Consumers are Paying More Attention to Advertising in the Digital Space, Reports FordDirect Survey

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- FordDirect announced the results of its Automotive Digital Advertising Survey, which shows the growth of digital advertising channels and its impact on consumer behavior when purchasing a vehicle.  For example, after viewing an online ad, more than 60 percent of consumers purchased a vehicle after contacting a dealer. 

"To successfully reach consumers, dealers must participate in the channels consumers prefer, and with the rapid growth of mobile adoption and use of social media in daily life, it's clear this is online," said Stacey Coopes, chief executive officer, for FordDirect. "The results of this study support the need to increase focus on digital and social media advertising because of its market potential."

The study, conducted in December 2013, gathered responses from more than 1,100 vehicle owners to understand consumers' attitudes and reactions toward different types of automotive advertising, specifically digital, social and mobile.

Additional key findings from the study include:

• Millennials love digital: Millennials search local dealer promotions in digital and social media ads more than Generation X consumers and Baby Boomers
• Consumers are going mobile: More than 40 percent of the respondents have conducted research on a dealership through their mobile devices. Among those respondents, 54 percent of them looked for deals or promotions
• Mobile advertising is effective: 46 percent of respondents are likely to click a dealer's mobile ad when browsing through their mobile devices

FordDirect is committed to reaching consumers in the most effective way possible through their interests and behaviors. For more information on FordDirect, and how to effectively reach consumers through digital, social and mobile advertising, please visit: www.FordDirect.com/DealerCenter.  

About FordDirect
FordDirect (forddirect.com/dealercenter) is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its franchised dealers to create a comprehensive Web presence for dealers and provide digital marketing services that help dealers sell more cars and trucks. FordDirect provides dealers new and pre-owned marketing services, call tracking, lead management solutions, dealer websites, search optimization and marketing, database marketing, marketing services for regional dealer advertising groups and other digital services. FordDirect is headquartered in Dearborn, Mich.

SOURCE FordDirect