Selling media in a multi-platform world

The vast amount of available information sources has resulted in a more sophisticated set of consumers who actively seek facts
and advice to help them in their purchase decisions. In the Automotive industry we know that complex decisions are required
and consumers spend much time in the evaluation of available products before the purchase is made. According to Schoell and
Guiltinan, “The more money involved relative to one’s disposable income, the greater the perceived psychological risk and the
more information the consumer will seek� (1992). In fact, most automotive sales and marketing professionals know that today’s
consumers come to the dealership more educated and better prepared than consumers of the past. As a result, most automotive
professionals know that in order to maintain their market share they need to provide information to consumers throughout the
various stages of the purchase process.
In recent years, automotive marketers have recognized the importance of communicating with consumers throughout the
decision process. Starting at the upper funnel with ‘intenders’ and ending at the lower end with buyers, marketers are using
different media sources across the purchase funnel to help educate and inform consumers. Figure 1 below highlights the
differences in media usage patterns across the purchase funnel.

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