Mazda Joins the Web Community
5 April 1999
Mazda North American Operations Launches Mazdausa.com 3.0; New Site Provides a Portal to Local Dealers & Represents Mazda's Ongoing Commitment to Evolve to Meet the Demands of Consumers
IRVINE, Calif.--April 1, 1999--Mazda's corporate tagline, "Get In. Be Moved," takes on new meaning Thursday with the debut of its third-generation Web site, www.mazdausa.com.The fully redesigned site was developed with consumer input. It provides customers a truly interactive experience with easier access to Mazda dealer and vehicle information and a community for current owners and prospective buyers. Unlike other manufacturers' sites, Mazda's site will be constantly evolving to respond to customer and dealer needs and will be offering new areas within weeks of the launch.
The site was designed by USWeb/CKS and is part of an integrated marketing effort that ties directly with Mazda's current consumer marketing and advertising program. Research conducted by USWeb/CKS and Mazda showed that consumers often feel a disconnect between dealer and manufacturer sites.
Users specifically expressed a desire for dealer information to be integrated into the manufacturer's site. Typically, consumers logged on a manufacturer's site can only get an address of a local dealer and must go to the dealer's site for more information.
Mazda's new site completely integrates all local dealer information, making it easily available to the consumer from any point on the site. This new design also benefits dealers because it positions them as partners in the purchase process by allowing them to include special offers to consumers online.
"As a company, we recognize that the Internet is a lightning rod for consumers in the market to buy a new automobile," said Deborah Wahl, group manager, brand strategy and communication at Mazda. "Growing numbers of consumers are using the Web during the initial stages of their research and therefore we believe our 'umbrella' site needs to capture the same stylish, spirited and insightful feel expressed in our automobiles and marketing communications."
The site provides information on a corporate and local level with the flexibility to meet each consumer's individual needs. As the site evolves it will be offering a personalized owners' area called My Mazda. At launch, Mazda will be surveying its customers to find out what they want to see in this new area and USWeb/CKS will be designing it based on owners' desires and needs.
Mazda will also be adding an area to highlight its participation in motor sports. This area features AMA Supercross and automobile racing and will be updated often with news about favorite racers and their vehicles. There is even an online form to submit yourself to qualify for a race.
The site is premiering some new technological features. USWeb/CKS used Macromedia Generator to make the site dynamic and flexible because it allows for the dealers to easily update the site in real time. Site updates are done through a browser via online forms in a password protected area of the site. The firm also created a tab environment, which is its own proprietary design work created exclusively for Mazda.
USWeb/CKS is a professional services firm that works with clients to define strategies and implement innovative ways to build their businesses through the combination of expertise in strategy, Internet technology and marketing communications. With more than 2,000 professionals, USWeb/CKS has helped hundreds of businesses advance their marketing communications programs as well as their traditional IT and Internet systems.
The company provides a broad selection of services from brand development and advertising to business process automation and e-commerce solutions. The company has headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. Additional information is available at www.uswebcks.com. Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the research and development, sales and marketing, and customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States.
With headquarters in Irvine, the company has more than 800 dealerships nationwide and is owned by Mazda Motor Corp., Hiroshima, Japan.