Most people who own a car do so proudly as they consider it an extension of themselves and a showcase of their personality. Vehicle ownership is indeed both aspirational and inspirational. This sector for creative and impactful promotions is often misunderstood or undermined by many promotional products distributors. But, it is quite vast: nearly everyone outside of a major metropolis owns a vehicle. Car culture has no boundaries and is inclusive.
“When you appeal to car culture, you are appealing to a diverse and passionate audience,” emphasizes Carrie Lewis, Marketing/Trade Communication Specialist, BIC Graphic. “A teenager may have the same interest as a retiree, and tinkering with an engine can be just as much fun as restoring the interior of a vintage ride. The auto enthusiast audience comes from different backgrounds to share a similar passion and build a strong sense of community.”
People interested in car culture are always learning and many are really passionate about the automotive world – whether it’s antique/vintage muscle cars, race cars, or luxury vehicles, each genre has devoted enthusiasts, she added. To receive a promo item that relates to their passion from a non-auto-related business would be meaningful and go a long way toward earning additional business.
Automotive related promotional products, says Paul Hanney, Sales Manager of Garyline, makes a compelling and successful campaign for business because we all drive, or if not, are passengers and know someone who drives – driving is a universally shared experience. “What a perfect opportunity to get eyes and minds on your brand over and over,” he comments.
Gwen Brey of Beacon Promotions agrees, noting that the average commute time is 25 minutes (of course that depends on where you live). And most people also spend a lot time traveling for a variety of errands and leisure activities, ranging from attending sporting and entertainment events, running the kids to their activities, vacations, and even carpooling.
Trends that auto enthusiasts are into can vary from generation to generation, notes Hanney, but some trends are rather consistent across the board. “Everyone likes a clean car,” he asserts. “No one wants to be unprepared in case of an emergency. Everyone wants to make sure their vehicles are being maintained. Car people like promoting their car club or favorite auto brand. In addition, whether commuting or taking a road trip, many people sip their coffee or other beverage in the car.” Hanney adds that Garyline offers car wash kits, ice scrapers, auto emergency kits, license plate frames, clipboards and auto mugs that can be used for auto-related promotional campaigns.
Beacon, too, says Brey, has many items that fit into the automotive category. For example, she offers, think of the products that are frequently used in the vehicle such as chargers, phone holder, frizzy dusters, key rings, ice scrapers, emergency flashlights, emergency tools, etc. “But there are many other products that relate to the automotive category that can be used outside the vehicle,” she points out. For example, how about name badges for car salesmen or car rental companies, trailer hitch covers for towing companies, calendars or dash plaques for automotive clubs? And don’t forget the lucrative insurance market – insurance companies can give away auto-products to a new auto-insurance customer.
Auto enthusiasts are drawn to stylish, higher-quality promotional items that reflect their personal investment in their vehicles, says Lewis. A dealership or service shop that provides a desirable promotional item will make a favorable impression and could encourage customer loyalty. For example, consider BIC Graphic’s “sleek vacuum-insulated tumbler with leak-proof lid (#46178), ties back to a person on the move who still wants to keep their interior spill-free.”
One of Garyline’s newest tumblers (#TC14XINS) is, says Hanney, a 14-oz. tumbler features a full-color digital wrap insert for eye-catching appeal. “This item would be great for auto dealers, collision repair, detailers and parts suppliers to promote their services by depicting those services in the graphics. Digital imprinting is also available on another item that goes perfectly with autos – the ice scraper (#DP748). This two-piece ice scraper has a patented ribbed grip handle.
Getting Mileage from Auto Products
You can achieve peak performance in products for automotive-oriented campaigns. When thinking dealerships – both new and used – don’t just think about sales and service items for customers, think about what is going on in the community and encouraging them to participate with a booth and a giveaway.
“There are many ways to attack this business,” underscores Brey. “There are event themes you can tie into, slogans that can be used, budgets will play a factor in the type of product chosen, as well as demographics and of course lead time. Like any promotional product there are many questions that need to be addressed before suggesting products. The car is an extension of our homes, so most anything works!”
When it comes to dealing with dealerships, there are many giveaways for customers, says Lewis. Consider a multi-function keychain (#21221) and a tire pressure gauge (#21111). For safety, consider a first-aid kid (#41061). “BIC Graphic We have seen an interest in safety tools that are easily kept in a vehicle glove box or console. The 3-in-1 COB Emergency Tool (#21214) has a seat belt cutter, glass breaker, and COB light to provide security in case of an emergency on the road; and the #21223 3-in-1 Car Charger with Emergency Tools (#21223) is a safety tool with a technology twist. This charger includes two USB ports to power up devices plus a seat belt cutter and glass breaker tool for help in an emergency.
More people are using their cell phones for navigation directions, Brey observes. To enhance the convenience of navigation, she suggests Beacon’s BA80PH Auto Phone Holder. “It’s got a great price point and works with most cell phone sizes. The clips insert into the air vent and can be used in vertical or horizontal vents, so it will work with most makes and models of vehicles. The phone is cradled in the holder for easy viewing,” she describes.
Hanney relates that many distributors Garyline has worked with created a flyer showcasing six to eight automotive-related items, with each item sporting the potential customer’s logo. “This tends to generate serious interest,” he says.
There are more than 220 million licensed drivers in the US, creating a vast pool of creative promotional opportunities for automotive accessories and tools. Think beyond business to include professional transport, Uber and Lyft drivers, government and law enforcement agencies with vehicles, and driver training programs/schools, Lewis points out.
Don’t let your promo sales stall by ignoring this category. Many suppliers have a wide array of items to select to drive your business forward.
CASE STUDIES
Carrie Lewis, Marketing/Trade Communication Specialist, BIC Graphic: “An auto manufacturer was looking for a giveaway for employees and customers to celebrate the release of the 2019 vehicle model at the manufacturing facility. These chairs were imprinted with the vehicle model name and year, then given as an appreciation gift to employees who manufactured the vehicles. The chairs were also shipped to dealerships across the country and included as a giveaway item to customers who purchased the 2019 vehicle model.”
“An RV Dealership that traditionally provided new vehicle binders to customers was looking for a way to modernize and save money. The binders included details on vehicle features and FAQs to help familiarize new RV owners with their vehicle and provide complete information on their purchase. The dealership decided to put the information on a USB flash drive because it was more cost-effective than the binders and conveniently transported by customers as it could be easily clipped to their RV keys. Customers responded positively to the USB flash drives and found the information to be easily accessible, as most people traveled with their laptop computers. The dealership was pleased to be able to provide the same level of service and detailed information for customers with a more modern and cost-effective promo item.”
Paul Hanney, Sales Manager, Garyline: “Last winter, we had a distributor seeking to get back a dealership license plate frame business from a competitor that stole it out from under him a few years prior when he thought it was on auto-pilot. He had a difficult time encouraging the purchasing executive to call him back during the time the competitor had the business. This product account amounted to a few thousand dollars every couple of months in repeat business. We created a flyer with the dealership’s logo on one item from every relevant category and put the distributors’ logo on it for him to send to the purchasing executive. The distributor finally got through to the purchasing contact who promised to share it with the dealership owner. The owner wanted to see samples of the ice scraper and a plastic auto mug – the good news is, the distributor got the dealership back and placed the order for the items.”
Gwen Brey of Bean Promotions: “An auto detailer attended a local home show. They were looking for a useful, but unique item that would attract people to their booth. They also wanted something that would keep their name top of mind when the recipient needed detailing done. They chose the BA66FD Frizzy Finger Duster (#BA66FD). It’s perfect for cleaning quick clean ups and is a constant reminder when of where to go when a major cleaning is needed.”
“A car repair shop was celebrating its 10-year anniversary. They wanted a gift to give to their current customers and something that would spread the word about their business. For three months, every owner that took his or her car to this shop for repair work went home with the USB Car Charger with LED Light (#TEC20CC) in it when it left the shop. The shop wanted something that stayed in the car and would keep their name top of mind for future work.”