There’s no question that automotive advertising spending stalled with the recession, but recently there have been signs that this category is picking up speed. We’re not talking a full recovery, but progress is being made.
“Ad spending for cars and credit cards has come roaring back, helping drive 8.8% growth in 2010 U.S. spending for the 100 Leading National Advertisers—the highest growth rate since 2004,” Ad Age reported last June. “Financial advertising surged 29% in 2010, and automotive accelerated 28%, based on Ad Age Data Center’s estimates of U.S. spending for the 12 financial firms and 10 automakers that made the 100 LNA ranking.”
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Part of a 2011 Audi campaign shot by Jan Steinhilber.
From a 2011 campaign for Honda shot by Fulvio Bonavia.
From a 2011 campaign for Porsche shot by John Offenbach.
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We’re noticing the uptick right here at Stockland Martel, both among the agency’s longtime car shooters and photographers who are more in the generalist vein. “Last year, we had both Jan Steinhilber and John Offenbach shooting campaigns for Porsche,” says Maureen Martel. “Jan also shot for Cadillac and Audi. Uwe Duettmann shot for Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW. Fulvio Bonavia shot for Honda. Hyundai and Renault commissioned Nadav Kander, which is interesting because he’s primarily known as a portrait photographer. And Art Streiber shot an advertorial for Nissan.
“It’s exciting to see this upswing,” she adds, “because automotive advertising offers photographers the chance to be so creative.”
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From a 2011 campaign for Hyundai shot by Nadav Kander.
Nissan commissioned Art Streiber to shoot this advertorial featuring the actor Ryan Reynolds.
A 2011 ad for Volkswagen shot by Uwe Duettmann.
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Reporting on the 2012 North American International Auto Show earlier this month, Ad Age indicated that “confidence brims,” explaining that “the industry’s upbeat mood was fueled by 2011 sales of nearly 13 million cars and light trucks in the U.S., according to data from Automotive News.”
And last month, Adweek took note of WPP’s plans to establish a new agency whose mission is to boost Ford’s Lincoln brand. “The agency, which will have a staff of some 45 employees—some plucked from WPP’s Team Detroit unit—will focus on account management, creative, and planning. Team Detroit, which handles parent company Ford, WPP’s largest global client, will also provide support on nuts-and-bolts services like creative production, media buying, and accounting from its headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. McNauhgton will report to Team Detroit CEO Satish Korde.”
We’re not saying pre-2008 ad spending is back. But happier days are perhaps here again…
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Uwe Duettmann for BMW.
Jan Steinhilber for Porsche.
Nadav Kander for Renault.
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See more: Stockland Martel automotive photography by Jorg Badura, Fulvio Bonavia, David Drebin, Uwe Duettmann, Jason “Giblin” Hindley, John Offenbach, Martin Sigal, and Jan Steinhilber
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Do we see an upturn in automotive advertising, perhaps?
There’s no question that automotive advertising spending stalled with the recession, but recently there have been signs that this category is picking up speed. We’re not talking a full recovery, but progress is being made.
“Ad spending for cars and credit cards has come roaring back, helping drive 8.8% growth in 2010 U.S. spending for the 100 Leading National Advertisers—the highest growth rate since 2004,” Ad Age reported last June. “Financial advertising surged 29% in 2010, and automotive accelerated 28%, based on Ad Age Data Center’s estimates of U.S. spending for the 12 financial firms and 10 automakers that made the 100 LNA ranking.”
.
Part of a 2011 Audi campaign shot by Jan Steinhilber.
From a 2011 campaign for Honda shot by Fulvio Bonavia.
From a 2011 campaign for Porsche shot by John Offenbach.
.
We’re noticing the uptick right here at Stockland Martel, both among the agency’s longtime car shooters and photographers who are more in the generalist vein. “Last year, we had both Jan Steinhilber and John Offenbach shooting campaigns for Porsche,” says Maureen Martel. “Jan also shot for Cadillac and Audi. Uwe Duettmann shot for Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW. Fulvio Bonavia shot for Honda. Hyundai and Renault commissioned Nadav Kander, which is interesting because he’s primarily known as a portrait photographer. And Art Streiber shot an advertorial for Nissan.
“It’s exciting to see this upswing,” she adds, “because automotive advertising offers photographers the chance to be so creative.”
.
From a 2011 campaign for Hyundai shot by Nadav Kander.
Nissan commissioned Art Streiber to shoot this advertorial featuring the actor Ryan Reynolds.
A 2011 ad for Volkswagen shot by Uwe Duettmann.
.
Reporting on the 2012 North American International Auto Show earlier this month, Ad Age indicated that “confidence brims,” explaining that “the industry’s upbeat mood was fueled by 2011 sales of nearly 13 million cars and light trucks in the U.S., according to data from Automotive News.”
And last month, Adweek took note of WPP’s plans to establish a new agency whose mission is to boost Ford’s Lincoln brand. “The agency, which will have a staff of some 45 employees—some plucked from WPP’s Team Detroit unit—will focus on account management, creative, and planning. Team Detroit, which handles parent company Ford, WPP’s largest global client, will also provide support on nuts-and-bolts services like creative production, media buying, and accounting from its headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. McNauhgton will report to Team Detroit CEO Satish Korde.”
We’re not saying pre-2008 ad spending is back. But happier days are perhaps here again…
.
Uwe Duettmann for BMW.
Jan Steinhilber for Porsche.
Nadav Kander for Renault.
.
See more: Stockland Martel automotive photography by Jorg Badura, Fulvio Bonavia, David Drebin, Uwe Duettmann, Jason “Giblin” Hindley, John Offenbach, Martin Sigal, and Jan Steinhilber
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