A battle over what was once thought of as traditionally dealership customers is now being waged in the digital environment.
Online car retailer Clutch launched a new brand campaign that pokes fun at the traditional used car dealership experience, and suggests consumers “ditch the dealership” to buy vehicles online at clutch.ca. The campaign was done in partnership with the company’s creative agency, Performance Art, and will run across broadcast, digital, and social platforms.
“For our first brand campaign, we wanted to stay true to Clutch’s founding story. Clutch was born out of our founders’ frustrating car-buying experience, and we know so many Canadians have experienced the same thing,” said Kristen Skelly, Director of Brand at Clutch.
She adds that as Clutch ushers in a “new era for automotive retail with a vastly improved solution to buying and selling cars,” they wanted to say goodbye to the hot air hucksters and all they represent.
“Inflatable tube men are an instantly recognizable symbol of the used car dealership, and in turn, everything that’s wrong with that experience,” said Colin Craig, Executive Creative Director at Performance Art. “Nobody leaves a used car dealership feeling good—all the pressure tactics, sales commissions, haggling. We want people to wake up to the possibility of a better, smarter way to buy a used car.”
Clutch said a recent survey it conducted revealed that 76 per cent of consumers in Canada would prefer to spend less time visiting dealerships to find the right vehicle. However, there are also a number of other surveys that point to the dealership as still being an important point of contact for consumers who want to visit the store at some point in their buying journey.
Still, the new campaign from Clutch underscored the importance for the automotive retail sector to continue to embrace digital and offer a faster, more efficient and consumer-friendly experience.
Clutch was named the Official Online Pre-Owned Car Retailer of the NHL, and its commercial spot will broadcast during this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
Watch Clutch’s first brand campaign
