Outrageous Ads Sell Cars for NJ Dealer

Here’s your marketing question of the day:  How do automobile dealers differentiate themselves?

Excluding more rural geographic areas, there are usually multiple dealers selling the same auto brand within a 30-minute to 1-hour driving radius.  This lets consumers shop for the lowest price.

So what can a dealer do beyond talking about the nebulous better service benefit?

Photo: Brad Benson – NY Daily News

Former NFL star and Super Bowl winner Brad Benson has an answer.  It’s clever and powerful advertising.

Benson is the owner of NJ-based Brad Benson Auto Group, which sells the Hyundai and Mitsubishi brands.  Being a former Garden State resident, I remember Benson’s unique advertising style, which leverages current events, politics and celebrity actions to create memorable, attention-getting radio ads.  He sometimes runs traditional television commercials as well.

I was reminded of Benson because he recently made national news with a radio ad that offered Florida Pastor Terry Jones a new car if he stopped his Quran burning plan.  Listen to the spot, which is part of Benson’s International Idiot Award series.

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