Findlay Subaru Prescott is giving customers inclined to show up for an oil change first thing in the morning incentive to wait a few hours. The Arizona dealership has a reverse early-bird special for routine services. On weekdays between 1 and 5 p.m., customers who bring their vehicles in for service may be greeted with
Marketing
Chuck Cook knew exactly what he wanted for his 90th birthday. When he picked it up at Cecil Clark Chevrolet last week, the Florida dealership threw him a party. Cook bought the store’s first 2021 Corvette, a Torch Red midengine C8. It’s the Air Force veteran’s fourth Corvette over 40 years. “This is my birthday
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. on Saturday will begin running new 30- and 60-second ads that stress unity following riots this month at the U.S. Capitol that left 5 dead. Called “Builders,” the spots focus on the ability of Americans to come together and create, featuring images of construction workers, nurses, firefighters and other volunteers.
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. on Saturday will begin running new 30- and 60-second ads that stress unity following riots this month at the U.S. Capitol that left 5 dead. Called “Builders,” the spots focus on the ability of Americans to come together and create, featuring images of construction workers, nurses, firefighters and other volunteers.
A remarkable shift has been taking place in automaker executive ranks: Women now rule the U.S. marketing world. In 2018, Joy Falotico took on the chief marketing officer title at Ford Motor Co. The next year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles tapped Marissa Hunter to fill a new role, head of North America marketing. Months later, Deborah
DETROIT — General Motors is rebranding itself this week to invoke visions of blue skies ahead and promote its commitment to electrification. GM will launch a redefined corporate marketing strategy centered on EVs and will modernize its logo with a sky-blue hue and lowercase letters. “There are moments in history when everything changes. Inflection points.
DETROIT — The Detroit auto show, rescheduled because of the pandemic, has been canceled altogether for 2021, organizers said Monday. The show, slated for September in downtown Detroit, will be replaced this year by an outdoor, enthusiast-focused event at a racetrack north of Detroit in Pontiac, Mich. While many details have yet to be worked
DETROIT — General Motors is launching a commercial electric vehicle business called BrightDrop and locked in FedEx Express as the first customer for a delivery van later this year. The BrightDrop brand will offer electric products, software and services, GM said Tuesday. Its products will include a commercial van known as the EV600 and an
During college football’s biggest New Year’s Day bowl games, instead of running another ad about the capabilities or popularity of the F-150, Ford Motor Co. aired a spot that encouraged a renewed commitment to coronavirus safety. It’s a message that needs to be echoed at the start of a vaccine rollout that is going to
Nissan’s strategy of pulling back from rental fleet sales is being put to the test as retail sales decline among its dealers, along with much of the rest of the U.S. industry. Faced with tumbling sales, a diminished brand image and frustrated dealers, Nissan is on a course to pursue profit margin over market share.
Ford Motor Co. is launching an advertising campaign Saturday designed to raise awareness of the new Bronco Sport crossover and help differentiate it from the larger Bronco SUV. The first of three commercials will air during the NFL playoff game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Although Ford will not advertise in this
DETROIT — General Motors, starting next week, will redefine its corporate image and marketing strategy to better align with a commitment to electrification. The new corporate marketing strategy will be centered on electric vehicles, and the GM logo will be modernized with a sky-blue hue and lowercase letters. “There are moments in history when everything
With the promotion this week of Lisa Materazzo to group vice president for marketing at Toyota Motor North America, 2015 Automotive News Rising Star Vinay Shahani has taken over Materazzo’s previous position as head of marketing for Lexus. Shahani, 46, who previously was vice president of integrated marketing operations at the company, joined Toyota in
TOKYO – Kia has unveiled a new, more modern, script-like brand logo to replace its aged oval mark and help jumpstart the South Korean carmaker’s planned brand relaunch. As part of the makeover, Kia Motors Corp. has also adopted a new slogan: Movement that Inspires. The new emblem and catchphrase were both unveiled Wednesday during
Toyota’s Lisa Materazzo and Ford’s Suzy Deering take on new jobs Monday, Jan. 4. They are the latest in a growing list of female marketing chiefs at some of the biggest auto brands in the U.S. Key appointments within the past 20 months: Lisa MaterazzoToyotaBecomes vice president of marketing for Toyota Division on Jan. 4,
Lisa Materazzo starts her first week Monday, Jan. 4, as the new group vice president of marketing for Toyota Motor North America. In the role, Materazzo, 52, is succeeding longtime Toyota executive Ed Laukes, who announced his retirement in November. When she first joined Toyota in 1998 as a senior product planner, Materazzo was part
It’s been 31 years since Chevy Chase starred in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” But Ford is banking that the slapstick holiday flick carries enough relevance today to give its new electric Mustang a jolt. In a new ad released this weekend, Chase, now 77, reprises his role as the bumbling Clark Griswold. Along with Beverly D’Angelo,
When Christenson Chevrolet went away last year, so did Santa Claus. The dealership in Highland, Ind., near Chicago, had put up a 20-foot fiberglass Santa every year for decades. It even started bringing him out of storage for an annual “Christmas in July” sale. But that stopped after the Christenson family sold their store to
Northtown Automotive Cos. is the “official automotive dealer of the Buffalo Bills.” But with the Bills having their best season in 25 years, Northtown also has become known as the team’s unofficial trash talker. The group, which sells new vehicles from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Toyota and about a dozen other brands, uses a electronic
Matt Stuckey is signing more checks these days — and that’s a good thing. At the beginning of October, the Stuckey Automotive dealership group that has Ford, Subaru, Buick-GMC and Mitsubishi stores in central and small-town Pennsylvania pushed an effort to buy consumers’ vehicles outright — even if someone wasn’t looking to trade in or
The newest Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has a button-operated steering system and a powerful axle-articulation suspension. It also might break if you step on it. It’s the first-ever Jeep model from Lego, made of 665 pieces and designed in partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to replicate some features as closely as possible. It’s available starting in
The pandemic has caused great disruption in the auto industry, but retailers and automakers posted massive third-quarter profits. How can this be? Less inventory. Consumer demand rebounded quickly after the initial shock from the pandemic. Supply, however, has been slower to return as factories had to reduce production because of COVID-19. The reduction in inventory
There’s no Operation Warp Speed for national distribution of electric vehicles. Every brand is on its own, and how each goes about it says as much about the brand’s relations with retailers as its commitment to cleaner personal transportation. At issue is who should pay for facility upgrades required to sell and service EVs. Last
Toyota Motor North America will promote a longtime marketing executive to group vice president for Toyota marketing, succeeding Ed Laukes, who announced his retirement in November. Lisa Materazzo, 52, vice president of Lexus marketing for Toyota Motor North America, will succeed Laukes on Jan. 4. She will be responsible for Toyota Division’s market planning, advertising,
Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday said it is launching a brand dedicated to its hydrogen fuel cell system in a move meant to boost that business. Hyundai Motor Group, which includes Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp., said the name “HTWO” stands for the hydrogen molecule, H2, as well as “hydrogen” and “humanity.” The South
The new year won’t magically wipe away the coronavirus or erase the political strife of 2020. But the mere changing of a numeral on the calendar at least brings hope that the next 12 months will be different, and Kia Motors America is seizing on the rare moment of optimism in otherwise dark times. Kia
Polestar’s vegan upholstery earned the electric vehicle brand a starring role in the 40th anniversary celebration of the country’s biggest animal rights group. A Polestar 2 is the top item up for bid in an online auction being held this month by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The car’s seats are covered in
With the hiring of former Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin marketing veteran Laura Schwab, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe is banking on his growing cadre of seasoned automotive industry professionals to deliver him a smooth launch of the company’s first vehicles. This year, Scaringe has filled his executive roster with at least a half-dozen senior
DETROIT — General Motors has corrected an online advertising campaign that overstated the capabilities of its Super Cruise driver-assist system. This week, ads for the system, available on a growing number of Cadillac vehicles, appeared with a headline that said “Cadillac Super Cruise – Experience Autonomous Driving.” But the system is not autonomous. It always
Since taking the wheel of Kia Motors Corp. in April, CEO Ho Sung Song has been positioning the South Korean automaker for a new era of industry upheaval. Under Kia’s five-year business plan unveiled this year, Song, 58, wants to make the company a global leader in electric vehicles, branch into so-called purpose-built vehicles and
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