cars.com Contracts Stein Rogan + Partners for $26 Million

8 September 1998

Stein Rogan + Partners Awarded $26 Million Assignment by cars.com

    NEW YORK--Sept. 8, 1998--Stein Rogan + Partners has been named agency of record by cars.com, a leading automotive Internet hub. The announcement was made jointly by Thomas Stein, president of Stein Rogan + Partners and Greg Stuart, vice president of marketing for cars.com.
    Cars.com provides consumers with a trusted source of valuable automotive information and an extensive database of new and used vehicles. Stein Rogan + Partners will develop national brand advertising and will support local market rollouts, as well. The 18-month, $26 million assignment will include national print, broadcast and digital media, as well as local newspapers.
    "Cars.com has the core assets to build a leading automotive brand on the Internet," said Greg Stuart, vice president of marketing for cars.com. "The combination of our newspaper affiliates' established relationships with car buyers and automotive dealers, as well as Stein Rogan + Partners' expertise as online brand architects makes a formidable team."
    Cars.com provides listings for thousands of new and used vehicles and arms consumers with current prices, ownership operating costs, independent automobile reviews, an auto loan calculator, performance data, recall information, and even tips on how to negotiate a fair price. Also, cars.com has exclusive on-line rights for Car Talk's Web site from acclaimed auto experts and notorious wise guys, Tom and Ray Magliozzi.
    "Cars.com will be the lead player in the online automotive marketplace because the site is unparalleled in terms of informative content and resources," said Tom Stein, president of Stein Rogan + Partners. "The challenge will be to introduce the service to car buyers and owners and teach them what a valuable tool it is as we enter each local market. Once we've rolled out in enough local markets, we'll launch a major campaign for the national cars.com brand."
    Stein Rogan + Partners will introduce cars.com in major markets across the country. The site will be co-branded with each affiliate newspaper and its Web site in each market.
    Cars.com is a subsidiary of Chicago-based Classified Ventures, L.L.C., which is funded by eight media companies - Central Newspapers Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., Knight Ridder, The McClatchy Company, The New York Times Company, The Times Mirror Company, Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company. Classified Ventures, L.L.C., provides nationally branded online services for the e-commerce opportunities in the classified advertising marketplace that build upon the capabilities and local expertise of a national affiliate network. In addition to cars.com, the company currently operates the national Apartments.com website (www.apartments.com) and the NewHomeNetwork.com website (www.newhomenetwork.com). For more information about cars.com or Classified Ventures, visit www.cars.com or www.classifiedventures.com.
    Stein Rogan + Partners is a full-service integrated and interactive advertising agency with offices in New York and Chicago that works primarily with brands in the information industries, including Internet/online services, e-commerce, media/content, information technology, interactive entertainment and communications.