Cash For Clunkers

Tier10 Marketing implemented a multi-dimensional marketing strategy that included a national website CashForClunkersInformation.org, online marketing, and a publicity campaign that educated consumers about the program before the legislation was signed into law. Customers qualified themselves on the website with their “Clunker Calculator” and were connected with a dealer. Celebrity spokespeople promoted the site on all the top networks, generating so much traffic that the site crashed on 4 different occasions and generated over 50,000 leads nationally. Large organizations like Rick Case (6000 leads), Paragon (5000 leads) and Penske (3500 leads) had to use Tier10 Marketing’s call center to respond to the overwhelming lead volume. Tier10 Marketing also implemented a local campaign for their dealers that included a regional website, online marketing, traditional ads, publicity, direct mail campaign to the “Clunker List,” and in-store merchandising.

“They promoted a regional Cash for Clunkers website they built for our dealership that generated 1000 leads in the first week,” said Benstock. As a result of the strategy, Paragon sold more clunker vehicles than any other single point Honda dealer in the country. “Dealers in my Honda Association asked to use our campaign, and I agreed.”

The New York Honda Association worked on their Cash for Clunkers marketing strategy with Level 5 Advertising, a marketing company owned by partners David Boice, Sean Wolfington, Scott Rodgers and Scott Fletcher that specializes in helping regional advertising associations. “We created Level 5 to work exclusively with associations,” said Boice. The regional campaign included a website, online marketing, publicity, direct mail to the “Clunker List” and in-store merchandising. The regional website that Level 5 built, www.NYCarsProgram.com, included a 3D tour of the 11 Honda vehicles that qualified and connected consumers to one of the 17 retailers that were closest to their zip code.

The NY Honda Association doubled their market share, over that of Toyota’s, during the clunker campaign. After Clunkers abruptly ended, Tier 10 helped their dealers maintain the momentum by creating a privately funded national program called the Auto Stimulus Plan www.AutoStimulusPlan.com, where consumers could get up to $4,500 of additional trade-in value toward the purchase of a newer, more fuel-efficient vehicle. The national program’s success was covered by the New York Times, Associated Press, Yahoo and many major networks.

Tier10 Marketing and Level 5 were subsequently recognized in Automotive News, Wards and Auto Success for their winning strategy and they emerged as the clear winner amongst marketing firms in what turned out to be the Super Bowl of marketing for the automotive industry.