A Loyal Reader Writes:
You ridicule those “screaming car dealer” commercials. But they
work, don’t they? Isn’t that why car dealers insist on airing them?
No, they don’t work. Those screaming ads increase the public’s awareness of the car dealer not because they scream but because they’re aired so frequently. One of the great powers of radio advertising, remember? Frequency.
They could simply repeat “Ed’s Toyota is a wonderful to place to buy a new car,” and if that message aired as often as the Screaming Spot, it would deliver at least the same result.
It is possible to create a commercial that is far more effective than either of those models, of course. But when your local Screaming Car Dealer says, “We scream because it works,” the truth is simply, “It works because we make full use of radio’s Reach and Frequency.”
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Back in 1998 Idid a 30 sec joc-spot about Honda Accord airbags accidentally firing off and two babies being killed (in the States, I live in New Zealand) .
Ten minutes later the station manager and the sales manager burst into studio demanding to know what I’d said because Honda were threatening to pull all their advertising nationwide because of all the phone calls they’s got from our little town (Rotorua) from people demanding to know if their cars were safe.
I asked both managers whether either of them had mentioned to Honda what a brilliant response that was to one 30 sec spot on their station.
Frequency – once
Message – attention grabbing
Response – immediate
I couldn’t agree more. Over the years I have worked with dozens of dealers. The most successful one I have ever known just speaks to the people…converses with them about things that matter to them in a way that most people would like to be spoken to.
Not putting a real name this time…
Once I received copy for a car lot that wanted the \yelling\ bit and the big deal was the \Auto Sales Extravaganza\. Except it said \Extraganza\ in the copy… FOUR TIMES. So, against my better judgement I read the spot with all the energy they wanted and people showed up… Not because of the great spot, but to inform the owners that the word is \ExtraVAganza\. I was terminated shortly after… And it was totally worth it!
sorry to hear you lost your job…..but isn’t it nice to be ultimately right?
Dan, thanks for saying they don’t work. I’ve always felt car dealers wanted those kind of ads simply because they think that’s the way their ads are supposed to sound. Be louder than the competition. Though if you want a really good laugh, seek out the spots done for Gary Barbetta’s #1 Dodgeland in Philadelphia. “Over the top” doesn’t even begin to describe them.
Immediate tune-out!
5 years ago the agency and I talked a Traverse City car dealership into trying the natural conversational read. Their big parking lot “event” was a success..normally they would sell about 3-5 “units”. 15 units were sold . 3 weeks later they went back to the screaming …”
In our market it’s the screaming daughters of the aging owners. It’s
a hoot wondering who will out-screech the other.
The only time I’ve done “screamer” car commercials has been as a joke, letting the customer be in on it. Every once in a while, such a parody works well for an otherwise rational car dealer (or other type of business–done it for an appliance store) who’s having an event and wants to have fun with it. Otherwise, even if it’s a dealer who wants high energy, we talk to the listener respectfully and in a human voice. And I always shoot down the line, ‘There’s never been a better time to buy a [fill in brand of car here]…” Our most wildly successful dealer spots have been testimonials–to the point where one dealer sells out her inventory every month.