Car Shoppers More Likely To Consider Toyota, Audi after Super Bowl XLVIII Ads

ATLANTA--Feb. 12, 2014: Automakers are still reaping the benefits of their Super Bowl XLVIII ads, according to new data and analysis from AutoTrader.com.

The week following the big game, AutoTrader.com conducted a survey of more than 1,000 consumers to see which ads had the biggest influence on car shoppers. The results revealed that Ford and Chevrolet created the most memorable ads of the night, with 29% and 26% of those surveyed recalling their ads respectively. The Maserati ad that caused the largest lift in new vehicle searches on AutoTrader.com the hour after their spot ran, was also among the most memorable, with 21% of consumers surveyed recalling their big game ad.

When it comes to which ads went beyond catching shoppers' attention to influence consideration, the ads from Toyota, Audi, Jeep and Honda came out on top. Of those surveyed who remembered seeing Toyota's "Muppets" spot, 44% said they were "much more" or "somewhat more" likely to consider purchasing a Toyota vehicle in the future as a result. Audi, Jeep and Honda followed closely behind with 39%, 38% and 37%, respectively.

"While generating a significant amount of buzz leading up to and during the game is the primary opportunity for Super Bowl advertisers, our research shows that impact doesn't end once the final whistle is blown," said Rick Wainschel, vice president of Automotive Insights, AutoTrader.com. "Creating a spot that consumers remember and that drives lifts in brand consideration is the ultimate goal for automakers since many big game viewers might not be immediately in the market for a new car. Our data showed that the OEMs definitely succeeded in doing that this year, and it will be interesting to see how these consideration lifts impact sales results in the months ahead."

The survey also revealed that Audi and Honda's big game spots were more effective at breaking through to the Millennial generation than ads from other brands. Recall for the "Doberhuahua" ad from Audi was 45% higher among Millennials compared to older generations, with the 18-34 age group accounting for 50% of those who recalled the ad. Honda's "Hugfest" spot also performed well among Millennials, with ad recall 50% higher among 18-34 year-olds than older generations. 46% of those surveyed who recalled the Honda spot were Millennials.

"In our 2013 'Next Generation Car Buyer' study, we learned that Audi and Honda were the top two brands Millennials said best fits their personality," said Isabelle Helms, vice president of Research & Market Intelligence for AutoTrader Group. "Results from this new survey further demonstrates how effectively Audi and Honda's big game advertising resonated with this generation and keeps their brands top of mind."