CarTV Video Ad Program Rolls Out Across Autobytel Network, Enabling Auto Marketers to Focus TV Ads on Millions of Active Interne
15 December 2004 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
CarTV Video Ad Program Rolls Out Across Autobytel Network, Enabling
Auto Marketers to Focus TV Ads on Millions of Active Internet
Shoppers Industry-Leading Program Upgraded With State-of-the-Art
Video Player; Company Streams Nearly 3,500 Hours of Automotive
Commercials in November Alone IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 14
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autobytel's (NASDAQ:ABTLE) video
production division, CarTV, has announced it is rolling out its
streaming advertising program across the Autobytel network of
car-buying web sites, enabling OEM advertising clients to present
their TV commercials to millions of active, in-market car
shoppers.(1) The program, which easily surpassed company
projections for November with nearly 3,500 hours of car commercials
on Autobytel.com and Autoweb.com, is also being upgraded with a new
video player that will support near-broadcast-quality streaming
video on virtually any PC. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041214/LATU067LOGO ) "When
you consider how much it would cost to reach millions of active
auto shoppers through broadcast television, given that less than 1%
of the general population is in the market for a vehicle at any
given time, it's not surprising that CarTV is experiencing such
rapid growth," said Autobytel Executive Vice President and Chief
Marketing Officer Andrew Donchak. "We're providing auto marketers
with a compelling opportunity to re-purpose their costly TV ads to
impact a massive, consolidated audience of vehicle shoppers -- at
the moment they're making their brand decisions. It's the best of
both worlds -- the emotional impact of TV advertising, and the
unique targeting abilities of the Internet." Turning Online
Shoppers into an Instant, Massive Focus Group ... According to
Donchak, CarTV offers yet another level of value for Autobytel
advertisers -- the ability to instantly gauge the impact of their
commercials on a huge consumer segment. "You can see the brand take
off the day the commercial starts running," he adds, noting several
examples where an OEM client has moved past five or six
competitors, in terms of consumer site research activity, while
their commercial ran on the Autobytel sites. Auto marketers,
moreover, can quickly assess the relative effectiveness of specific
commercials and formats (e.g., a 30-second spot versus a 60-second
spot). Says Donchak: "It's like a real-time focus group -- with
tens of thousands of participants. We can monitor who's watching,
and for how long; it's a gold mine of data for advertisers as they
plan costly TV buys." Currently, CarTV commercials launch
automatically when consumers enter the home pages and research
areas at Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, Autosite.com and
Car.com. But the division is developing platforms to support more
commercials and make them more targeted -- for example enabling
OEMs to sponsor commercials on their brand's dedicated research
page or a strategic vehicle category page. In 2005, CarTV will also
integrate streaming commercials into Autobytel's Dynamic Content
Placement program, so that a consumer researching a certain
make/model would be automatically invited to enter a sponsored
environment featuring comprehensive information about a competitive
vehicle, including a TV commercial. "We believe that CarTV is at
the right place at the right time -- with streaming technology that
finally works for mainstream America, and a truly unique automotive
marketing channel in Autobytel. This is a real beginning, and we're
already way ahead of the curve," concluded Donchak. In addition to
it OEM commercial program, CarTV produces a range of original video
content for the Autobytel web sites. Current CarTV content includes
an exclusive interview with Jay Leno (who weighs in on his new 2005
Ford GT), plus comprehensive SEMA show coverage and a range of
"video test drives" of popular new models. CarTV will also provide
live daily coverage from the floors of the Detroit and L.A. auto
shows. About Autobytel Inc. Autobytel Inc. (NASDAQ:ABTLE), a
leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps
retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through
marketing, advertising, data and CRM (customer relationship
management) products and programs. The Company owns and operates
the automotive websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Car.com,
Carsmart.com, and AutoSite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive
Information Center), a trusted industry source of automotive
marketing data and technology for over 20 years. Autobytel is also
a leader in dealership lead management and CRM solutions and owns
and operates AVV, Inc., a top provider of dealership CRM and sales
management products, and Retention Performance Marketing, Inc.
(RPM(R)), which powers dealerships with cutting-edge customer
loyalty and retention marketing programs. As the Internet's largest
new car buying service, Autobytel generates over a billion dollars
a month in car sales for dealers through its services and was the
most visited new car buying and research destination in 2003,
reaching millions of car shoppers as they made their vehicle buying
decisions. Autobytel's car-selling sites and lead management
products are used by more of the nation's top-100 e-dealers than
any other program. (1) Autobytel attracted 9.36 million unique
visitors in November according to the most recent comScore Media
Metrix report.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041214/LATU067LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Autobytel Inc. CONTACT:
Media, Melanie Webber of Autobytel Inc., +1-949-862-3023, ; or
Betsy Smith Isroelit, ext. 17, , or Joe Foster, ext. 13, , both of
RBI Communications, +1-323-960-1360, for Autobytel Inc. Web site:
http://www.autoweb.com/ Web site: http://www.autobytel.com/
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