1. ™
Ranking the digital competence
of automobile brands
SCOTT GALLOWAY
NYU STERN JANUARY 2010
© L2 2010
1

2. January 29, 2010
NYU Stern
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AGENDA: underpinnings of social media programs in the
8:15 REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST prestige industry in L2’s one-day, intensive
9:00 MODULE 1: clinic for executives and managers:
THE BIG PICTURE
10:30 (break) • The Shift
11:00 MODULE 2: (Why this demands a new culture
PLATFORMS & TECHNOLOGY and way of viewing marketing)
12:30 (Lunch)
1:45 MODULE 3: • The Tools: Facebook, Twitter, SEO, Blogs
BEST PRACTICES (How they work—independently and together)
3:30 (Vosges chocolate tasting)
• Measuring Success
4:00 MODULE 4:
PRESTIGE CASE STUDIES (From followers and friends to financial
5:15 (Snooth wine & cheese tasting) and non-financial impact)
• Best Practices & Case Studies
(What prestige brands are doing well and why)
FACULTY
SCOTT GALLOWAY TOM PHILLIPS FABIO FREYRE
Founder | L2 (LuxuryLab) CEO | Media6 RVP | Facebook
Clinical Associate Professor of DAVID TOKHEIM OREN MICHAELS
Marketing | NYU Stern GM & EVP | Six Apart Media Blogs CEO | Mashery
ERIK QUALMAN CARNET WILLIAMS MAUREEN MULLEN
Author | Socialnomics CEO | Sprout Lead Researcher | L2 (LuxuryLab)
AUREN HOFFMAN GREG SHOVE New speakers are being confirmed daily.
CEO | Rapleaf CEO | Halogen Visit socialgraph.eventbrite.com for updates.
2

3. I. INTRODUCTION .......................................... 5
II. METHODOLOGY .......................................... 6
III. RESULTS the rankings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
IV. DISCOVERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
V. FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
VI. TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
VII. OBSERVATIONS by brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
VALUE BRANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Scion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Nissan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
GMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Smart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Mitsubishi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Pontiac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Suzuki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
© L2 2010 3

4. PREMIUM ENTRY LEVEL BRANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Jeep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Mini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Chrysler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Mercury . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
PREMIUM BRANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Volvo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Infiniti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Acura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Buick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Saab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Lincoln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Hummer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
LUXURY BRANDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Audi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Lexus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Porsche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Cadillac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Jaguar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Land Rover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Tesla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Lotus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
ULTRA-LUXURY BRANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Ferrari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Bentley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Aston Martin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Maserati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Rolls-Royce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Lamborghini. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
© L2 2010 4

5. INTRODUCTION
No One Is Immune much less endure the industry’s weapon of choice,
the commercial. The German brands, Audi, BMW, and
Although no industry is immune to the economic crisis,
Mercedes, have been especially deft on the Web: taking
the auto sector has been especially hard hit. The fact
risks, innovating, and outselling languid competitors
that recessions always end is cold comfort for many
with a strategy that couples a stronger digital footprint
auto companies because economic downturns can
and fewer dealerships.
catalyze a reconfiguration of consumer preferences.
Most were caught flat-footed and are finding that doing
what they’ve always done will no longer get them what
L2 Digital IQ = Shareholder Value
they’ve traditionally gotten. American automakers may
be experiencing the greatest pain under the harsh light Our thesis is that digital aptitude will be the defining
of the recession. Archaic management practices, labor competence that separates winners from losers in the
constraints, slow innovation cycles, and uninspired industry. Key to managing and developing competence
marketing have caused them to cede share to more deft is an actionable metric. This study attempts to quan-
foreign competitors. However, with new-vehicle sales tify the U.S. digital competence of the world’s top 44
down 21 percent year-on-year, everyone has reason to automobile brands and rank them by Digital IQ. Our aim
worry. Even mighty Toyota is experiencing pain. Much is to provide a robust tool to diagnose digital strengths
of the industry has matched the reliability of its cars, and weaknesses and help automakers achieve greater
rendering Toyota models just, well, boring. return on incremental investment. Most exciting, the
data from our study demonstrates a significant correla-
tion between Digital IQ and year-on year-sales revealing
A Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste what may be a forward-looking indicator of sales by
brand for the industry.
Hard times breed innovation and opportunity. In the
auto industry this means disparate wagers on hybrids,
electric cars, and changes to the supply chain. One
Similar to the medium we are assessing, our methodol-
area of innovation nearly all auto companies are em-
ogy is dynamic, and we hope you will reach out to us
bracing is digital. There is fruit to be reaped, but a long
with comments that improve our approach, investigation
road ahead. Most auto sites rely on standard navigation
and findings. You can reach me at scott@stern.nyu.edu.
architecture and sales funnels riddled with roadblocks,
especially in the pass-off from parent site to dealership.
Digital marketing efforts are often a tail-wags-dog pro-
cess as decreasingly effective broadcast media strate-
gies reign supreme in the board rooms filled with old
men who watch TV in real time and have never been on Scott Galloway
Facebook. Some automakers, however, recognize that Clinical Associate Professor, NYU Stern
tomorrow’s buyer doesn’t visit dealerships on weekends Founder, L2 (LuxuryLab)
© L2 2010 INTRODUCTION 5

6. METHODOLOGY
PLATFORM - 40%
Website Effectiveness: Half the score reflects • BRAND TRANSLATION
reinforcement of core brand associations and values • Aesthetics
through aesthetics and content. The remaining half is • Messaging & Interactivity
based on technical elements, including use of technol- • TECHNICAL SITE ELEMENTS
ogy, navigability, and the commerce funnel. • Technology Integration
• User Interface/Customer Service
• Configurator
• Dealer Interface
OFF-PLATFORM MESSAGING - 25%
Digital Marketing Efforts: Online advertising, • ONLINE ADVERTISING AND INNOVATION
microsites, mobile initiatives, e-mail marketing, and • MOBILE (Compatibility, Advertising and
Applications)
other messaging.
• E-MAIL MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA - 20%
Social Media Presence: Following, content, and influ- • FACEBOOK
ence on major social media platforms, as well as buzz • TWITTER
on blogs and other 2.0 forums. • YOUTUBE
• USER-GENERATED CONTENT
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) - 15%
Visibility: On popular search engines. • TRAFFIC
• KEYWORD VISIBILITY (Organic & Paid Search)
• WEB AUTHORITY
© L2 2010 METHODOLOGY 6

7. RESULTS
The Digital IQ Index ranks brands according to their digital
competence, parsing each into one of five categories:
140+ GENIUS
Digital competence is a competitive advantage for these brands. Their sites are search optimized,
aesthetically engaging, functional, and interactive. They are experimenting and engage users on
the edge of the network through compelling digital and mobile advertising and social media
content. Automaker views the dealership site as integral to the brand Web experience.
110-140 GIFTED
Sites are crawlable, brand enhancing, and strong commerce channels. Brands are typically present
on all major social media channels and have a history of adept multichannel digital campaigns.
90-110 AVERAGE
These brands have functional but predictable sites. Innovation efforts are uninspired and lack
ambition. Boilerplate Web marketing.
70-90 CHALLENGED
These brands poorly integrate the purchase and product experience. Engagement is limited to
Web property, and digital campaigns are an afterthought.
<70 FEEBLE
Brands have largely ignored the digital phenomenon. Sites lack basic functionality and navigability,
and brands disregard online advertising and social media.
© L2 2010 RESULTS: the rankings 7

8. AUTOMOBILE BRANDS RANKED BY DIGITAL IQ SCORE
Overall Category
Brand Price Point Category Overall IQ Class Description
Rank Rank
1 Audi Luxury 1 157 Genius Digital Einstein maintains consistent brand messaging across
every online channel
2 BMW Luxury 2 142 Genius Great social media, commerce-orientation, and microsite
branding
3 Mercedes-Benz Luxury 3 140 Genius Mbrace mobile platform is among the most innovative
4 Volkswagen Premium Entry-Level 1 138 Gifted Unique dealer-centric site architecture and strong social media
following
5 Ford Value 1 133 Gifted Best-in-class configurator interfaces seamlessly with dealer
inventory; tremendous social media efforts
5 Scion Value 1 133 Gifted Poster-child Gen Y brand understands online innovation
7 Toyota Value 3 132 Gifted Site traffic and innovative social media help brand overcome
poor site aesthetics
8 Ferrari Ultra-Luxury 1 128 Gifted Ultra-Luxury's champion; great interactive site content and
community-building
8 Jeep Premium Entry-Level 2 128 Gifted Pulls ahead of Chrysler cohorts with spirited messaging and
interactivity
8 Lexus Luxury 4 128 Gifted Top-notch customer service and exceptional online branding for
hybrid launch
8 Mini Premium Entry-Level 2 128 Gifted Among the most playful on the Web; site delights
12 Nissan Value 4 127 Gifted Standard issue across the board, but delivers on commerce-
orientation
13 Chevrolet Premium Entry-Level 4 124 Gifted Leads in SEO, great traffic and visibility, but where is the brand
heritage?
14 Porsche Luxury 5 119 Gifted Passion for brand translates to greatest Facebook fan following
15 Cadillac Luxury 6 117 Gifted Generic GM configurator and off-site after-sales service hurt this
luxury player
15 Honda Value 5 117 Gifted Social media maven: ‘Everyone Knows Someone Who Loves a
Honda' campaign is inspired and fun
15 Volvo Premium 1 117 Gifted Twilight promotions have boosted social media efforts and
online brand buzz
18 Mazda Value 6 109 Average Seamless incorporation of dealer sites; actually socializes on
social media sites
18 Infiniti Premium 2 109 Average Brand seal of approval endorses dealers demonstrating top
online service
20 Acura Premium 3 108 Average Functional and clean presentation but lacks innovation
20 Buick Premium 3 108 Average Best brand translation among GM divisions. Used Twitter
feedback to reexamine SUV launch.
22 Chrysler Premium Entry-Level 5 101 Average Chrysler brands leverage standard, purchase-oriented site
template
23 Dodge Premium Entry-Level 6 100 Average Comes in just behind sister brand Chrysler. Surprising?
Probably not.
23 Kia Value 7 100 Average Momentum microsite and social media campaign generate
significant traffic
25 Hyundai Value 8 94 Average Great traffic and SEO, but site lacks commerce orientation
essential to value positioning
26 Jaguar Luxury 7 93 Average Site navigation is feeble, but points for strong social media and
mobile advertising
27 Land Rover Luxury 8 92 Average Strong site, but anemic social media following
28 Subaru Premium Entry-Level 7 92 Average My Subaru owner testimonials provide authentic customer voice
on site
29 GMC Value 9 91 Average Site is GM standard-issue, but brand lags behind siblings in
social media presence
29 Saab Premium 5 91 Average Struggling brand also fails to translate on the Web; Change
Perspectives microsite is a bright spot
© L2 2010 RESULTS: the rankings 8

9. Overall Category
Brand Price Point Category Overall IQ Class Description
Rank Rank
Takes leaps with social networking site, but fails to deliver on
31 Smart Value 10 81 Challenged the easy stuff
Another luxury brand damaged by parent: Web aesthetics don’t
32 Lincoln Premium 6 80 Challenged deliver on brand promise
33 Mitsubishi Value 11 76 Challenged Social media is a lifesaver for otherwise drowning Mitsubishi
34 Mercury Premium Entry-Level 8 75 Challenged Minimal social media presence damages this Ford brand's IQ
35 Bentley Ultra-Luxury 2 72 Challenged Stunning site, but invisible on the edge of the network
36 Hummer Premium 7 71 Challenged Add poor digital aptitude to the growing list of brand afflictions
GM's dying brand suffers from limited Web resources and poor
37 Pontiac Value 12 71 Challenged branding
Configurator may be the worst out there, requires 10 minutes to
38 Aston Martin Ultra-Luxury 3 66 Feeble install software plug-in
User-generated content is highlight on site, but brand gets
39 Maserati Ultra-Luxury 4 65 Feeble dinged for poor traffic and SEO
40 Rolls-Royce Ultra-Luxury 5 63 Feeble Gorgeous site; not much else
42 Suzuki Value 13 55 Feeble Site disappoints; brand has largely ignored social media
Auto's newest entrant gets good traffic, however Investor-
41 Tesla Luxury 9 55 Feeble oriented site is text heavy and lacks product focus
Poorly organized, haphazard site hinders a brand built on design
43 Lotus Luxury 10 43 Feeble aesthetic
Site is a navigational nightmare, takes four mouse clicks to see
44 Lamborghini Ultra-Luxury 6 31 Feeble a Lamborghini
CATEGORY SAVANTS: DIGITAL IQ AWARDS BY PRICE POINT
In addition to overall IQ rankings, some brands deserve recognition for leading digital efforts in their competitive category.
Category Overall
Price Point Category Brand Digital IQ
Rank Rank
Value Ford 133 1 5
Value Scion 133 1 5
Premium Entry-Level Volkswagen 138 1 4
Premium Entry-Level Jeep 128 2 8
Premium Entry-Level Mini 128 2 8
Luxury Audi 158 1 1
Luxury BMW 142 2 2
Ultra-Luxury Ferrari 128 1 8
© L2 2010 RESULTS: the rankings 9

10. DISCOVERIES
Digital IQ = Higher Sales
RUSS WINER
Data shows that Digital IQ has a .48 correlation Marketing Department Chairman
to 2009 new-vehicle sales growth. Brands with NYU Stern
high Digital IQs have better weathered difficult mar-
“A preliminary analysis of the
ket conditions. On average, brands ranked “Gifted”
and above demonstrate a six percentage-point ad- relationship between Digital IQ
vantage in new-vehicle sales growth versus brands and year-to-year change in sales across the
ranked “Average” and below. Brands categorized 44 brands shows the significant and positive
as “Challenged” or “Feeble” saw sales declines 12 impact of Digital IQ. A 10-point increase in
percent greater than average. Digital IQ equates to a 3 percent increase in sales
for the 44 brands.”
DIGITAL IQ & 2009 NEW-VEHICLE SALES GROWTH
2009 NEW-VEHICLE SALES GROWTH
DIGITAL IQ
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES 10

11. Digital Tipping Point Mighty Microsites
New-vehicle sales have declined 21 percent1; More than half of automakers use microsites to
however, traffic to U.S. branded auto sites has supplement brand-level advertising campaigns,
increased 46 percent. Although the core business augment new vehicle launches, or house online
of automakers is declining, the importance of online promotions. Many of these microsites generate up
efforts is increasing, suggesting a fundamental shift to 45 percent of upstream referral traffic directly from
in the way consumers interact with brands. social media platforms, highlighting the important—
and growing—role of these platforms.
1 MotorIntelligence: U.S. Light Vehicle Retail Sales, December
2009
SITE TRAFFIC GROWTH vs. 2009 NEW VEHICLE SALES
by Auto Conglomerate
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Social Media Explosion German Giants
Most brands are present on major social media The top four brands and all three “Geniuses”
platforms. From October to November 2009, brand are headquartered in Germany. These brands—
fans, followers, and subscribers on Facebook, Twitter, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen—
and YouTube grew 71, 69, and 17 percent, respec- understand the importance of multi-channel digital
tively. Captive audience growth is astounding, but marketing and have made remarkable innovation
auto brands largely underutilize social media. Only leaps online without compromising commerce-orien-
30 percent of the brands on Twitter retweet or con- tation or brand promise.
verse with users, and many automakers restrict their
Facebook wall to brand posts, outing their misunder-
standing of social media’s underpinnings.
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES 11

12. American Ingenuity (Lack of) tomer service tools, and, in some cases, shared
social media across brands. Although standardized
Of the 14 American brands evaluated, only two, sites score points for user-friendliness and com-
Ford and Jeep, scored in the top 10. U.S. brands merce-orientation, digital homogeneity also results in
were penalized for leveraging economies of scale to massive brand erosion.
a fault. The Big Three—GM, Ford and Chrysler—all
deploy a corporate site template, consolidated cus-
SIMILARITY ACROSS GM PLATFORMS
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES 12

13. FINDINGS
Platform
A brand’s site serves as the foundation of its digital pres-
ence. Automaker sites must balance the demands of QUICK STATS:
enhancing brand and motivating purchases.
Automobile Configurators:
Among brands there is considerable standardization • 93% of brand sites feature an automobile configurator.
across user interface and navigation platforms. In par- Lamborghini, Tesla, and Rolls-Royce are the only brands
without a build-your-own feature.
ticular, American automakers General Motors and Ford
utilize the same navigation template across each of their • Only 61% of configurators capture a customer’s prefer-
ences and can forward them to a dealership or another
brands’ sites. In some cases, economies of scale pay
purchase channel.
dividends, notably Ford’s configurator with its dynamic lo-
cal inventory display, and GM’s e-chat customer service. Brand Consistency:
But homogeneity across platforms can also be damag- • Approximately half of brands maintain a consistent look,
ing, eliciting the question consumers have been asking feel and site architecture across dealership sites.
for a while: “Is a Cadillac merely a blinged-up Chevy?”
Comparison Shopping:
• 59% of brand sites incorporate a feature to compare their
models with those of key competitors (typically powered
by Polk or Chrome).
EXTERNAL CONTENT on Branded Auto Sites
User-Generated & Externally Created Content:
• Only 18% of sites incorporate user reviews or user-
No External Content 36% generated content.
• 46% of sites include external awards, accolades, and
reviews from organizations including J.D. Power and
External Awards, Accolades, & Reviews 46% Associates and Kelley Blue Book.
• 36% of sites exclude externally-created content.
User-Generated
Content 18%
Navigation:
0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% • 36% of sites require at least one additional click from
the landing page to reach the home page.
© L2 2010 FINDINGS 13

14. BUILDING BRAND vs. COORDINATING PURCHASE
Where Select Brands Fall
Purchase Power Balancing Demands
COMMERCE ORIENTATION
Falling Flat Beautiful Brochure-ware
BRAND TRANSLATION
© L2 2010 FINDINGS 14

15. Off-Platform Messaging
Automotive advertising spending was down 31 percent
year-on-year in the first half of 2009, and almost every QUICK STATS:
brand has fewer marketing dollars. Constricted budgets
Mobile:
have a dichotomous effect. Some automakers have scaled
• 41% of auto brands have dedicated mobile sites.
back new media spending to preserve their traditional
• An additional 36% of brands have sites that load on a
advertising presence. Other brands have turned to the Web
mobile phone but do not offer enhanced mobile
seeking cheaper earned media. functionality.
A feature common to integrated digital campaigns is a • 23% of brand sites do not load on a mobile device.
dedicated microsite. Microsite content ranges from the • 36% of auto brands have created a brand-sponsored
brand-building, artistic videos on BMW’s “Expression of iPhone application. (Included in this count are the seven
Joy” to the specialized configurator and commercial on the current and former GM brands that are included in the
Kia Soul site. Although intent varies throughout microsites, “GM Mobile” iPhone app).
patterns emerge. First, microsites that feature contests or • Many dealerships maintain independent iPhone apps,
giveaways tend to attract the most traffic. Second, the top which are typically focused on inventory and promotions.
upstream referral sites are often social media platforms.
E-mail:
In some cases, more than 40 percent of microsite traffic
• 84% of brands offer e-mail list subscriptions on their site.
came directly from Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.
• Of the brands with opt-in e-mail lists, only 40% encour-
Other components of off-platform messaging are mobile age users to input demographic information when
compatibility and messaging, digital advertising, and e-mail. signing up.
RSS:
MOBILE COMPATIBILITY • 25% of sites offer RSS feed subscriptions; feeds are
of Branded Auto Sites typically plagued by small subscription bases.
Microsites:
Site Fails to Load 23% • 53% of brands use a microsite or minisite with a dedi-
cated URL to highlight innovative content, new vehicle
Site Loads on Smart Phone 32% launches, current marketing campaigns, and promotion
activity.
Dedicated Mobile Site 41%
0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
UPSTREAM TRAFFIC: Selected Microsites
Brand Microsite % of % of % of
Referral Referral Referral
#1 Traffic #2 Traffic #2 Traffic
Cadillac CTVS Challenge google.com 26.31% jalopnik.com 21.14% facebook.com 10.51%
Ford The Ford Story fordvehicles.com 19.13% facebook.com 17.58% ford.com 12.54%
Kia Kia Soul Collective twitter.com 20.76% myspace.com 11.84% facebook.com 8.34%
Scion Scion A/V scion.com 33.33% facebook.com 27.38% google.com 22.22%
Volkswagen The Fun Theory youtube.com 25.08% facebook.com 19.72% google.com 15.47%
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 15

16. Social Media
Fans, followers, and subscribers are flocking to brand-affiliated accounts on social media platforms. In addition,
“unofficial” social media accounts and independent 2.0 sites continue to be popular forums for consumers to
research, discuss, and voice concerns about auto brands. To effectively use this fast-growing medium, brands need
to listen to users and experiment with ways to communicate effectively.
Facebook: QUICK STATS:
The world’s most popular social networking site has significant traction in the
auto industry. Iconic luxury brands Ferrari and Porsche boast top fan counts, Facebook:
and mainstream brands, including Volkswagen, Honda, Toyota, and Ford, • 73% of brands maintain at least one
Facebook page.
have generated significant followings by offering authentic, innovative content.
• Branded auto Facebook pages
Many brands have developed posted average monthly fan
interactive applications, for example growth of 71% from October to
VW’s popular “Meet the Volkswa- November 2009.
gens” app, which analyzes a user’s
profile and determines what model
they resemble.
However, as Facebook has become
less application-friendly, automak-
ers have found alternative ways to
interact with fans.
In early December 2009, Audi and Infiniti gave fans a sneak peek
of new model launches with live video feeds. Audi also used the
platform to solicit user input for the design of its new concept car.
Value manufacturers, Ford and Honda use the forum as an additional
branded platform to display vehicles and connect advocates.
FACEBOOK FAN COUNT: Top 15 Brands
800,000
700,000
600,000
FACEBOOK FANS
500,000
400,000
300,000
200,000
100,000
0 i
rar e W di gen nda p rt in enz ac uar ota ati d us
Fer sch BM Au wa Ho Jee Ma sB dill Jag Toy ser For Lex
Por lks ton ede Ca Ma
Vo As rc
Me
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 16

17. YouTube:
YouTube has tremendous popularity in the auto industry
and is a significant source of upstream and downstream
traffic from brand sites. Brands use the platform to
showcase celebrated TV ads, behind-the-scenes racing
footage, design features, and user-generated videos.
Brand-building viral videos such as Volkswagen’s
“The Fun Theory” have received more than one million
views. As with Facebook, successful brands, such as
Ferrari, use YouTube as an additional branded platform
and customize channels with brand look and feel,
provide links to microsites, and interface with other
social media channels.
QUICK STATS:
YouTube:
• 70% of brands have a YouTube channel.
• The average branded YouTube channel has 94 videos.
YOUTUBE SUBSCRIPTION BASE: Top 15 Brands
14,000
12,000
SUBSCRIBERS
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0 i i
rar nda W e z
For
d vo sle
r p
Min
c di ota dge u
Fer Ho BM sch Ben Vol ry Jee dill
a Au Toy Do bar
Por des Ch Ca Su
rce
Me
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 17

18. Twitter:
Although 68 percent of auto brands maintain a Twitter account, only 30 per-
QUICK STATS:
cent engage Twitter users in conversation. At a basic level, Twitter is both a
customer service tool and a means to monitor and respond to user feedback. Twitter:
Non-brand affiliate, Dan Vaden Automotive, has amassed thousands of fol- • 60% of brands have a Twitter
lowers with more than 20 brand accounts, including VWWarranty and Buick- account, but only 30% of those
Warranty, that retweet owner complaints and service issues. brands retweet and converse with
users.
• Branded tweeters average 15
tweets per week.
• Branded auto Twitter accounts
posted average monthly follower
growth of 69% from October to
November 2009.
Twitter is also personality-driven.
Celebrities are the rage and can
quickly acquire hundreds of thou-
sands of followers, but brands
don’t need to employ Paris Hilton
to amass a following. In general,
Twitter handles that identify who’s
tweeting—even a brand PR rep—get
better traction than news feeds.
Honda’s “Alicia_at_Honda” account,
which features a communications
supervisor tweeting about Honda
news and online media, has gar-
nered six times more than the follow-
ers as the generic “Honda” account
with PR feeds. Chrysler and GM also
identify individuals who tweet on the
brand’s behalf.
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 18

19. BEST IN TWEET: Automobile Brands With the Most Twitter Followers
Tweet # of Avg. Tweets per
Brand Twitter Account Observations
Rank Followers Week
News and conversation about the Ford brand, fed into
1 Ford Ford 18,910 52.3 myfordstory.com site
Interactive tweeting featuring celebrity content (Ian Ziering, Chevy fuel
2 GM GMblogs 11,594 NA cell owner) and retweets from users and other GM twitterers
All links to Toyota and no conversations to all Toyota-manufactured
3 Toyota Toyota 11,390 15 (Lexus, Scion, etc.) content
Alicia Jones, communications supervisor at Honda, tweets about the
4 Honda Alicia_at_Honda 6,001 NA brand and digital media
Tweets about Ford’s commitment to sustainability and fuel-efficient,
5 Ford FordDriveGreen 5,269 2.3 affordable vehicles
6 Ford FordFiesta 5,130 18.8 Feeds Fiesta agent tweets about missions
7 Scion scion 3,587 4.5 Links to Scion news/lifestyle posts
Ed Garsten and Scott Anderson present official Chrysler Twitter page—
8 Chrysler Chrysler 3,327 17.8 news, links to brand social media, retweets, and conversation
Conversational content from Christopher Barger, director of GM Global
9 GM cbarger 2,971 54.3 Social Media
BEST IN TWEET: Top Non-Affiliated Twitter Accounts
# of
Twitter Account Observations
Followers
NewJerseyNissan 16,848 Tweets about inventory, offers and promotions
Richmond, Virginia, Ford dealership tweets news, offers, events, sponsorships,
richmondford 9,005 and information on dealership social media activity
BMWSauberF1Team 8,770 Official team tweets; also significant following (4,134) for BMWNewz
My_Ferrari 5,822 A man in Salt Lake City tweets to solicit donations to help him buy a Ferrari
LosAngelesHonda 5,408 Los Angeles Honda dealership tweets about Honda news and links
ToyotaFanClub 2,602 Links to Toyota content
vovloofthetriad 2,257 North Carolina Volvo dealer tweets links to brand news and features
landyzone 2,183 Land Rover news, links, conversation from independent blog landyzone.co.uk
barnabemazda 2,120 Quebec Mazda dealership tweets inventory
HyundaiAtlanta 2,077 Conyers, Georgia, dealership tweets about Hyundai news
89c4 2,047 Tweets from writer of Kansas City-based 89c4 blog by a driver of an ‘89 Porsche
Bentley_cars 1,874 Specializing in Bentley car hire
Dan Vaden Automotive scours Web for VW-related links reposts with warranty, recalls,
VWWarranty 1,854 and news
jeepWorld 1,698 E-commerce merchant of Jeep accessories; tweets Jeep news
lexusnews 1,623 News links, and press on Lexus from independent blog lexusenthusiast.com
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 19

20. Search Engine Optimization FINDINGS
Auto search campaigns must balance the competing
QUICK STATS:
demands of directing search traffic to the brand and
dealership sites. Well-performing automakers develop Traffic:
strategies that send consumers to the appropriate site • Although 2009 new-vehicle U.S. sales are down 21%,
according to their stage in the purchase cycle. traffic to auto brand sites has increased 46% year-on-year.
Search-optimized sites focus on broad search terms to Paid Search:
capture generic brand and model searches common • Approximately 65% of auto brands are using Google
early in the purchase cycle. Brands must also coordinate paid search to direct traffic to their sites, and 56% of
SEO efforts with dealership sites for more specific long- use Bing.
tail searches as consumers move down path toward Inbound Links:
purchase and search with finer criteria. Strong online • Branded auto sites boast an average of approximately
inventory management systems on dealership sites are 1,700 inbound links.
essential to support long-tail search traffic. Page Rank:
As a result of tremendous growth on Facebook, YouTube, • Google page rank of U.S. auto sites averages 6.4.
and Twitter, SEO strategies are becoming increasingly Upstream Referrals:
important in directing search traffic. These sites were • Facebook, YouTube, and other social networking sites
among the top five referral sites for 73 percent of brands. are among the top five upstream referral sites for 73%
of automobile brands.
COMPARATIVE U.S. TRAFFIC: Top 15 Brands
ota t an nda d dge Kia n ai zda us u ura di
Toy role Nis
s
Ho For Do age und Ma Lex bar Ac BM
W Au
hev sw Hy Su
C Volk
© L2 2010 DISCOVERIES: key findings 20

21. TEAM
SCOTT GALLOWAY academics. Maureen has a BA in human biology from
Author, Digital IQ Index and Stanford University and an MBA from NYU Stern.
Founder, L2 (LuxuryLab)
Scott is the founder of L2, a think tank for prestige KATHRYN DURYEA
brands, and Clinical Associate Professor at the NYU Lead Researcher
Stern School of Business, where he teaches brand
Kathryn’s work experience spans the government, think
strategy and luxury marketing. Scott is also the founder
tank, and e-commerce sectors. She began her career in
of Firebrand Partners, an operational activist firm that
Washington, D.C., first in then Vice President Cheney’s
has invested more than $1 billion in U.S. consumer and
office in the White House and in Lynne Cheney’s office
media companies. In 1997, he founded Red Envelope,
at the American Enterprise Institute, where she man-
an Internet-based branded consumer gift retailer (2007,
aged publishing, communications, and philanthropic
$100mm revs.). In 1992, Scott founded Prophet, a
projects. She gained experience in e-commerce and on-
brand strategy consultancy with more than 100 profes-
line marketing at Bare Escentuals, Inc. Kathryn received
sionals in the United States, Europe and Asia. Scott
a BS in foreign service from Georgetown University and
was elected to the World Economic Forum’s “Global
an MBA from Stanford University.
Leaders of Tomorrow,” which recognizes 100 individuals
under the age of 40 “whose accomplishments have had
an impact on a global level.” CHRISTINE PATTON
Creative Director
Scott serves on the boards of directors of Eddie Bauer
Christine is a brand and marketing consultant with more
(Nasdaq: EBHI), The New York Times Company (NYSE:
than 15 years of experience creating brand identities
NYT), eco-America, and Berkeley’s Haas School of
and marketing communications for aspirational and
Business. He received a BA from UCLA and an MBA
luxury brands. She began her career at Cosí, where
from UC Berkeley.
she developed the brand and oversaw its evolution
from concept through growth to 100 restaurants. Since
MAUREEN MULLEN then her work has included creative direction for a wide
Lead Researcher array of clients, including the launch of Kidville and
Maureen began her career at Triage Consulting Group CosmoGIRL! magazine. Most recently, she led Creative
in San Francisco. At Triage, she led several managed- Services at ELLE during the most successful years of
care payment review and payment benchmarking the magazine’s history, developing innovative integrated
projects for hospitals, including UCLA Medical Center, marketing programs for advertisers. Christine received
UCSF, and HCA. She has gone on to lead research and a BA in economics and journalism from the University of
consulting efforts around digital media, private bank- Connecticut and an MBA from NYU Stern.
ing M&A, insurance industry risk management, and
renewable energy economics for professional firms and
© L2 2010 TEAM 21

22. TIMOTHY BRUNS ment, and a research monograph, Pricing, and has
Expert, Brand Translation authored more than 60 papers on a variety of topics
including consumer choice, marketing research meth-
Tim is the Executive Director of Creative at Cheil North
odology, marketing planning, advertising, and pricing.
America. He began his career at Campbell, Mithun,
Russ has served two terms as the editor of the Journal
Esty and then went to Lot21 (Carat) overseeing digital
of Marketing Research, he is the past co-editor of Jour-
accounts, including eBay, Intraware, Seagate, Adobe,
nal of Interactive Marketing, and is currently an Associ-
Pets.com, Palm, Unicast, and Hotwire.com. Since then
ate Editor of the International Journal of Research in
he has led the creative work at Atmosphere BBDO,
Marketing. He is the co-editor of the Review of Market-
TBWA ChiatDay, Avenue A/Razorfish, and most
ing Science, Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Market-
recently Draftfcb. His work spans a diverse group of
ing Research, and Marketing Science.
clients, including Hampton Inn, HP Motorola, MetLife,
,
Jamaica Tourism, Sprint/Nextel, Absolut, Nivea, AOL for
Broadband, Citibank, MSN, and numerous pharmaceu-
ticals brands. Tim has produced award-winning cam-
paigns in television, print, and online, in both B2C and
B2B marketing.
CINDY GALLOP
Expert, Brand Translation
Cindy Gallop is founder and CEO of IfWeRantheWorld,
a crowd-sourced Web platform designed to turn good
intentions into action, which will launch in January 2010.
She also founded MakeLoveNotPorn at TED 2009 and
consults with clients who want to change the game in their
particular sector through radical reinvention and ground-
breaking, innovative, forward-thinking approaches.
From 1989 to 2005, Cindy ran such global accounts as
Coca-Cola, Polaroid, and Ray-Ban for creative network
Bartle Bogle Hegarty. She helped launch and run BBH
Asia Pacific and moved to New York in 1998 to found
BBH US, which began as Cindy in a room with a phone.
Four years later BBH was named Adweek’s Eastern
Agency of the Year. In 2003, Advertising Women of
New York voted Cindy Advertising Woman of the Year.
She is a frequent speaker at conferences such as TED,
ad:tech, and The Next Big Idea and writes for online
publications and magazines.
RUSSELL WINER
Academic Expert, Digital IQ Correlations
Russ is the William H. Joyce Professor of Marketing and
chairman of the Marketing Department at NYU Stern.
He has written three books, Marketing Management,
Analysis for Marketing Planning, and Product Manage-
© L2 2010 TEAM 22

23. VALUE
Price Point Overall Off-Platform Social
Brand Parent Digital IQ IQ Group Platform SEO
Rank Rank Messaging Media
Ford Ford 1 5 133 Gifted 2 5 5 5
Scion Toyota 1 5 133 Gifted 5 5 3 2
Toyota Toyota 3 7 132 Gifted 3 5 5 5
Nissan Nissan 4 12 127 Gifted 3 4 5 5
Honda Honda 5 15 117 Gifted 2 4 5 5
Mazda Mazda 6 18 109 Average 4 4 3 4
Kia Kia 7 23 100 Average 1 5 3 4
Hyundai Hyundai 8 25 94 Average 2 3 3 4
GMC GM 9 29 91 Average 2 2 2 4
Smart Daimler AG 10 31 81 Challenged 2 3 2 1
Mitsubishi Mitsubishi 11 33 76 Challenged 1 1 3 2
Pontiac GM 12 37 71 Challenged 1 2 2 3
Suzuki Suzuki 13 42 55 Feeble 1 2 2 2
Category Average 2.2 3.5 3.3 3.5
Massive site traffic and innovative social media campaigns elevate brands in the value category. Unfortunately, many
sites fail to meet the needs of price-sensitive customers with an effective online purchase funnel. Accolades to Ford
and Nissan for best-in-class configurators that interface dynamically with local dealer inventory.
With the exception of niche luminary Scion, brands in this category struggled with site brand translation. Off-site,
almost all earn at least average marks in digital advertising, social media, and search engine optimization, with sev-
eral brands strong in all three. Ford and Honda are trailblazers in social media with exceptional efforts on Facebook,
YouTube, and Twitter. Ford and Toyota vie for the top-trafficked sites, and Hyundai demonstrated a keen understanding
of a multichannel digital campaign around the Kia Soul.
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS 23

24. ford
Owner: Ford Motor Company
Rank: 5
Digital IQ: 133
Classification: Gifted
The only Detroit automaker to
refuse bailout funds, Ford is also DIGITAL DASHBOARD: Overall Online Performance
the Motor City’s digital beacon.
The Ford Story microsite serves as
social media mission control, inte-
grating messaging from the brand’s
nine Twitter accounts, three YouTube Platform Off-Platform Social Media SEO
Messaging
channels, and seven Facebook
pages.
Comprehensive media campaigns,
such as “Ford Warriors in Pink,”
intended to raise breast cancer
awareness, have users traveling
from Twitter to Facebook to inventive
microsites and back again.
While the brand loses points for site
aesthetics, Ford understands the
bottom line: its sites are designed to
sell cars and make it easy for users
to buy them.
>> FORD IS THE ONLY NON-GERMAN AUTOMAKER RANKED IN THE TOP FIVE. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: ford 24

25. FLASH OF GENIUS
FORD FIESTA MOVEMENT
Ford launched an innovative and wildly successful grassroots social media
campaign around the Ford Fiesta. The company screened thousands of can-
didates and selected 100 young enthusiasts who each received a free Fiesta,
insurance, and gas for six months in exchange for recording their adventures
on sites including YouTube, Flickr and Twitter.
Their efforts attracted more than four million YouTube views, 500,000 Flickr
views, three million Twitter impressions, and 50,000 interested customers,
most of whom were not Ford owners.
>> ACROSS ITS THREE YOUTUBE CHANNELS, FORD POSTED A 50% INCREASE IN SUBSCRIBER GROWTH
FROM OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER 2009. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: ford 25

26. SEO ANALYTICS
1 2 3 4 5
Organic Keywords ford ford motor company ford fusion ford escape ford edge
Upstream Sites ford.com google.com yahoo.com pointroll.com facebook.com
Downstream Sites google.com yahoo.com facebook.com doubleclick.com ford.com
shopwarriorsin- onlinevehicle
Audience Also Visits pink.com ford.com ford-now.com
financing.com
thefordstory.com
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT ON MOBILE
Mobile Score: 4
# of Fans/
Name Ford integrates mobile into the
Followers/ Observations
(Top Followers) marketing mix using barcode-ad
Subscribers
targeting and hyper-local mobile
Centralized Ford page links to other so-
cial media including Web casts, Twitter, SMS campaigns. The “Ford Flex
Facebook Ford 52,376 and Flickr. Other pages focus on specific
models and brand campaigns. Photo Lab” iPhone app allows
users to manipulate photos taken
General news and conversation about
the brand. Ford maintains eight other on their phone and has tallied
Twitter Ford 18,910 Twitter handles including FordDrive
Green, which has over 5,000 followers. significant downloads.
Brand channel is supplemented by
YouTube Ford Motor Company 1,181 “The Ford Story” channel and the “Ford
Mustang” channel.
FEATURED EXPERT:
TIMOTHY BRUNS
Executive Director of Creative | Cheil North America
Aesthetics: 0
Messaging: 1
“This site looks cheap like its cars. Design is clunky.
Content is very basic. Structure is archaic. There is absolutely zero brand
story. If I were to describe an analogy for this experience it would be,
“sticker shock.” Not because of the price, but because of the design. I hon-
estly could not navigate through it because I felt I could download a spec
sheet and price sheet or go into a dealer and get a better experience.”
FEATURED EXPERT:
CINDY GALLOP
Founder & CEO | IfWeRanTheWorld.com
Aesthetics: 0
Messaging: 1
For more about your brand’s
“Archaic. And depressing.”
Digital IQ, CONTACT US.
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: ford 26

27. scion
Owner: Toyota Motor Corporation
Rank: 5
Digital IQ: 133
Classification: Gifted
Toyota’s Scion is a case study
in Gen Y, counterculture market- DIGITAL DASHBOARD: Overall Online Performance
ing and it is no surprise that the
brand understands digital. Its site
is distinctive and bears little resem-
blance to parent, Toyota’s.
Platform Off-Platform Social Media SEO
Recent efforts are on-message and Messaging
brand-enhancing and include the
xPressionism microsite, where users
design custom cars that venture far
beyond factory specs, and the Scion
A/V microsite. As a niche brand,
Scion takes IQ-point hits for poor
site traffic and its weak social media
following.
SPOTLIGHT ON MOBILE
Mobile Score: 4
Mobile is another note in Scion’s
digital repertoire. From hyper-
local SMS campaigns at regional
events to an easy-to-use mobile
site with a prominent call to
action, the brand understands
the medium.
>> IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AUGUST 2009 XD FIVE-DOOR LAUNCH, SCION COMMISSIONED ATTIK AND ARTIST
DAVE CORREIA TO ILLUSTRATE A QUIRKY WEB GAME CALLED LITTLE DEVIANTS. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: scion 27

28. FLASH OF GENIUS
SCION A/V
Scion leverages the brand’s record label, Scion A/V, all
over the Web. The Scion A/V microsite features art, film,
lifestyle, and music content and is one of the top-five
downstream referral sites for scion.com. Site content is
leveraged on the “ScionRadio17” YouTube channel and a
Tumblr blog.
The Scion A/V Facebook page has nearly 5,000 fans—
almost as many as the brand’s page. Subtle branding,
authenticity, and significant user-generated content make
this site a hit.
>> SCION.COM HAS LIVE ONLINE CHAT CAPABILITY AVAILABLE FIVE DAYS A WEEK FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: scion 28

29. SEO ANALYTICS
1 2 3 4 5
Organic Keywords scion scion tc scion xb toyota scion scion cars
Upstream Sites google.com yahoo.com toyota.com youtube.com facebook.com
Downstream Sites google.com yahoo.com facebook.com toyota.com scionav.com
rankingsand
Audience Also Visits kia.com toyota.com
reviews.com
motortrend.com honda.com
SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURED
EXPERT:
CINDY
# of Fans/
Name
Followers/ Observations GALLOP
(Top Followers) Founder & CEO
Subscribers
IfWeRanTheWorld
Unsure if page is official (verbiage reads .com
Facebook Scion 6,689 strangely) but appears to be updating
Aesthetics: 4
content almost daily.
Messaging: 4
Links to Scion news and lifestyle
content. Brand also maintains “Here’s a car brand actively try-
Twitter scion 3,587 xPressionism Twitter account that
leverages microsite content. ing to stand out from the crowd by
Content from Scion A/V record label; virtue of a youthful, characterful
includes 17 channels of radio from DJs,
YouTube ScionRadio17 247 videos from the 2008 Scion Hypeman positioning. I liked the presenta-
contests, and information about
upcoming releases and events. tion of the “shock-and-aw-yeah”
Electric Wasabi XD.
FEATURED EXPERT: Lots of engaging content. Site is
TIMOTHY BRUNS quirky, fun, and radiates attitude.
Executive Director of Creative | Cheil North America
Good use of audio, even if some of
Aesthetics: 5
Messaging: 4 the sound effects became a little
“Finally, a car site that breaks the conventions of Web irritating quite quickly.
design somewhat to offer an interesting interface while still being Nothing too revolutionary about
intuitive. Congrats, Scion! how the site works, but good
When I viewed their external advertising and communications I thought marks for genuine differentia-
to myself, ‘Why does a car that is reasonably priced have to look so tion and a sense of shock, horror,
cheap?’ But when I arrived at the site, I was pleasantly surprised. modernity.”
The various elements of interactivity, combined with sound effects and
animation, kept me engaged and compelled to stay. I also really loved
the fact that the first step of navigation asked me if I was an owner or
browser. Both avenues were compelling, especially the owner section
which connected me to other enthusiasts and events and content related
to Scion and the audience. Nice job! Toyota did a great job of creating a For more about your brand’s
unique identity for Scion.” Digital IQ, CONTACT US.
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: scion 29

30. toyota
Owner: Toyota Motor Corporation
Rank: 7
Digital IQ: 132
Classification: Gifted
Battling Ford for the most-
trafficked site, Toyota’s strong DIGITAL DASHBOARD: Overall Online Performance
SEO and digital advertising give
the brand an IQ boost. Integrated
multichannel campaigns, includ-
ing “Great Time to Sign” and recent
Prius efforts, demonstrate under- Platform Off-Platform Social Media SEO
Messaging
standing of how to use multiple
online channels effectively.
Although aimed at sales conver-
sion, the site’s purchase channel
is weaker than those of rivals Ford
and Chrysler and lacks an inventory-
driven dealer handoff. The brand
benefits from fun, interactive so-
cial media efforts, and its recently
launched Yaris minisite offers users
a virtual test-drive on some of
America’s best-known streets.
SPOTLIGHT ON MOBILE
Mobile Score: 4
Toyota has a strong mobile-
enabled site and innovative
mobile ad campaigns. In October
2009 the brand took over a Times
Square billboard and filled it with
real-time illus-
trations drawn
by users on the
Prius iPhone
app.
>> TOYOTA RECENTLY HANDED OVER THE TITLE OF WORLD’S BIGGEST AUTOMAKER TO VOLKSWAGEN.
THE BRAND ALSO HAS APPROXIMATELY 1/6 THE NUMBER OF FACEBOOK FANS AS THE GERMAN GIANT. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: toyota 30

31. FLASH OF GENIUS
“GREAT TIME TO SIGN” CAMPAIGN
The “Great Time To Sign” campaign targeted New York
Giants football fans with a mobile text message from
quarterback Eli Manning and drove them to the
greattimetosign.com site, which featured video com-
mercial content (also posted on YouTube), links to local
deals, a paper football game, and the opportunity for
users to submit a “victory dance” video. Toyota integrated
its Web efforts with traditional TV placements.
SEO ANALYTICS
1 2 3 4 5
Organic Keywords toyota toyota.com cash for clunkers toyota prius toyota yaris
Upstream Sites google.com yahoo.com facebook.com honda.com msn.com
Downstream Sites google.com yahoo.com tmsbuyatoyota.com facebook.com honda.com
toyotaowners
Audience Also Visits toyozone.com shopatgst.com toyotacertified.com
online.com
N/A
>> TOYOTA LEADS ALL BRANDS IN RSS FEEDS PER DAY (1.8), BUT, LIKE MOST AUTOMAKERS,
LACKS A LARGE SUBSCRIPTION BASE. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: toyota 31

32. SOCIAL MEDIA
# of Fans/
Name
Followers/ Observations
(Top Followers)
Subscribers
Highlight is reviews page where users discuss cars and
experiences; Prius page boasts more than 45,000 fans and
Facebook Toyota 55,439 innovative content including "Random Acts of Prius," an
interactive game.
Twitter Toyota 11,390 Brand tweets links to news and press releases.
Channel includes entertaining user-generated video of dogs
YouTube ToyotaUSA 1,183 reacting to a squeaky noise in a Toyota commercial.
FEATURED EXPERT: FEATURED EXPERT:
TIMOTHY BRUNS CINDY GALLOP
Executive Director of Creative Founder & CEO
Cheil North America IfWeRanTheWorld.com
Aesthetics: 0 Aesthetics: 2
Messaging: 2 Messaging: 2
“Toyota has built its brand on being a dependable, “Toyota puts the third generation Prius right up
trustworthy, and ‘everyday’ car—an approach that front—a good move—but then fails to present and
has been very successful. The brand has continued to leverage it in any creative manner, because once
move forward, carving a niche in the marketplace again this is a site adhering firmly to the template.
with its consistent brand promise and message of
The missed opportunity here lies in the concept
dependability.
vehicles, especially the PM (personal mobility vehicle),
Recently the brand has grown due to innovation and which has the opportunity to engage and present
marketing dollars for the Prius and the environmen- a car brand with some interesting ideas about
tally conscious philosophy of harmony between man, the future.”
nature, and machine. And the marketing is brilliant
and very memorable. Toyota offers somewhat of a
microsite experience with the Prius on the Toyota.com
site; in fact, it’s the main communication and takes up
the largest piece of real estate on the page. However,
once I clicked on it, I expected to see all of the people
dressed as nature elements as in the TV commer-
cials. Or, at the very least, some element of the brand
embodied as uniquely and compellingly as it is in the
advertising. But instead, it was very shallow and non-
experiential.
The main site looked dated, even down to very archaic
icons in the main navigational system, which in my
mind was not ‘moving forward.’”
For more about your brand’s
Digital IQ, CONTACT US.
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: toyota 32

33. nissan
Owner: Nissan Motor Company
Rank: 12
Digital IQ: 127
Classification: Gifted
With its site ranked among the
five most trafficked in the U.S., DIGITAL DASHBOARD: Overall Online Performance
Nissan gets an IQ bump for
strong SEO and a broad reach on
social media. Although the site isn’t
winning any beauty contests, it does
a good job of organizing content, a Platform Off-Platform Social Media SEO
Messaging
challenge when showcasing a wide
array of models.
Unlike brands that encourage the
user to transition from parent to
dealer site and view the move as a
conversion, Nissan aims to keep
users navigating within its parent
site after configuring a vehicle,
requesting a quote, and searching
local inventory
SPOTLIGHT ON MOBILE
Mobile Score: 4
Mobile is frequently a component
of promotional campaigns, and
Nissan tapped into mobile mar-
keting for the launch of the Cube
in 2009 with an iPhone app.
Nissan has a dedicated mobile
site that is product-focused and
easy to navigate.
>> NEWJERSEYNISSAN, A NEW YORK AREA DEALERSHIP HANDLE, TOPS ALL BRANDS IN DEALERSHIP
FOLLOWERS WITH NEARLY 17,000. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: nissan 33

34. FLASH OF GENIUS
SOCIAL MEDIA &
INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
Nissan is using social media for more
than just marketing. The brand’s
internal communication team main-
tains a YouTube channel, NCOM-
VIDEO, which features videos on new
Nissan and Infiniti products as well
as footage from brand events aimed
at providing corporate outreach and
employee education.
The Nissan_Dealers Twitter handle
provides links to brand content for a
community of dealers and has gar-
nered more than 5,000 followers.
>> APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE VISITS TO THE NISSAN SITE ARE FROM “REGULAR” VISITORS. <<
© L2 2010 VALUE BRANDS: nissan 34