ONLINE ADVERTISING


It is possibly one solution to the problems companies have had with product placements: how do you promote your brand in an artistic sense without its feeling too contrived and obvious? How do you stay subtle, while imposing your message?


Attracting 16 million views to date, the promercial is something probably not even the slick advertising executives in period drama Mad Men could have imagined. It is just one of the many ways brands can promote themselves online.


Claudio Annicchiarico is head of UK digital operations at Fiat and is responsible for its online marketing as well that of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Jeep, all Fiat-owned brands. Fiat is the seventh biggest car company in the world aſter having completed the acquisition of Chrysler, in which it bought a majority share in 2009. Among its portfolio are luxury brands Ferrari and Maserati.


For Annicchiarico, developing the Fiat brand online is a priority: “Ultimately, we exist in a competitive market ... and for a while digital has been our 24-7 shop window.”


Programmatic targeting


Even in the relatively short existence of online advertising, there has been a recognisable development in how to market products. Advertising has moved on from “the old-fashioned way of building a website, advertising the website and drawing people there”, Annicchiarico says.


20 Trademarks & Brands Online


“Programmatic targeting” is Fiat’s main method of advertising online, he explains.


“Rather than just buying the advertising space on websites, you start buying relevant audiences in real time through the digital advert exchanges,” he says.


Using sophisticated algorithms, Fiat creates


a profile of to whom it wants to target its advertising, and then purchases advertising space on exchanges based on the type of audience, specifically targeting a certain profile.


“For example, for the Fiat 500L model (a family car), we’re looking to speak to families with children. We define the profiles we are looking to target, and our programmatic targeting partners, through the advert exchanges, bid in real time on impressions for that audience online. We can also manage the frequency with which we advertise to users and alter our messaging so that we can present users with bespoke messages based on where they are in the sales process.


“It started to change from a straightforward media buy to allowing technology and audience- buying to be highly focused on just buying those relevant audiences, removing wastage so that all the impressions we buy are in line with our campaign objectives,” he says.


Not buying, enquiring


Te objective of advertising online is to generate customer enquiries and it is important to


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Annicchiarico that Fiat provides a number of platforms through which potential buyers can direct their queries.


For Fiat, the aim behind digital marketing is to develop the identity of consumers. Selling cars


the brand among online is difficult


because consumers want to be able to engage with the model before committing to purchasing it. A report from management consultant firm McKinsey & Company titled Innovating Automotive Retail said that more than 80 percent of car buyers test-drive a car before purchasing it.


Annicchiarico says: “Te objective, ultimately, is to drive customers to our dealer network. We have done e-commerce in the past as a proof of concept to see whether customers are prepared to buy vehicles online. Te main focus is generating good quality enquiries for our dealer network to bring them in-store and give the customers the experience they require so they go on and buy a vehicle.”


An enquiry can be made through banner advertising online or through the Fiat communities found on social networks.


“In reality, our business, from a digital point of view, is driving them to the dealer network. Enquiries are relevant, whether they originate on our fiat.co.uk site or whether they come from a high impact format such as a rich banner ad,” says Annicchiarico.


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