Auto Dealer and NFL team up

Nashville, TN Point 3 Media developed concepts, then wrote and produced a series of :30 TV commercials featuring Marv Levy, legendary NFL football coach and recently named Buffalo Bills’ GM of Football Operations. The commercials were shot on location at the Bills Stadium for an upcoming ad campaign for long-standing Point 3 Media client, Northtown Automotive Companies. The filming sparked some attention, drawing local media to the shoot. (Buffalo Business First and the Nashville Business Journal articles attached.)

“The campaign involves a 3D animated character interacting with Mr. Levy--not your typical production for a retail automotive company ,�?? says President/Creative Director Larry Roy, a 20 year veteran producing automotive campaigns.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes in the way dealers advertise,�?? says Roy, who grew up in automotive advertising. His father, Don Roy, was a pioneer in syndicated automotive campaigns in the late 60’s, and the creator of the Gold Medal Chevy Dealer campaign which swept the country in the 80’s. “More and more dealers want to shed the stereotypical car dealer image, and that’s where we can help the most.�??

When Point 3 Media began working with Northtown Automotive Companies, they were fighting to distinguish themselves, even with 8 locations and 14 franchises. “They knew they needed brand recognition for Northtown as a whole,�?? says Roy, “There was no icon or emotional attachment to their name, so we created NAC,�?? an acronym for Northtown Automotive Company. “NAC’s a 3d animated character who has a ‘knack’ for doing all sorts of things,�?? Roy explains, “In an animated world, anything is possible.�??

Point 3 Media produces commercials monthly for the dealer group, and NAC is now the central focus in virtually all of Northtown’s marketing. “It was so strange to go to the Northtown holiday party and hug a huge NAC mascot, and eat ‘NAC Snacks.’ He’s everywhere in Buffalo!�?? says Point 3 Media VP, Sheilah Griggs. “I remember the multiple rounds of character sketches and numerous talent auditions to find just the right voice. It was a painstaking process. But now NAC’s bigger than life and hobnobbing with celebrities.�?? Roy admits many dealerships may not be inclined toward a 3D animated super hero like NAC, and understands budget limitations. “When budgets are limited, we still find ways to be creative, and maintain a standard of quality. That may mean a simpler concept, but it’s well executed.�?? Roy often places a professional spokesperson with a client to give a credible and attractive “face�?? to a dealership. One such spokesperson has been a talent for select Point 3 clients for over 20 years, with Roy still handling the creative.

Roy concludes, “For car dealers, we’ve found that credibility is key in advertising for long-term growth. You can be funny or straightforward or aggressive, but cheap screamer ads and ridiculous gimmicks tend to fall on deaf ears--or draw far less qualified traffic.�??