Japanese Carmakers Best at Using Cross Platform Ads

According to IMMI research (Integrated Media Measurement, Inc), using cross-platform measurement strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns on multiple platforms, Japanese car ads reached 22% more viewers than those of domestic US car manufacturers. 

At an index of116, the Japanese brands reached 16% more IMMI panel members than the average.  Domestic manufacturers managed 94% of the average...trailing the Japanese by 22%.  European manufacturers reached the fewest individuals at 89% of the overall average. 100 is the average index of advertising reach, the number of individuals reached by the brand's ads, for all cars tracked by the study.

The study was based on the number of times car ads were seen by IMMI panel members in New York, Houston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami on both television and radio during August-October 2007.

Looking at the individual Japanese brands tracked in the study, Honda Toyota and Nissan were way above the average in the auto industry for number of individuals reached by their ads.  Ford was right behind them with the highest reach for a domestic manufacturer. Among the American nameplates, Cadillac, Hummer, Buick and GMC are all well below average.

Each of the brands used a cross-platform strategy to achieve their reach.  Looking at the top brands by medium, BMW achieved the greatest reach in radio by a huge margin: 239 points over the average radio reach for all brands tracked. They were  125 points ahead of second-place Ford.

Mazda has the biggest reach in TV over the three month period (and almost no presence on radio). Ford did the best job of supporting their TV with radio.  Ford increased their TV reach numbers with radio advertising more than any other brand tracked. Honda combined similar radio and TV reach for the crown of biggest reach overall in the Fall.

For more information and a detailed chart for each of the brands studied, please visit  the IMMI site here.