Case Study for Agency
03-1013215-441

Client: Southern California Toyota Dealers

Product: Cars and Trucks, Parts and Service

Problem: Southern California is the most competitive car and truck
sales market in the country. Domestic car sales increase steadily
while imports continue to flood the market. Category spending continues
to climb year after year, eroding share of voice for all Dealer
Associations.

Objective: To maintain the number one position in new car and
truck sales in Southern California.

Strategy: Don’t just sell the vehicle. Brand and sell the dealer
group as well, making it equally important. And, in that most
competitors focus mainly on holidays and seasonal events, remain
competitive through those time periods but dominate the media through
the balance of the year. Finally, despite the fact that each promotion
or event carries a different message, always make certain that our work
reinforces the key attributes of, or reasons to buy from, Southern
California Toyota Dealers.

Elements: Radio, television, print and outdoor.

Results: The Southern California Toyota Dealers continue to have
the best sales records in the country. Toyota is the number one selling
car, import or domestic, in the Southern California Toyota Dealer’s
region, with a lead that continues to increase year after year. Toyota
is also the number one selling truck, import or domestic, in the
region, with a 50% lead over the nearest competitor. Based on total
registrations, all new cars and trucks, here are some
current (CY 2003) share figures:

National: Toyota - 10.1%
SoCal: Toyota - 20.3%, Ford - 13.3%, Honda, 10.9%

We have served the Toyota Dealers of Southern California since 1976.

Insight: There are automotive buyers in the market every day.
To continue to dominate, we need to reach them with reasons to buy
Toyota every day.

Client: Knott’s Berry Farm

Product: Halloween Haunt

Problem: In sunny Southern California, the theme park business
is extremely competitive. And, surprisingly, also very seasonal. Too
seasonal, in fact. The “Farm” looked to us for help in marketing an
off-season Halloween-themed event that would keep the turnstiles
turning even during a traditionally down time. Knott’s also was very
interested in building traffic from the teen market because it had been
a traditionally weak source of visitors for them.

Objective: Develop and brand an annual Halloween event that would
become known as the world’s ultimate Halloween party.

Strategy: Target teens and young adults, 12-29, who like action.
Generate a powerful buzz to stimulate immediate pre-event ticket sales
by delivering the message with out-of-the-box creative combined with
aggressive promotions with retail tie-in partners.

Elements: Radio, television, print, and outdoor.

Results: Today, Knott’s Halloween Haunt generates sales large
enough to equate to an entire thirteenth-month of business, an immense
contribution to the Farm’s bottom line. Halloween Haunt is now a
Southern California institution. It has grown from a three-night to a
twenty-one-night (twenty-three with private parties) event. And, as the
target and attendance base has expanded with the accrual of a large 35+
alumni contingent, it continues to grow year after year. According to
Amusement Business Magazine and TicketMaster, it is the largest
hard-ticket Halloween event of the year (TicketMaster equates it in
annual volume and sales to four U2 sell-outs at the L.A. Coliseum).
Moreover, as our bigger spending competitors – Disney and Universal –
attempted to compete, their events only helped ours, and, after years
of effort, both have dropped out of the Halloween market.

Insight: Don’t let market verities and realities dissuade you
from trying something new. Find an opening, create a niche, own it, and
continue to build on it year after year.