here is little doubt that social media has
become the primary source of communication for
today’s consumer. All one needs to do these days
is post a message on Facebook, a social community
Web site or Twitter, a social networking or
microblogging site, and it spreads like wildfire
– across continents – in seconds. Capitalizing on
this fast-growing medium,
Purolator, manufacturer and supplier
of automotive filters to the North American
Aftermarket, has harnessed its online strength to
reach out to its customers.
As of April this year, Purolator is now using its presence
on Facebook and Twitter to spread its message
far and wide at lightening speed. Purolator’s YouTube channel is yet
another important medium that the company now
utilizes to share entertaining and educational
videos about filters and related subjects.
“A large number of our do-it-yourself (DIY)
customers are using Facebook and Twitter more
frequently than any other means of communication
– making it an ideal channel through which to
deliver our messages,” said Chuck Kerrigan,
Director of Marketing for Purolator. “Purolator’s presence on Facebook
allows us to not only post product-related
messages, educational videos, photos, Q&As and
information about promotional events, but to also
have interested people ‘like,’ or ‘follow’ our
progress over time. It is also a way for us to be
able to hear from and respond to our customers in
a way we have never been able to before” Kerrigan
said.
Purolator will also be using its Facebook site to
launch its “Garage-a-thon” photo contest in
August. The contest will encourage DIYers and
professional technicians to submit photos of
their garage to win the ultimate grand prize of a
classic car that will make their garage the envy
of the neighborhood. The contest will be held
mid-August to mid-October.
“To keep people coming back every day after
submitting their garage photo, there will be a
daily drawing for a fun prize for one lucky
garage owner,” said Kerrigan. “This will provide
our contest participants many more chances to
win,” he said.
Recently, Purolator launched an entertaining and
educational video campaign. Titled, “If They
Can,” to illustrate the ease of doing an oil
change, the campaign is being promoted through
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Three characters
in three separate videos, an Amish man, a Geisha
and a grandmother, who have never done an oil and
filter change before, are shown performing one.
The message is: If they can do it, you can do it.
The Geisha video is a Facebook exclusive for only
a short time to encourage traffic.
Also included in the campaign will be regular
postings on the Purolator Facebook wall to engage
consumers in discussions while also providing
educational information and entertainment. A
blogger outreach initiative is intended to
further communicate with the target audience.
Tweets sent with links will encourage consumers
to view these videos while YouTube will feature
the long-form version of the videos. Finally,
online media banner ads will drive traffic to the
Facebook site where these videos will be
available.
“In the current communications environment,
social media provides us the ideal platform for
capturing the attention of our target audience
and being able to have a conversation with them,”
said Kerrigan. “This is where it’s all happening
and we want to be a part of it,” he said.
Purolator is a proud supporter of the Automotive
Aftermarket Suppliers Association’s (AASA) Know
Your Parts® education and awareness campaign.
This initiative promotes the importance of
quality brand name aftermarket parts backed by
full service suppliers to preserve the industry’s
good reputation.
For more information, visit: www.AASAKnowYourParts.org.
To learn more about Purolator filters
and the filtration category, please visit www.purolatorautofilters.com.
