Automotive TV Advertising - US Style

This time last month, I had just returned from a fantastic two-week holiday in sunny Florida. I spent one week in Key West, the southernmost point of the US mainland, and then a week in Orlando, the ultimate playground for the ‘big kids,’ with all the delights of Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World. A fun time was had by all!

Like most people, I don’t usually have time for TV whilst on holiday, as I prefer being out and about. However, there are those ‘downtime’ moments when you’re getting ready to head out in the morning or evening, and having the TV on in the background can provide an entertaining distraction. I find American TV fascinating, but what captivates me most are the adverts, particularly those for cars. Perhaps it’s because I’m ‘in the industry’ and have been for many years, but as soon as a car ad appears on screen, both my eyes and ears perk up.

What I find most intriguing about American car adverts is the blend between brand and offer. Every advert I saw featured emotive and aspirational footage but always ended with an offer in the final frame, often focused on finance options. This contrasts with what we typically see in the UK, where TV ads focus on telling the brand’s story to build desirability, leaving the specific offers more to local or dealership level.

I remember during my time with Kia UK Limited, being fortunate enough to attend the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show in New Orleans - a three-day expo with over 500 companies showcasing thousands of products, solutions, and services. There, I met with a prominent US ad agency, and we discussed this very topic. He explained to me quite plainly that in the US, it’s all about ‘the deal.’ The idea being, if you have $300 a month to spend, then this is the car for you—no ifs, no buts, no maybes.

Is it the right direction to take? I’ll leave that for you to decide. What I do know is that We Are Acuity has over 25 years of experience in this field and possesses a wealth of knowledge not only in automotive but also in various other sectors including retail, hospitality, and franchising.

So, if you’d like to find out more, why not schedule a FREE 30-minute assessment today here? It will be well worth your time.

We Are Acuity has over 25 years experience in automotive marketing. To find out more have a look at our Automotive page here.