Acura dealer association nabs retiring pitcher Mariano Rivera for New York spot

Memorable Acura Models of the Past Make Cameo in New Ad Campaign with Mariano Rivera

New 'Legends' campaign for the New York Acura Dealers continues a partnership that has provided $800,000 to the legendary pitcher's charity.

NEW YORK, (September 23, 2013) – Mariano Rivera has been a loyal Acura owner since 1995, the year he made his big league debut. Since that time, the brand has evolved and so has his career. Those aspects are the focal point of a new advertising campaign with the future Hall of Famer and the New York Acura Dealers, which incorporates well-known Acura models of the past with the 2014 models.

"I love the campaign and how it connects the great Acuras of today with the great Acuras of the past," said Rivera, who is days away from his final regular season game in a storied 19-year career.

The commercials anchoring the campaign, titled "Legends," feature the redesigned 2014 Acura MDX and the flagship 2014 RLX sedan. The spots include cameos from memorable Acura models: a 1991 Legend, 1995 Integra and 1991 NSX. The commercials also feature a voiceover from Brooklyn-born actor Steve Schirripa, best known for his role as Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri on the HBO hit drama The Sopranos.

"The spots are a nod to Acura's history and the years it overlapped with Mariano's career," said Scott Rodgers, chief creative officer at advertising agency Tier10, who developed the concept of the campaign. "The ads are specifically geared for Mariano, whose interactions with the iconic Acuras imply that he's reflecting on the evolution of his legendary career along with the evolution of Acura."

One of the interesting aspects of the brand's evolution, according to Rodgers, involved the third-generation Integra, which was produced from 1993 to 2001. That model has a great connection to both Rivera's career and current Acuras.

"Just like the third-gen Integra was known for its signature round headlights, the new Acuras have the signature Jewel Eye headlights, and we hinted at that evolution in the commercials," he said. "We used a '95 Integra in the spots because 1995 was the year Mariano made his debut with the Yankees and when he bought his first Acura."

The most difficult aspect of the shoot was obtaining the memorable Acuras used for the spots. It required a creative approach from photographer Douglas Sonders, co-founder of the production company for spots, 8112 Studios. He used the vast social media reach of his 8112 Studios and Douglas Sonders Photography Facebook fan pages, as well as his Twitter followers, to find the three vehicles in mint condition with the original paint and parts.

"Social media saved the day for us," said Sonders. "After days of cold calls and emails to all of our contacts, we ended up sourcing everything we needed in 24 hours after merely asking our online contacts for assistance. You would be amazed how helpful people can be online if you ask nicely."

The completely stock, black-on-black 1991 NSX came from the president of the NSX Club of America and had 53,000 miles. The 1991 Legend was one of the cleanest stock vehicles of its kind that Sonders has ever seen.

The 1995 Integra was the most difficult to find in mint condition due the vehicle's popularity with street-racing-style modifications. Thankfully, they were able to find a dark green Integra with only minor cosmetic blemishes that were easily removed with some detailing.

The commercials will begin airing in the New York market sometime in mid-September. Tier10 also produced a web-only series of behind-the-scenes videos from the shoot, which will be available on the New York Acura Dealers' Facebook page.

The multiplatform campaign will also feature the hashtag #BeLegendary on all social media deliverables. Additionally, there will be a Facebook contest in which fans of the New York Acura Dealers page can enter to win a personal meeting with the legend himself.

The New York Acura Dealers first established their relationship with Rivera in April 2012. The partnership benefits the Mariano Rivera Foundation, which supports children in need and has helped rebuild the century-old former Presbyterian Church in New Rochelle, New York. As of August 2013, the New York Acura Dealers have contributed over $800,000 to the Mariano Rivera Foundation.

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Digger dealer finds a hire calling (Australian IT)

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Study: Satisfaction with dealer service rises, Lexus and GMC are tops

2013 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study

Manufacturer and Dealer Investments in Service Department and Employees Pay Off, As Overall Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service Facilities Continues to Improve

Lexus Ranks Highest among Luxury Brands for Customer Satisfaction with Dealer Service for Fifth Consecutive Year; GMC Ranks Highest among Mass Market Brands

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 13 March 2013 -- Recent investments made by automakers and dealers in improving the customer service experience are paying off in terms of more highly satisfied and loyal service customers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) StudySM released today.

The study finds that overall customer satisfaction with service at a dealer facility has increased to 797 (on a 1,000-point scale), a significant improvement from 787 in 2012 and up by 29 points since 2011. Additionally, overall satisfaction with dealer service facilities averages 44 index points higher than satisfaction with independent service facilities, a gap that has expanded by six points from 2012.

"Manufacturers have made large investments in their retail programs, and dealers have made significant investments in key customer touch-points--people, improved processes and customer waiting areas--which are having a profoundly positive impact on their customers," said Chris Sutton, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates. "Dealerships are placing more emphasis on the service advisor's role, which is essential to effectively handling service customers. Having a skilled, trained advisor is vital for a positive customer experience."

The study examines satisfaction among vehicle owners who visit a service department for maintenance or repair work. The CSI rankings are based on dealer service performance during the first three years of new-vehicle ownership, which typically represents the majority of the vehicle warranty period. Five measures are examined to determine overall satisfaction with dealer service (listed in order of importance): service quality; service initiation; service advisor; service facility; and vehicle pick-up.

The study finds that owners visit a dealer service department an average of 2.6 times per year, most frequently for vehicle maintenance. The shift in the proportion of maintenance work to repair work is one of the contributing factors to the increase in overall satisfaction. More than three-fourths (77%) of vehicle owners indicate that their most recent dealer service visit was for maintenance, such as an oil change or tire rotation, an increase from 72 percent in 2012 and 63 percent in 2011.

Overall satisfaction among owners who took their vehicle to a dealership for maintenance work averages 806, compared with 768 among those who took their vehicle in for repair work. Among owners who visited an independent service station, overall satisfaction averages 754 for maintenance work and 750 for repairs. Satisfaction with both maintenance and repair work conducted at dealer and non-dealer service stations is slightly higher among owners of premium vehicles than among owners of non-premium vehicles.

"The service mix continues to shift to maintenance and away from repairs, which is a testament to the improvement in vehicle quality and dependability," said Sutton. "Owner satisfaction is generally higher for maintenance than for repairs for several reasons, primarily because maintenance tends to be less expensive and time-consuming and can be scheduled and completed at the owner's convenience."

When excluding complimentary service, service customers spend less out-of-pocket per visit at their dealership, compared with 2012 ($118 vs. $125, respectively); however, this amount remains higher than the average spent per visit at an independent service station ($44). Owners of premium vehicles spend an average of $198 per dealer visit, compared with $31 when they visit an independent service station, while owners of non-premium vehicles spend an average of $108 per dealer visit and $45 per visit to an independent service station.

Higher Service Satisfaction Equals Higher Loyalty
The study finds a direct correlation between service satisfaction and loyalty. Overall, 79 percent of vehicle owners indicate they "definitely will" return to their dealership for maintenance and repairs covered under their vehicle's warranty, and 64 percent indicate they "definitely will" return to the dealership for service work after their vehicle's warranty expires. However, loyalty increases dramatically among vehicle owners who are "delighted" (satisfaction scores of 901 and higher) with their service experience, as 96 percent indicate they "definitely will" return to the dealer service department while their vehicle is under warranty, and 89 percent indicate they "definitely will" return post-warranty. Further, 38 percent of vehicle owners overall indicate that they "definitely will" purchase or lease their next vehicle from the same brand, and increases to 59 percent among owners who are "delighted."

"The service experience has a profound impact on vehicle owners, not just where they take their vehicle the next time they need maintenance or repairs, but also on their next vehicle purchase," said Sutton. "Dealers know this, and most are taking the appropriate steps to ensure their customers have the best experience possible on both the sales and service sides of the store."

Overall Satisfaction with Service Improves
Overall satisfaction with dealer service improves by 10 points in 2013, compared with 2012, with gains in all five study measures. Among the 30 rank-eligible brands, 28 improve in service satisfaction from 2011, with eight brands improving by at least 20 points.

Additionally, overall satisfaction improves across all five study measures, with the largest year-over-year gains in service facility and vehicle pick-up, which also includes vehicle owner perception of the fairness of the charges.

"While there are a lot of things dealers can't control, such as the product and the incentive levels on the sales side, one thing they can control is the service they provide," said Sutton. "When new-vehicle sales dropped in 2008, dealers increased their focus on service, and that attention on the service customer continues today."

Highest-Ranked Nameplates
Lexus ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among luxury brands for a fifth consecutive year. Lexus achieves an overall CSI score of 862 and performs particularly well in service initiation, service facility and service quality. Rounding out the five highest-performing nameplates in the luxury segment are Cadillac (858); Jaguar (856); Acura (852); and Infiniti (848).

Three of the 11 luxury brands improve their index score by 20 or more points, compared with 2012, with Land Rover achieving the greatest year-over-year improvement (+29 points). Infiniti improves by 24 points and Lincoln by 23.

Among mass market brands, GMC ranks highest with a score of 819. GMC performs particularly well in service initiation, service advisor, service facility and service quality. Rounding out the five highest-performing brands in the mass market segment are MINI (810); Buick (809); Chevrolet (806); and Volkswagen (804).

Five of the 19 mass market brands improve their index score by at least 20 points, compared with 2012, with Scion improving 24 index points, Nissan and Dodge each improving by 23 points. Mitsubishi improves by 22 points and Chrysler by 20.

J.D. Power and Associates offers the following tips for consumers regarding vehicle service at their dealership:

When possible, schedule your dealer service appointment in advance. Customers who have an appointment tend to be more satisfied with their overall service experience than do those without an appointment due to dealer ability to appropriately prepare for the visit.

If your vehicle has to remain at the dealership for maintenance or repairs, ask the service advisor for a loaner vehicle. Many dealerships have a fleet of vehicles customers may borrow while their vehicle is in for service.

Following maintenance or repair work on your vehicle, ask for a vehicle inspection report, and review it with your service advisor.

The 2013 U.S. CSI Study is based on responses from more than 91,000 owners and lessees of 2008 to 2012 model-year vehicles. The study was fielded between October and December 2012. J.D. Power and Associates measures dealer service in various countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and the UK.

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