Divas Drive In Heels: Social Media Believes in the Motor City and so should you!
April 24th, 2012 by Christen
Twitter opened a new office in downtown Detroit on earlier this month to serve marketers — including automakers — and ad agencies in the region.
Twitter’s emphasis on Detroit coincides with stellar sales for the auto industry. Americans bought 1.4 million cars and trucks in March, a 13% jump over the same month in 2011 and the most sold since August 2007, according to Edmunds.com. That rise comes despite gas prices that flirt with $4 per gallon and reflects pent-up demand among consumers, analysts say. Earlier this month, during the New York International Auto – The Women’s Automotive Association International discussed the Power of Social Media with some of the auto industry’s social media powerhouse leaders. Sponsored by Mercedes Benz, the Power of Social Media panel included the following participants:
Melissa Newell – Social Media Specialists / Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Jennifer Suzuki – President / e-Dealer Solutions
Lemore Hecht – Social Media Manager / Hertz Corporation
Kate Alini – Social Media Manager / BMW of North America
Dale Durrett – Director of Marketing Solutions / LinkedIn
Kim Kyaw – Social Media Manager / Land Rover North America
Hedy Popson – Executive Vice President / Productions Plus – The Talent Shop
Discussions of social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and more were the hot topics of panelists, as well as insights into how your favorite automotive brands use these platforms to interact with you – the consumer. More and more auto brands are investing in the Power of Social Media – just ask Facebook! Facebook’s Head Of Automotive, Global Vertical Marketing - Doug Frisbie shares his insight on how social media is a necessary component in the automotive industry as a whole. “Today’s automotive industry is more competitive; however it’s still a people business. Connecting with loyal customers and their friends can create a valuable advantage for your brand. Integrating Facebook into your existing marketing channels and leveraging Facebook Pages, ads and sponsored stories will help you capture this advantage and let people drive your marketing.”
Does automotive brand interaction on social media influence your perception of brands and their products? Does tweeting with your favorite brands, influence a purchase?
Divas Drive In Heels: Behind The Scenes Of The 2012 New York Intl Auto Show (Gallery)
April 6th, 2012 by ChristenEarlier this week, while checking out the New York International Auto Show during press days we got the chance to view the newest releases, concept cars and more! (Did You Know: Auto brands reveal the newest models at different auto shows throughout the year?)
Check out a few of the photos and get your behinds the scenes peek of the New York International Auto Show!
Like what you see? The New York International Auto Show is going on now April 6th – 15th at The Jacob Javits Center in NYC! For more information and to purchase tickets visit http://www.autoshowny.com
Divas Drive In Heels: Chevy’s On Point With The Pulse Of First Time Car Buyers
April 4th, 2012 by ChristenChevy is speaking to younger first-car buyers like never before. “Next Gen Customers are not just car owners, they are also tomorrow’s designers, engineers and innovators,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “This generation expects brands to partner with them, and we need to engage with them at every level of our business.”” Unlike other brands, Chevy is specifically about the business of “partnering” with consumers versus “targeting” them.
Several of Chevy’s high impact vehicles popular with younger buyers include the Sonic RS, Spark and the highly popular concept vehicles the Tru 140S and the Code 130R.
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- Chevrolet MyLink for easy in vehicle connectivity with personal playlists, phone books and other media on a 7″ high res touch screen.
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- The 2013 Sonic RS amplifies the vehicle’s youthful style and driving experience with unique exterior and interior features.
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- CODE 130R, one of Chevrolet’s concept vehicles from the 2012 North American International Auto Show
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- Connectivity is a central feature of the Tru 140S concept car, with WiFi and smart-phone integration through Chevrolet’s MyLink and heads up display.
One of the driving forces behind younger consumers is of course “24/7 Connectivity” and Productivity – which is one of the reasons why Chevrolet MyLink was created. MyLink which is featured in the Spark and Sonic, helps them stay connected at a fraction of the price of previous systems.
The Chevrolet Youth Concepts, designed with and for Millennials, serve as an example of how Chevy is engaging the group in the co-creation process. To date, more than 13,000 people have provided feedback on the concepts at global auto shows, through Facebook, and at the annual South by Southwest music, film and interactive conference and festival.
With strong ties to the younger first-time car buyer, Chevy has definitely set themselves apart from their competitors. It’s still a buyers market and consumers are more informed and determined to get what they want. What are you looking for when purchasing a new car? 24/7 Connectivity? Price? Style?
Divas Drive In Heels: The New BMW Hybrid Concept i8 Spyder
April 2nd, 2012 by ChristenIf strutting in your favorite pair of stiletto heels makes you feel like a runway model or even a super sexy spy, then BMW’s new hybrid concept will bring those feelings to life with the unveiling of the their new i8 Spyder (…just in time for the New York Auto Show!)
The i8 Spyder is based on the i8 concept car which debuted in 2011, ditching the top and the back two seats, and perhaps some of the more radical ideas from BMW’s first sporty hybrid concept. The i8 Spyder sports a 96 kW/131 hp on the front, coupled with a 164 kW/223 hp gasoline engine on the back, which accelerate the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
The design of the car is still as otherworldly as the first two i8 concepts, with plenty of black and electric blue details, upward-swivelling doors and a semi-transparent “V” on the front end, which enables passers-by to take a look at the electric engine. If you’re looking to take a “real life peek” at the new i8 Spyder before anyone else, stay tuned to our Instagram (DivasandDorks) as we’ll be unveiling all the new releases this week – before the New York Auto Show opens to the general public.
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