Marketing

Honda Motor Co. is plugging its range of products — from motorcycles to jets — in a major new campaign that points to its future, including investments in electric vehicles and a longer-term vision for reusable space rockets and avatar robots. A new “Forever Determined” ad, which comes from agency-of-record RPA, is the second spot

DETROIT — Dodge believes there’s an opening in the compact crossover segment that it can speed through with its upcoming Hornet, even if the muscle car brand seems out of step with someone who buys a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V. Dodge is sticking with the performance-driven messaging that has been its bread and butter

The world’s largest rubber duck and Fred Flintstone’s car will be coming to Detroit next month for the revival of the city’s auto show. Other attractions lined up for the show, which has been on hiatus since 2019, include life-size dinosaurs, monster trucks and jet suit demonstrations over the Detroit River. The giant duck —

To transform into an electric vehicle-only brand by early next decade, Volvo Cars must first address a significant customer pain point. The Swedish automaker knows that American EV drivers want access to reliable, fast and convenient public charging — and also want to do more than sit in the car for the 30 minutes or

OURAY, Colo. — The Telluride has carved successful new paths for Kia since the crossover was launched in 2019. The large ute draws a steady wave of new, younger and more affluent buyers to the brand. Average transaction prices have hovered above sticker since it went on sale. It was the fifth-bestselling large crossover in

Jaguar’s metamorphosis into an ultraluxury brand is underway. The change starts with creating a more upscale perception of the iconic British luxury brand in consumers’ minds. The undertaking began Aug. 8 with a new marketing campaign that features ads and videos for upscale magazines. The lifestyle ads aim to position Jaguar as the pinnacle of

When the U.S. Open begins on Aug. 29, the grand slam tennis tournament will have a new automotive sponsor. Cadillac has inked a multiyear deal with the U.S. Tennis Association, with plans to use the New York City event to plug its electric vehicle ambitions, including its Lyriq EV model. The General Motors brand replaces

Conventional wisdom holds that it’s a scary time to be in the automotive aftermarket business. The implied message is that you need to transform your business now, or you’ll have missed the runaway EV bonanza forever. But, in reality, the aftermarket industry is on solid ground. It can afford to take its time to make

Late-night comedian and Ford F-150 owner Jimmy Fallon surprised employees who make the F-150 Lightning pickup during a stop in Detroit this month. Fallon joined Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley at a track to test drive the battery-powered pickup and at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center to see it being built and pose for

Here’s a chance to buy a pair of McLarens for under $500. But instead of four wheels, these McLarens ride on a three-piece segmented midsole. The supercar maker has partnered with APL, a high-performance athletic footwear brand, to create a line of shoes called HySpeed. The companies say they used McLaren’s design language and lightweighting

Sonic Automotive Inc.’s fast-growing used vehicle unit EchoPark Automotive has named VaynerMedia as its first agency of record, following a pitch process that began in March. EchoPark, which launched in 2014, said now that it has firmly established its infrastructure and expanded its footprint, the goal is to invest in marketing to build the brand

After working to develop digital retailing at Ford Motor Co., longtime automaker executive Matt VanDyke is now looking to accelerate online sales throughout the broader auto industry. In June, VanDyke left Ford after 14 years, primarily in marketing roles, to become president of Shift Digital. VanDyke, who was CEO of the FordDirect joint venture with

I saw a news release some months ago about a franchised dealership group that created a brand for a digital sales tool it was rolling out for used vehicles. What interested me was the fact that the retailer, Titus-Will Automotive Group, didn’t use its established brand name to go to market with its new online

Van Horn Automotive Group has had a digital retailing presence since before the pandemic began in 2020, with the goal of selling vehicles to consumers entirely online. The group, with 19 dealerships in Wisconsin and Iowa, initially drew on its established brand name and called its offering Van Horn Direct. But the process turned out

Dealership marketing company AutoWeb Inc., after this spring revealing doubts about its ability to continue as a going concern, said Monday it has agreed to be acquired by One Planet Group, a self-described hybrid technology firm led by one of AutoWeb’s founders. One Planet Group will pay AutoWeb shareholders 39 cents per share, according to

To push its new supercharged, off-road F-150 Raptor R, Ford is using a rabid wolf, rattlesnakes, a scorpion, bats and a monster. Those creatures star in a video for the pickup that is meant to look more like a trailer for a horror movie than a truck ad. The two-minute film, called “Scary Fast,” comes

A Chevrolet Silverado is hauling a tiny house with a big porch across six cities this fall in a search for new stories. The 2022 heavy-duty pickup will tow the house across the South for the Moth’s first pop-up porch tour, sponsored by General Motors, as the storytelling nonprofit celebrates its 25th anniversary. During the

With competition increasing, electrification coming and Aston Martin moving into new segments, the British ultraluxury brand is rolling out a new global marketing campaign centered around the words “Intensity. Driven.” And, for just the eighth time in Aston’s 109-year history, the company’s famous winged logo is slated for an update. It’s all part of an