“If you typed ‘Tech Live’ into Google, the first three pages were all the different dealers taking part. The data shows it has gone really well; we took at least double the orders we would expect to have taken on a January weekend,” said Ireson.

He said the partnership was a balance because dealers want individuality, but the more coherent brands are to the customer as a single proposition, the better they do.

 

The downside of digital marketing

Ireson also said “the digital explosion” had been brilliant for marketing because it was possible to track the customer’s journey.

However, there is a downside. “We find they’re not necessarily making the journey we want them to. Because of that, it’s hard to know what marketing works. They pop on the website, download a brochure and then two days later look up their local dealer. It’s impossible to link those two things.”

By contrast, aftersales marketing is generally left to dealers, though not exclusively and not always effectively.

Young said he was struck by a full-page advert in Autocar for Maserati aftersales that was simply a list of dealers.

“Aftersales is often treated as an afterthought and lacks the creativity that goes into sales, even though for customers it remains very important,” he said.

Young argues that when aftersales contact with the customer may come only once every 12 months, marketing needs to be more creative and manufacturers have a role to play.

“If I’m Mercedes, with an expensive F1 team, why is there nothing for the regular customer that gives a privileged view from the pit wall? Last year, Land Rover drove some cars from the UK to Mumbai, but you couldn’t follow that on the website as a customer.

“That’s something people might find interesting; they might get a frisson of excitement if they see a car like theirs in a place like that. It might make them want to buy another.”

 

The future of TV advertising

One criticism always levelled at TV advertising is its ‘scattergun’ approach. However, innovations such as Sky AdSmart, which allows adverts to be targeted at particular households in selected areas allow it to be more targeted.