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Jumpstart Automotive: Super Bowl Advertising Generates Strong ROI for Chevy, Mini, Kia, and Volkswagen


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SAN FRANCISCO - March 23, 2011: Jumpstart Automotive Group today released results of its 2nd annual Super Bowl Automotive Advertiser ROI Study that analyzed the return on investment among this year's Super Bowl automotive advertisers, with Chevy, Mini, Kia and Volkswagen taking top billing among the 10 manufacturers that advertised during the big game.

“The overriding theme is that, during our extended analysis including pre- and post-Super Bowl metrics, this year's big game ads have had an enduring effect on automotive shopping growth for a handful of vehicles”

The Jumpstart study examined model-specific growth in share among car shoppers across 14 automotive shopping websites with over 14 million monthly visitors and the estimated price each manufacturer paid for every percent in share gained. The analysis was based on average assumed total ad dollars spent by each of the automakers during the Super Bowl.

The study was conducted over a six-week period beginning three weeks prior to the Super Bowl, to establish benchmark metrics for the OEMs slated to run spots during the game, and then extended three weeks post-Super Bowl, to better understand the enduring effects of the large investments that come with Super Bowl advertising.

Results of the Jumpstart 2011 Super Bowl Automotive Advertiser ROI Study follow:

Make/Model  

Estimated 2011 Super
Bowl Advertising
Expense

 

Average 3-Week Growth
Among Car Shoppers

 

Approximate Price per
% of Share Gained

Chevy Silverado   $3.0M   46.0%   $65K
Mini Countryman   $3.0M   44.0%   $68K
Chevy Volt   $3.0M   39.0%   $78K
Kia Optima   $6.0M   74.0%   $81K
Volkswagen Beetle   $3.0M   29.0%   $104K

The study, which used an assumed average of $2.8 - $3.0 million per 30-seconds of Super Bowl in-game air time revealed:

  • Chevy spent the lowest amount for every percent of market share gained at approximately $65,000 for its Silverado, and just slightly more than the number two finisher at $78,000 for its Volt, with an average increase in share among car shoppers of 46 percent and 39 percent, respectively.
  • BMW's Mini brand spent approximately $68,000 for every percent of market share gained, with an average increase in share among car shoppers of 44 percent for its Countryman.
  • Kia spent approximately $81,000 for every percent of market share gained for its Optima, while experiencing the highest average increase in share among car shoppers at 74 percent. During last year's Super Bowl, Kia spent the lowest amount of approximately $255,000 for every market share gained for its Sorento.
  • Volkswagen rounded out the top five at approximately $104,000 for every percent of market share gained, with an average increase in share among car shoppers of 42 percent for its Beetle.

"The overriding theme is that, during our extended analysis including pre- and post-Super Bowl metrics, this year's big game ads have had an enduring effect on automotive shopping growth for a handful of vehicles," said Joe Kyriakoza, Jumpstart's Vice President of Product and Performance Strategy. "While most of the manufacturers experienced a positive ROI against their investment, Chevy, Mini, Kia and Volkswagen significantly outdistanced the rest of the pack. The automotive vertical was crowded with 15 different vehicle messages throughout the game, so it's not unusual that only a third of them would break through."

The study further revealed that manufacturers like Audi, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz that struggled to drive similar sustained growth in market share likely fell victim to a Super Bowl that was heavy on automotive ads, allowing only a few to truly cut through an event that already boasts an abundance of advertising messages.

Jumpstart's online audience consists of a monthly average of 14.2 million unique automotive shoppers and enthusiasts across all web properties, with each auto brand's share calculated by unique visitors to its brand pages vs. the total audience. Jumpstart has performed numerous analyses that demonstrate that brand consideration can be influenced by online and offline factors such as events, sponsorships, launches, pricing incentives and editorial features.