Automotive Advertising Glossary

A

• Ad Copy: All spoken words or printed text in an advertisement.
• Ad Impressions: The number of times an advertisement is seen by audiences.
• Advertising: A paid commercial message promoting a product or service across various media.
• Advertising Plan: A structured outline detailing advertising goals, strategies to achieve them, and methods for evaluating success.
• Advertorial: An advertisement that resembles a news article or editorial.
• Agency Commission: Fee paid to an advertising agency for designing and placing advertisements, typically 15-20% of the media spend.
• Audience Segmentation: Dividing potential customers into groups based on demographics, behavior, etc., to target marketing more effectively.
• Auto Ad Agency: An agency that provides advertising services specifically for the automotive industry.
• Automotive Advertising: Advertising specifically designed to promote automotive brands, products, or services.
• Automotive Digital Marketing: Use of digital channels and strategies to market automotive products and services.

B

• Banner Ad: A graphic advertisement on websites, usually rectangular in shape.
• Billboard: An outdoor advertisement display, often large and positioned in high-traffic areas.
• Bleed: Allowing an image or ad to extend beyond the margin of a printed page.
• Brand Awareness: The extent to which consumers recognize and understand the unique aspects of a brand.

C

• Cable TV: TV channels delivered via cable, typically paid by subscription.
• Camera-Ready Ad: A finished advertisement ready for printing.
• Channel: Any medium used to convey a message, such as TV, internet, print, etc.
• Circulation: The total number of copies distributed of a publication.
• Classified Advertisement: Small, categorized ads in newspapers or magazines.
• Closing Date: The deadline to submit advertising for a specific medium.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people clicking on an ad out of the total who view it.
• Column Inch: Measurement used in print advertising, referring to the size of an ad by width and height.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors to a website or showroom who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase.

D

• Designated Market Areas (DMA): Specific geographic areas used to measure TV audiences.
• Display Advertisement: A standard ad in print media that is not a classified ad.
• Double Truck: A two-page spread in a print publication.
• Drive Time: Radio broadcast times when most people are commuting, often commanding higher ad rates.
• Duration: The length of broadcast time for an ad or program.
• Digital Showroom: An online platform simulating a physical dealership for vehicle browsing and customization.

E

• Editorial Calendar: A schedule detailing the editorial content for upcoming publication issues.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Marketing: Marketing strategies aimed at promoting electric vehicles, focusing on sustainability and innovation.

F

• FinTech Integration: Incorporating financial technology in marketing to offer streamlined financing options.
• Flat Rate: A fixed cost for advertising without discounts.
• Full-Service Agency: An agency that handles all advertising aspects—planning, production, and placement.

G

• Geo-Fencing: Targeted advertising to mobile users based on their physical location, such as near a dealership.

H

• Hybrid Sales Model: A combination of online and offline sales strategies to meet diverse customer preferences.

I

• Impressions: The total number of views for an ad, including readership, listenership, or viewership.
• Inline Ad: An ad that appears inline with the content on a webpage.
• Insert: A promotional piece inserted into a magazine or newspaper.
• Insertion Date: The publication date of an advertisement.
• Insertion Order: Written authorization to place an ad in a publication.
• Influencer Partnership: Collaborations with influencers to endorse automotive products or services.

J

• JPEG (.jpg): A commonly used image file format for digital ads.
• Jump Page: A webpage users are directed to after clicking on an online ad.

K

• KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics used to evaluate the effectiveness of a marketing campaign.

L

• Lead: A potential customer interested in purchasing a vehicle.
• Lead Nurturing: Building relationships with potential customers throughout the buying journey.
• Local Time: Time slots available for local radio advertisers.

M

• Marketing Campaign: A structured plan of promotional strategies to achieve marketing objectives.
• Media Kit: Information provided to advertisers to help them understand a media outlet's services and rates.
• Media Outlet: Organizations that publish information, news, and advertising.
• Medium (Media): Channels through which advertising messages are delivered.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensuring websites are user-friendly on mobile devices.

N

• Neuro-Marketing: Using neuroscience to understand consumer behavior in marketing.

O

• Omnichannel Marketing: A unified approach to provide a seamless experience across multiple marketing channels.
• Out-of-Home (OOH): Advertising that reaches consumers while they are outside of their homes.

P

• PDF (Portable Document Format): A file format used to share and review documents, including ad proofs.
• Personalization: Customizing marketing messages to individual consumer preferences.
• Podcast: An audio program distributed online for playback.
• Pop-Up: An ad that appears in a new window over a webpage.
• Preferred Position: An ad placement in a preferred spot within a publication.
• Prime Time: The time with the highest TV viewership, typically 8-11 p.m.
• Proof: A preliminary version of an ad for review before final production.
• Public Service Announcement (PSA): A free announcement serving the public interest.

Q

• QR Code Promotions: Using QR codes for easy access to offers and additional content.

R

• Rate: The price for ad space or time.
• Rate Card: A document listing advertising costs, requirements, and deadlines.
• Reach: The total number of people exposed to an ad.
• Reservation Date: The date by which ad space must be reserved in a publication.
• Reputation Management: Strategies for improving and maintaining a positive public image for a dealership.
• ROI (Return on Investment): A measure of the profitability of a marketing campaign.
• Run Date: The date an ad is published.
• Run-of-Press (ROP): An ad placement in any section of a newspaper.
• Run-of-Schedule (ROS): A flexible broadcast ad placement at various times.

S

• Sales Funnel: A representation of a customer's buying journey from awareness to purchase.
• Sandwich Board: A portable sign with advertising on both sides.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Techniques to improve a website's ranking on search engines.
• Sidebar Ad: A vertical ad positioned on the side of a webpage.
• Space Reservation: Notification to reserve ad space.
• Spot Announcement: A short radio or TV ad.
• Spot Color: Adding a color to a black-and-white ad for emphasis.
• Spot Television: Ad slots purchased for local broadcast.
• Storyboard: Visual representation of a TV commercial concept.
• Submission Date: Deadline to submit an ad to a media outlet.
• Subway Card: An advertising poster placed inside a subway car.
• Sustainability Marketing: Marketing focused on eco-friendly practices to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
• Syndication Feed: A system for sharing content from one website to others.

T

• Target Audience: The specific group an ad is designed to reach.
• Test Drive Experiences: Offering at-home trials or virtual reality simulations to enhance test drives.
• Time Slot: A specific time for airing a commercial.
• Total Audience Plan (TAP): A radio advertising package that includes high-visibility times.

U

• URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The internet address for a webpage.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Content created by consumers to build brand trust.

V

• Voice Over: A narrator's voice that is heard but not seen in an advertisement.
• Volume Discount: A discount for purchasing a large quantity of ad space or time.

W

• Webcasting: Delivering video or audio content online, live or on-demand.