Automotive Marketing Study by Latcha+Associates Underscores the Importance of Utilizing Both Print and Digital Content for an Optimal Car Shopping Experience

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Nov. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Latcha+Associates, a pioneering marketing solutions and production company that specializes in the customer lifecycle, released the findings of a study, which explores the vehicle purchase journey and the impact of marketing content during that journey. Conducted with market research firm GfK, this study was comprised of focus groups, mobile surveys, phone interviews and in-person interviews.

The study reveals that ~90% of car shoppers find printed brochures helpful in their decision-making process. This was consistent across major demographic segments, including genders and generations. Other key findings include the fact that Millennials (34%), Gen X (33%) and Boomers (32%) most often go to a dealership as the first step in the car buying process and 44% of shoppers think the number one barrier to printed brochure usage is the fact that dealers are not offering them.

Dealers mentioned the growing popularity of online resources, the diminishing relevance of printed resources, and tools, like iPads, being perceived as "better" as the top reasons they don't offer shoppers brochures.

"Our study reveals that there is a clear perception gap between dealers and shoppers when it comes to a shopper's desire to utilize printed brochures during the vehicle purchase journey," said, Steve Stepanek, Head of Research at Latcha+Associates. "While digital options have certainly bolstered marketing efforts for dealers, printed brochures also enhance the consumer's decision making journey. It's the interplay of both print and digital that provides the strongest possible shopping experience."

Other findings include:

• Printed Brochure Utility is Highly Consistent Across Gender and Generation Breaks, with Female Boomers Being the Highest
• Females (91%)
• Males (88%)
• Boomers (94%)
• Gen X (89%)
• Millennials (88%)

• High-Volume Dealers are More Likely to See the Value of Printed Brochures
• 32% of high-volume dealers find printed brochures to be very impactful
• 14% of low-volume dealers find printed brochures to be very impactful

• According to Shoppers, Printed Brochures Offer Benefits that Cannot be Matched by Online Resources, Including:
• "It's all there" to be referenced, as opposed to online which requires moving from screen to screen
• No need to turn on computer and navigate to a website
• Pictures display correctly, with no horizontal or vertical scrolling to see the entire image
• High-quality feel - "Online isn't on thick, glossy paper"
• The shopper can make notes on it as research proceeds
• Portable - "I can show the brochure to someone else"
• The shopper can lay out several brochures side-by-side to compare vehicles/models
• "I can glance through it while I'm watching TV. I can daydream about it"

"GfK used its vast experience and knowledge of location-based, mobile shopper marketing research to gather timely, relevant information on the impact of marketing content within the automotive purchase journey," said Dale Drerup, EVP Consulting, Automotive, at GfK. "Combining that with Latcha's unrivaled automotive knowledge, we produced an objective, top-quality study detailing the different roles and value of marketing content throughout the in-market auto shopper's path to purchase."

About Latcha + Associates

Latcha+Associates is a pioneering marketing solutions and production company that specializes in the customer lifecycle. Since its inception in 1997, its singular mission and focus has been helping brands solve their biggest challenges. Today, Latcha and its four sibling companies, Hallwood Studios, Shooterz, Rocket Studios and Detroit Software, remain independently owned and operated, with a seamlessly collaborative culture to invent capabilities and processes that drive value for clients. This consistent focus enables Latcha+Associates to deliver clever, cost-effective solutions for its Fortune Global 500 client roster.

SOURCE Latcha+Associates