaign-specific landing page will be built on Carbonecars.com. This will be where all online display ads, the HTML newsletter, and social media posts link to. The URL will be www.carbonecars.com/YourJourney. The URL will be featured in all creative, including traditional media. The content will include all relevant information relating to the campaign: Destinations for the perfect road trip Links to the social media platforms Biographies of the cast of characters featured in the advertising CAG will share its expertise in the self expression behind cars aligning the target with their ideal family truckster to embark on their journey of being

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Television Commercials
Traditional Media A series of television spots will run on those channels with the highest index for both 45-54 and 55-64 age groups: Chiller DIY GMC Flix BBC America Biography Channel Major Networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX) To tie into the engagement piece of the IMC plan, spots in the fall will show the Utica, New York couple leaf peeping. Around the holidays, the couple will take a road trip to family members homes and ski resorts. The snowbirds will also be shown taking a road trip to Florida to skip out on a portion of the winter months. Viewers can follow the TV characters on their various journeys in their family truckster. Creative units will be 30 seconds in length and will run for the entire duration of the campaign in order to follow these characters on their journey. These will be a combination of image spots (stimulate positive brand attitude and awareness) and testimonial spots (stimulate positive brand attitude) as the characters will be displaying their vehicles as well as their car-buying experience. These televised spots will run during prime time and day time programming (MRI, 2012). Call to action spots (brand purchase intention) will be rotated in with the testimonial and image spots to advertise necessary manufacturer promotions and specials. They will be used to drive consumers into the showroom.

Billboards
Outdoor Advertising Billboards will be purchased through Clear Channel Communications and a 6-month contract will be signed. This will ensure CAG has maximum exposure on the roadways for the entire duration of the campaign. Being an auto company, it is crucial that CAG tie in outdoor advertising (seen mostly from ones car) to the customers journey. These billboards will be placed on major highways heading in and out of Utica, NY within a 40mile radius, ensuring all drivers in the surrounding areas have an impression of the advertising being displayed. Billboards will be static but the creative will change out based on the cast of characters being featured in the television spots.

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As manufacturer promotions become available, these may be added to the creative as well to drive people into the showroom. Message across the bottom of the billboard may read, for example, Ask us about 0% financing to get started on your next journey!

Radio
Traditional Media The radio portion of the campaign will run in the later 3 months of the campaign as consumers have already been exposed to various forms of media. Since radio is listened to passively by consumers, the radio will serve as reinforcement for the other forms of media being used. A combination of 15 second and 30 second spots during weekdays 3-7 and Saturday/Sunday 7pm-12am morning, afternoon, and evening radio shows. Sponsorship tags. For example, Todays traffic report brought to you by Carbone Auto Group during all broadcasts. These tags will be used to advertise promotions as a means to drive people into the showrooms. For example, Carbone Auto Group is pleased to offer leases for as low as $200 per month. Stop in to learn more! Occasional appearances by radio station personalities at CAG (ex. Alex Carbone CAGs current VP of sales) on the weekends broadcasting live with giveaways. This will ensure the target customer can be reached by radio at any point during the day. The live broadcasts on weekends will encourage use of the #hashtag for the various mini campaigns. The top-rated stations for the target customer (ages 45-64) in the Utica, New York market will be used including WSKS-FM (Monday-Friday, 5am-10am, morning show), WLZW-FM (Saturday-Sunday, 7pm-12am, evening show) and WFRG-FM (Monday-Friday, 3pm-7pm, afternoon show) (Arbitron, 2013). Imagery transfer, in which the audio portions of TV commercials are converted to radio commercials, will be used to ensure consistency between the television and radio spots (Arens, Weigold, et.al, 2011, p. 509). Call to action spots (brand purchase intention) will be rotated in with the testimonial and image spots to advertise necessary manufacturer promotions and specials and drive listeners into the showroom.

Online Display Advertising

New Media Display advertising on sites with the highest index for both 45-54 and 55-64 age groups: AOL Mail NBCNews.com Nascar.com MapQuest.com And popular 3rd party sites:

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Kelley Blue Book Cars.com A third-party advertising company will be used to place ads based on users cookies as they relate to automobiles. When users begin their search for a new automobile, the third-party company will place CAGs ads on these websites where applicable. Display ads will include leaderboards, side tiles, ROS banners, and web page takeovers. The online display portion of the campaign will run for the first 3 months as it has been previously identified that baby boomers research automobiles 6 months out in the online space (JD Power & Associates, 2011). As potential customers are checking their email, reading the news, following up on their hobbies, and looking for driving directions, targeted ads will be displayed directing the user to CAGs landing page for the campaign on carbonecars.com. The display ads will be colorful, limited on copy, and direct users to continue their journey with CAG. The display ads will link to the campaign-specific landing page as part of the CAG website.

Facebook
Social Media Website and Engagement Tool Facebook will be used for the duration of the campaign. It will be used heavily throughout to ensure the conversation is consistent for the 6-month period. What is the most beautiful thing you saw on one of your most recent road trips? posts and other journey-related questions will be asked to build a relationship with the target customer. Other examples include: Tag your favorite person to take a road trip with in the comments below to maximize the Facebook pages exposure. Facebook posts will be published at least 5 times per week to keep the conversation active. As a tie-in to the television and YouTube portions of the campaign, a spot will be built around a select number of posts. For example, Youve experienced Mike Casatellis journey, now your neighbors are chiming in to tell you all about their adventures. From this point, posts will be shared along with complementary video footage.

HTML Email Newsletter

Electronic Direct Marketing Use to drive traffic to the website and social media platforms. Links to Facebook will be featured so that users are encouraged to join the conversation. Emails will be sent out twice monthly to CAGs database by use of Constant Contact.

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Emails will be image-heavy but will feature stories about destinations that are the perfect fit for a fun road trip. Other stories will include tips about keeping ones car in excellent condition for future journeys. A small section of each email will be used to advertise manufacturer promotions. This will drive customers into the showroom. Emails will be signed by Alex Carbone, company spokesperson to add a personal touch to the emails. Carbone will ask users questions about their journey and direct them to social media. When users click through, they will be brought to a campaign-specific landing page on Carbonecars.com

YouTube Channel
Engagement Tool and Social Media 5 playlists on Carbones YouTube brand channel Employee testimonials-awareness- telling why CAG is a fun/happy place to work in order to communicate CAG values and culture Customer testimonials to communicate the CAG brand experience Prior customers will be interviewed to share their journeys with the audience, communicating the fun and happiness within their excursions. These interviews will be produced into YouTube videos and every customer will be encouraged to be a part of this campaign. Videos will be produced which feature destinations that are the perfect fit for a road trip. The content will be a video version of the informational pieces being sent out in the HTML newsletter. How-to and Informational Videos Commercial bloopers (especially those related to the traveling couple TV campaign) awareness, engage consumers with humor for brand awareness You Tube is popular with baby boomers. CAG will use it to integrate internet presence by driving people to the CAG site from YouTube. It will be used to kick off the campaign with various videos alongside commercials.

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Communications Flow

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Campaign Measurement Plan

Media Television Objective Brand Purchase Intention Metric Leads tracked in Showroom with Customer Relationship Management system. Success Metric Benchmark 50% of all customers who purchased or leased a car each month noted during their purchase process that a television commercial brought them into the showroom. 6 month post campaign survey to measure brand attitude and awareness: what Carbone brand meant to customer. Benchmarked against results from pre campaign survey. Success means post survey results indicate a 15% increase in both awareness and attitude of respondents associating the Carbone name with fun and enthusiasm for love of cars. 250,000 monthly impressions .12% click-through rate Measure how many visitors to landing page came from display ads through corporate site analytics. Benchmark against analytics the day before the ad is run and expect a 10% increase in visitors to landing page. 10% increase in sales of

Brand Attitude Brand Awareness

Share of Voice measured through pre and post campaign (6-month follow up) survey.

Online Display Advertising

Brand Awareness

Impressions

Drive Viewers to Campaign Landing Page

Click Through Rate Corporate site analytics: check referrals to landing page

Billboards

Brand Purchase Intention

Geo-plotting sales to note patterns

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Drive people into showroom. Brand Awareness

of increased sales near billboards

dealerships located near billboards Utilize the same survey discussed above for television and expect a 15% increase in brand awareness. 1,000 uses of the #hashtag

6 month pre and post campaign survey to measure attitude and awareness of Carbone brand and which media are viewed

Radio

Drive Viewers to Facebook

Use of #hashtag from live weekend broadcasts at dealerships 6 month pre and post campaign survey to measure awareness of Carbone brand and which media are viewed

Imagery transfer to raise the level of brand awareness from the televisions spots

Utilize the same survey discussed above for television and expect a 20% increase in brand awareness (an increase over TV because of imagery transfer). 1,000 new likes and 350 participants in the contest 25% increase over last month in people talking about CAG 30% increase over last week in weekly total reach 25% engagement rate Benchmark number of daily posts from consumers against daily average of 6 months prior to campaign and expect a 15% increase in daily posts

Facebook

Engagement

One Like and/or 1 new post from any given viewer that shares photos and participates in the contests represents an engaged user Total reach of the Facebook page

Drive Viewers to YouTube

YouTube brand channel analytics: check referrals to YouTube.

20% of the YouTube video views are referrals from Facebook

Drive Viewers to Campaign Landing Page

Corporate site analytics: check referrals to landing page

Measure how many visitors to landing page came from Facebook through corporate site analytics. Expect 30% of the visitors to come from Facebook 20% open rate and 9% click

HTML Email

Brand Attitude and

Open Rate

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Newsletter

Awareness. Drive subscribers to Campaign landing page, Facebook and YouTube Engagement Brand Attitude

Click Through Rate Unsubscribes

through rate .2% of all subscribers choosing to unsubscribe per month is acceptable Number of views of video compared to previously launched video to increase by 10%. Benchmark # of new subscribers against previous month new subscribers and expect a 10% increase each month. Expect the # of subscribers to be 20% of all new viewers each month. Benchmark unsubscribers against previous month subscribers. Expect no more than 1% to unsubscribe each month 15% of people who view the videos watch 30 seconds or more for each video 20% of users comment at least one of the videos each month 20% of the videos are shared by at least one user each month on that users social media page(s)

You Tube Brand Channel

Video View includes how videos are trending, which ones are being watched, and where viewers are coming from Engagement report: Subscribers and unsubscribers, where they subscribe and where they drop out. How long users view videos How many users share the videos How many users comment on the videos Audience Retention: Benchmark video to other videos. Note how long subscribers stay on videos

Brand Awareness

Demographic report includes age, gender and location of viewer

Age of viewers and location compared to zip codes and age demographics of target to match demographics by 90%.

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References

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