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Peace Of Mind Is Focus Of New AutoNation USA Advertising Campaign

2 July 1997

Peace Of Mind Is Focus Of New AutoNation USA Advertising Campaign

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 2 -- AutoNation USA, the used car
megastore, is launching a new print advertising campaign next week that will
tell consumers how the company is taking the mystery out of buying pre-owned
vehicles.
    In an industry plagued by negative consumer perceptions, the AutoNation
USA ads will seek to dispel these perceptions by speaking directly to the
consumer about the negative issues they confront when buying a car.
    "'The peace of mind myth' campaign that AutoNation USA is introducing
takes the mystery out of buying pre-owned vehicles by addressing consumer
concerns head-on," said John Drury, Senior Vice President of Marketing for
AutoNation USA.
    Created by Hill, Holliday in Boston, each ad, under the premise,
"Everything you've believed about buying a used car has just changed," focuses
on specific customer perceptions of the used car industry.
    "We needed to find a believable way to tell our consumers that AutoNation
USA is different, in an industry that is full of mistrust," said Fred Bertino,
President and Creative Director at Hill Holliday.
    At AutoNation USA, these perceptions are dispelled because the company has
changed the car buying process for the better.  In the ads, each myth is
accompanied by humorous illustrations that further differentiate AutoNation
USA from the clutter of used car advertising.  For example, the myth "You
can't buy a used car without feeling you've been had" is illustrated with a
lollipop or sucker.  The copy focuses on the company's Better Way to Buy a
Car(SM) concept offering no haggle fair prices on a vast selection of
vehicles, each with a comprehensive warranty and money-back guarantee.  At
AutoNation USA, there are no confusing negotiating tactics or "I'll have to
check with the manager" routines.
    Just as the company is changing the way Americans buy used cars,
AutoNation USA is now revolutionizing the advertising that goes along with it,
taking a truthful, honest approach that the used car industry has never had.
With the new campaign, AutoNation USA is positioning itself as a leader once
again by making a positive statement about trust, reliability and service
within the used car industry.
    AutoNation USA is the leading automotive retailer in the United States.
Currently, there are 14 AutoNation USA megastores in five states.  Ten more
are scheduled to open by year end.  The first AutoNation USA megastore opened
in Coconut Creek, Florida in October, 1996.

SOURCE  AutoNation USA