ROCHESTER, Mich., Jan. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When comparing the public relations budget to the marketing budget, the PR budget is not “chump change”, but Foresight Research calls it a marketing “best buy”. Foresight Research has been measuring marketing communications for over a decade, and in the past three years, of all the communications channel levers that an auto manufacturer can pull, public relations is almost tied with TV and closely follows digital.
So, to back this statement up, a few facts are presented. Every year Foresight Research interviews over 5,000 new car and truck buyers. Respondents are asked a lot of questions, but one is what marketing communications channel influenced them to buy their vehicle. Public relations clocks in at 24% year, after year, after year. Digital and TV advertising is a little more - but just a little more. For the most recent model year (2019), PR closed the gap further as PR influenced 28% of all buyers, while TV stayed constant. Given that typical PR budgets are a generally just a fraction of the advertising budget - but the results are similar – automotive PR is a “best buy”.
Drilling down on the PR effort to present more evidence of the PR value – a few more facts are presented. 38% of all buyers say that they remember seeing an article about the vehicle they bought. Another 12% recall seeing a digital “buff book” article. And 28% say they were influenced to purchase by their exposure to public relations. Of course, they also used other forms of communications: brochures, digital, TV, print ads and experiential events and auto shows. But PR is right up there. In addition to that, buyers influenced by PR are also more often influenced by the other forms of communication. So, when you put it all together, there actually is synergism.
For 2020, a new report is now available from Foresight Research that does a deep dive into the power of automotive public relations. Foresight Research has interviewed over 5,000 new car and truck buyers to measure a lot of things to explain why PR is so valuable. Visit the website, e mail or call for more information and a webinar for you and your team. This very affordable syndicated report is now available.
About Foresight Research – www.foresightresearch.com
Since 1998, Foresight Research has been providing consumer insights and data to support strategies and best practices for the automotive industry. Foresight Research is a recognized leader in measuring auto shows, experiential marketing/sponsored events, as well as automotive public relations, vehicle accessories and motorsports.
Contact
Steve Bruyn
FORESIGHT RESEARCH
248.608.1870 x 12
steve@foresightresearch.com