Automakers' printed brochures giving way to digital ones

The long, slow death of the automotive brochure, once a staple in showrooms across the country, continues. In December, Ford of Canada became the latest automaker to scrap the medium, claiming it did so mainly for environmental reasons.

“In addition to the waste reduction and environmental benefits, more complete vehicle information is available online as well as an enhanced and dynamic consumer experience,” said Ford spokesman Josh Norton.

Ford used the New Vehicle Consumer Survey (NVCS) compiled by marketing firm Maritz to help in its decision-making process.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Canada and Volkswagen Canada have also all but completely abandoned printed brochures.

Hard copy print products showcasing new models, trim lines and paint schemes have been fading away for years; media kits started arriving in the form of USB drives about five years ago and automakers have turned their efforts to online marketing, through video and downloadable brochures in PDF form. Showrooms, like the “Nissan Personalization Studio,” are equipped with tablets and touchscreens so consumers can interactively build their model in two dimensions with the help of sales staff.

Most automakers moving away from paper products say they’re doing so for the environment. Ford says eliminating 800,000 printed Ford and Lincoln brochures annually will save 245 tonnes of wood, or the equivalent of 1,575 trees. A Volkswagen spokesman said the company moved away from print “a couple years ago, in the name of ‘greening’ that aspect of the business.” And Fiat Chrysler calls online brochures more “eco-friendly,” although it still offers a few hard copies.

Red Herring

Robin Ritchie, a marketing professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carelton University in Ottawa, has researched consumer skepticism and says there is just one main reason for eliminating brochures: to save money.

“This business of saving the environment is a red herring; it’s cost savings,” he said. “The evidence generally suggests consumers discount the environmental claims, but not fully. They say, ’it’s probably more for the cost savings, but good on you for thinking of the environment.’

“They realize it’s not the only reason or even one of the big reasons automakers are doing it, but they will give them a tip of the hat.”

Ritchie says automakers can now get more bang for their buck online and get twice the use out of a single video production.

“The cost of making an ad is not nearly as much as running that ad, so YouTube and other digital points of distribution, including the automaker’s website, provides them a way to give people that multimedia, rich experience of television,” Ritchie said. “Now they don’t have to pay for TV to get that experience to consumers. You can reuse content you developed for TV online.”

Dealer Support

Ford said its network of dealers supports the decision to kill the printed product.

“We asked dealers for their input. They also recognize that digital is where today’s consumers look for their information,” Norton said.

Ritchie said beyond the cost of colour print, it’s not cheap to develop content used in the brochures.

“These are beautiful brochures. Even for a basic colour print job, it’s expensive. These car brochures are luxurious,” he said. “They have to do two jobs; they have to design the print brochure and design the digital experience. It’s creating duplication. As much as there is similarity in content, there are differences in how that content is delivered online and how it’s delivered in print.

“The effort that is saved on print saves them enough money to put more focus on the showroom experience.”

Hyundai could be the next automaker to axe the printed brochure and focus efforts on digital platforms in the showroom.

“We launched a study of digital brochures and increasing the propensity for the broader Hyundai business to use them over printed material. The company is studying actual usage, costs, and the increasing population of digital devices in dealerships,” Hyundai Canada spokesman Chad Heard said.

Nissan, Fiat Chrysler and Honda all offer downloadable PDF and printed versions of their brochures, but to varying degrees of availability.

Third option

“Based on our research consumers place value in printed and/or digital brochures at various points within their purchase funnel,” Nissan spokesman Didier Marsaud said.

FCA said its printed brochures are viewed by the company “as a third option.” It promotes downloading PDFs and requesting emailed material.

“The main reason we are doing this is that our website is a more thorough experience,” FCA spokesman Daniel Labre said. “It provides a customized experience, allows us to tell a more comprehensive story, and allows the customer to control their journey.”

Ritchie said the digital experience, be it at home or in the showroom, brings the consumer closer to a purchase.

“You’re a click of a mouse away from conceivably buying a car or at the very least booking an appointment to see a car at a dealership,” he said.