ATLANTA, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- A vehicle is the second largest purchase most Americans will ever make.  Coming off a challenging two years in the economy and on the cusp of an economic and auto industry recovery, AutoTrader.com is launching a major multi-media advertising campaign that lets auto shoppers know AutoTrader.com has the tools, information and vehicle inventory they need to be sure they made the right new or used vehicle purchase decision.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100503/CL97057 )

The centerpiece of the new "Heart & Mind" campaign is two high-energy, visually stimulating 30-second broadcast commercial spots that launch today.  The spots creatively highlight the functionality AutoTrader.com offers to allow people to review and compare real new and used vehicles listed for sale on the site.  Stunning imagery represents the shopping process through the heart and the mind, where emotional and rational decisions take place.  The spots communicate that when using AutoTrader.com to find a new or used vehicle, buyers will be satisfied with their purchase decisions.

The spots will be running in heavy rotation on several networks, including ABC, ESPN, TNT, MTV, VH1, Spike, Lifetime and HGTV and AutoTrader.com will use the spots for the rest of the year.

In the digital realm, AutoTrader.com will have a variety of home-page takeovers and other on-line ads on top sites like Slate.com, YouTube, Pandora, AOL Fanhouse, Facebook, ESPN, CNN, NBA.com, NASCAR.com, PGA.com and Yahoo! Sports. These high-impact digital ads will utilize dynamic images and copy from the broadcast spots to build on and reinforce the messaging from the television campaign.

AutoTrader.com also will launch the "Decide My Ride" Facebook application.  Users of the application will be able to pick four cars they are considering purchasing and let their Facebook friends vote on which one they should get.  The application connects to the "Heart & Mind" theme because even if a car shopper loves a car or thinks it is the best car for them, the opinions of their family and friends can sway their final purchase decision.

In the days leading up to the May 3 campaign launch, AutoTrader.com also used social media to build buzz and raise interest in the campaign.  Beginning on Friday, April 30, AutoTrader.com posted to the AutoTrader.com Twitter feed and Facebook fan page a variety of words and images referencing or playing off the "Heart & Mind" theme and noting the date of Monday, May 3.  Today, with the launch of the campaign, AutoTrader.com posted the actual commercial spots to the company's Facebook fan page and other social media outlets to pay off for the company's followers and fans the oblique campaign teasers posted during the weekend.

Finally, AutoTrader.com will execute a variety of industry focused communications, including emails, collaterals and advertisements in automotive trade media during the remainder of the year.  The aim of this business-to-business outreach is to inform the company's auto dealer and manufacturer constituencies about the depth and breadth of the campaign and how the campaign will draw more traffic to AutoTrader.com and thus benefit the companies listing vehicles for sale or advertising on AutoTrader.com.

Across all media, the campaign addresses two important research findings.  No. 1, when starting the car buying process, 45% of car buyers consider both new and used vehicles.  No. 2, coming off these challenging economic times, car buyers more than ever want to know they bought the right vehicle.  To help eliminate potential buyer's remorse, car shoppers are doing more research on-line to review makes and models, compare prices and special offers and build their consideration sets.  This multi-media campaign aims to ensure consumers know they can compare vehicles side by side on AutoTrader.com and that the site is top of mind when they get ready to start their new and/or used car shopping process.

"We spent a lot of time looking at what consumers want and need in the car-buying process," said AutoTrader.com Chief Marketing Officer Clark Wood.  "Then we built a campaign that in high-impact, exciting and creative ways lets people know AutoTrader.com has the information, the tools and ultimately the actual cars listed for sale that shoppers need to be sure they found the right car for them.  AutoTrader.com has experienced record site traffic over the past few months and we believe this campaign will drive even more car shoppers to our site, creating even more value for the auto dealers, manufacturers and private sellers who advertise on our site."

AutoTrader.com utilized in-house and agency resources to research, design and execute the many facets of this new campaign.  Outside agencies include Doner of Southfield, Mich., and Critical Mass of Chicago.  The spots are housed on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/FindTheRightCar.

About AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website.  AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private owners.  The site attracts about 15 million unique monthly visitors.  Through innovative merchandising functionality such as multiple photos, videos, detailed descriptions and comprehensive research and compare tools, AutoTrader.com unites new and used car buyers and sellers online to improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises.  The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor.  For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com