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University Kia

Hard-Working Staff, Creative Advertising Keep University Kia Atop Alabama Kia Dealer New-Car Sales

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It isn’t uncommon for longtime JKR client University Kia in Huntsville, Alabama to be at the top of local, regional and state sales numbers in terms of new Kia vehicles sold. After all, it’s something they’ve been doing it for years!

July was no exception, as they took first place not only in their district, but for the entire state of Alabama – selling 21 more new Kias than their next-closest competitor. We congratulate them for achieving yet another impressive sales milestone.

Among the many things that separate University Kia from the competition is its exceptionally creative TV ads, which have gained the dealership widespread local acclaim. Managing Partner Arthur Seaton and his son Ajay have become celebrities in our area, to the point where Arthur was featured on the “Tennessee Valley Living” show, which airs on WAFF-TV in Huntsville. The segment was so popular that, three months later, he appeared again on the program.

July’s unique commercials included a “Summer Blockbuster” theme, as well as a shorter “Shockingly Easy Credit” spot.

These unique ads are just one of the ways we keep University Kia connected to the people in the greater Huntsville area. To find out more – and specifically, how JKR Automotive Advertising can help you achieve similar results – give us a call today at (321) 397-0777 or visit www.jkrads.com.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Mechanical,Stopwatch

Key Ingredients of an Automotive Spot, Part II: What’s the Ideal Automotive Spot Length?

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The subject of the ideal automotive spot length should be closely examined before executing a monthly advertising campaign. It is certainly an important factor when predicting and, ultimately, gauging the effectiveness of conveying the intended message to the target audience. Here at JKR Automotive Advertising & Marketing, we’re often asked about this very thing.

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, there are factors to consider when determining the proper duration.

Radio and television spots are generally either 15, 30 or 60 seconds long and, of course, vary in price depending on duration, among other factors. So … should a dealer opt for a longer spot that allows for more information; or should they choose a shorter spot that could perhaps be given more airplay due to the cheaper rate? Let’s discuss!

Pros and Cons of a :15 Spot
One of the unique uses of a 15-second spot is utilizing them as “bookends”. It’s essentially a 30-second spot broken up into a pair of 15-second ads, which helps combat a frequency issue with a dealer whose budget might be smaller than some others. On the negative side, research has shown that the recall abilities of consumers are lower with a :15 spot than that of its longer counterparts.

Pros and Cons of a :30 Spot
For starters, the obvious: A 30-second spot will be less expensive to air and produce than a 60-second spot, and 30 seconds is ample time to get your message across in many instances. In the case of an automobile dealer with co-op guidelines to follow, it may be difficult to get all pertinent information into a spot, add in the elements to make it co-op eligible, and still achieve some degree of creativity.

Pros and Cons of a :60 Spot
Other than price, there really is no downside to a 60-second spot. They provide more room for creativity and storytelling. Advertisers can take their time to develop a narrative, engage viewers emotionally, and captivate their attention for a longer duration. The extra half-minute can be particularly impactful for campaigns with a specific target audience or spots requiring specific co-op terminology to be compliant.

What’s the Answer?
Ultimately, the best length for an automotive spot length – Radio or TV – depends on the specific circumstances, budget and objectives of the advertising campaign. If you’re unsure what’s best for you, give JKR Automotive Advertising a call today at (321) 397-0777 and we’ll help you come to the correct decision.

In our next blog, we’ll continue highlighting the elements that make up a great automotive advertisement. This time, we’ll take a closer look at automobile dealers who choose to be the spokespeople for their stores.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

iHeartMedia Honors JKR Advertising at NY Headquarters

iHeartMedia Honors JKR Advertising at NY Headquarters

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Today more than ever, traditional AM/FM radio continues to be a cost-effective advertising option for America’s automobile dealers. Because of this, a tremendous working relationship has developed between iHeartMedia and JKR Advertising & Marketing … leading to the media giant honoring the automotive advertising leader as one of its top partners.

 

Key iHeartMedia executives hosted JKR Partners Jeff Johnson, Richard Brauns, Kevin Baumann and Jon Albert in New York this past week, recognizing them for their work.

 

“It was amazing to hear JKR’s partners talk about why they love radio, how they see the evolution of radio over the past several years and why they continue to recommend it,” said Jonathan Faulkner, iHeartMedia Senior Vice President of Digital. “They understand that broadcast radio drives consideration and awareness.”

 

The wide-reaching scope of iHeart (it owns more than 850 stations nationwide), along with radio’s ability to affordably target large numbers of specific listeners multiple times, make iHeartRadio a valuable advertising tool for JKR’s clients. In fact, it is so effective that JKR ranked second in Tier III (local/dealer) automotive agency in the United States for iHeartRadio advertising placement.

 

“It was very interesting to see the impressive research the iHeart executives prepared for us,” Johnson said. “We were able to see how JKR compared to other agencies, not only in terms of media billing but also how remarkable our schedules were in causing a significant lift in our clients’ Web traffic.”

 

In addition to Faulkner, JKR met with John Mackenzie, Divisional Vice President of Automotive, Midwest and Southeast; Joie Davis, Vice President of Automotive, North Florida; Cameron Brown, Division Vice President – Digital Sales; and Nancy Andreatas, Senior Account Manager.

 

JKR Automotive Advertising: The car dealer ad agency.

Parody Ad Nets JKR Advertising & Marketing 2019 Telly Award

Parody Ad Nets JKR Advertising & Marketing 2019 Telly Award

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JKR Advertising & Marketing has won a 2019 Telly Award in the Local TV & Local Cable category for its parody advertisement “Painting with Rob”. The ad was exceptionally popular with JKR’s clients, airing in numerous media markets throughout the country. This is the fourth consecutive year the agency has won a Telly Award.

 

The 30-second spot, which debuted last October, features actor Rob Iberg dressed as everyone’s favorite television artist – including the signature hairstyle – painting the happiest automobile dealership in the land. The ad took home top honors in the “Craft – Use of Humor” category.

 

“While the chief objective of everything we do is helping our clients sell cars through our advertising, it’s also tremendously rewarding to have our work recognized by some of the finest peers in our profession,” said JKR Production Director Joe Minuni.

 

In addition to Minuni, JKR creative and production team members include Christina Arnold, Kevin Glennon, Jason Hussey, Rowe Jones, Jared Maurer, LaQuontric Mcghee, Jennifer Pavlak, Abie Silva, Jamie Smith and John Weis.

 

The Telly Awards were founded in 1979 to honor excellence and support creativity in local, regional and cable TV commercials. The Telly is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders nationwide, from large international firms to local production companies and advertising agencies. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council – an industry body of over 200 leading experts from advertising agencies, production companies and major television networks.

 

JKR Automotive Advertising: The car dealer ad agency.

Congrats to Jen Pavlak, JKR’s First 20-Year Employee

Congrats to Jen Pavlak, JKR’s First 20-Year Employee

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Jen Pavlak with JKR Partners (from left): Jeff Johnson, Kevin Baumann and Richard Brauns.

In 1999, Jen Pavlak was working in the mortgage industry but was looking for a change. “It was a decent enough job but I just didn’t enjoy it,” she said. “It was all paperwork so my interaction with people was minimal … not my idea of fun.”

 

Through a friend, she heard about a job opening at an up-and-coming Central Florida advertising agency. “I thought that might be interesting because I had always wanted to do PR-related work,” she said. We feel fairly confident in saying she wasn’t thinking about becoming JKR’s first-ever 20-year employee that day.

 

Upon her initial arrival, she realized the agency’s office atmosphere was not your typical work environment. “The person who interviewed me was dressed very casually and there was a dog asleep in a corner of one of the offices,” Jen recalls. “Though it was a little out of the norm, I was pretty certain I could fit in … so I was very excited when I received the job offer.”

 

She started out as a Traffic Coordinator Assistant but quickly moved up to Media Coordinator. “It was pretty much sink or swim,” she says. “You also have to remember that things were done a little differently back then. E-mail wasn’t yet a big thing, so much of the job was done by sending and receiving faxes. I had to learn a lot in a very short period of time. I asked a lot of questions to get the answers I needed … and there were a lot of late nights. But I didn’t mind because it was much more fun than pushing papers at the mortgage company!”

 

Promoted to Account Executive in 2001, she became part of the team spearheaded by Richard Brauns; the dynamic duo is still together today serving their clients, some of whom have been with JKR the entire time. “It’s been a real benefit for me to work with Richard because he understands things from the perspective of a dealer. That knowledge makes him an invaluable resource for me and helps me do my job better,” Jen says.

 

She recalls that when JKR first made its move to the Downtown Orlando offices they occupied until 2016, the recession was in full force. “We did everything we could behind the scenes to minimize the effect on our clients,” she said. “Most of them stayed with us and we even picked up some new ones – and as a result we made it through the difficult times in much better shape than a lot of people. Then, once the recession was over, it was back to business as usual and we’ve grown into the automotive advertising giant we are today.”

 

What has Jen learned over the years? “This isn’t like any other industry,” she said. “In most jobs there’s a learning curve when you first start out … but in this job it never stops. I’m constantly looking for classes to take on my own time so I can do the best job I possibly can for my clients. And as the landscape of automotive advertising changes in the future, we have to be ready to change along with it so JKR remains cutting-edge.”

 

Jen lives in nearby Sanford, where she enjoys the trendy historic downtown area and being part of the local high school booster club with her husband, Jason, and three kids: Austin (21), Alyssa (17) and Jack (12). The family is planning to rescue a Boston terrier in the near future.

 

“I am thankful that the leadership of JKR took a chance on me; I truly appreciate their faith and trust; and that they have shown me the same loyalty over these many years that I’ve shown them,” she concluded.

 

Please join all of us at JKR in congratulating Jen for 20 years of outstanding dedication and enthusiasm for her job and our agency. We look forward to the future with her as an integral part of our continued success.

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