The majority of traditional outdoor offerings advertise directly to motorists. The automobile-driving audience is a prime target for outdoor advertising. I would like to give credit to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America for collecting this information.
Consumer Statistics (2005)
Repairs
According to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, 70% of all US households have someone who personally performed a repair on at least one vehicle during the previous year.
Over 36% of adults who shoped in a parts or supplies store in the past year were female, and 10% of Adults who had maintenance or repair work done at a quick lube shop in the past year are Hispanic.
Oil Changes
According to research I found which was conducted by The Market Segment Group regarding how different ethnicities change their oil, it shows that White consumers are most likely to go to a repair garage when (18%), Black American consumers are most likely to use an auto dealership(15%), and Hispanics are more likely to do it themselves (27%). I did not find out how this study was conducted, and therefore would not recommend drawing any hard and fast conclusions from these numbers.
Industry Trends
In 2003, National Car Care Month was changed from October to April, while June is the busiest month for auto service (get those ACs running again!) February and December are the slowest months for Auto Shops. According to the OAAA, auto dealers with service departments, 37% offer weekend service or evening hours, while 34% have neither evening or weekend hours.
Research conducted by Babcock research affirms the common knowledge that the busiest months for car care are the summer months, and when travelling to an oil-change garage, 67% of customers will travel 5 miles or less, while 15% will travel only within a 2 mile radius of their location.
The Dealership
Only one in four drivers return to the dealership for maintenance and repair work after the vehicle warranty has expired, and approximately 70% of franchised auto dealers had on-site body shops in 1974, a number that had dropped to 50% by 2004.
Recency
Over 10% of oil change facility and 5% of independent body shops use outdoor advertising to promote their business. (Keep in mind that outdoor advertising only fetches just over 2% share of US advertising dollars spent.)
Americans are spending more time in their cars, and the demographic makeup of these cars is as follows:
| Category | Index |
| Male | 131 |
| Age 35-54 | 131 |
| Four-Year Degree or Higher | 112 |
| TV Time Spent Viewing | 92 |
According to Arbitron, outdoor advertising can have an immediate impact! Forty-nine percent of the general population responded to a billboard ad within a week of seeing the ad. These results were based on a 12+ age group. Billboards catch that mobile population who notices price point ads and promotional advertising.
The auto after market is a great example of the local business which needs to create a local perception. San Antonio is jam packed with garages, quick lubes, brake centers, and tire stores. Using billboards is a great way to take advantage of the “when” of advertising; reach the target demographic when they are most ready to hear your message.