Volume 117, No. 15 August 10, 2020 CATA’s media partners go the extra mile Dashboard cameras Throughout these trying times, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association’s has top list of features received tremendous support from its media partners. When the COVID-19 crisis first hit, the CATA worked swiftly to develop a commercial to communicate the that motorists want ways in which Chicagoland’s new-car dealers are positioned to provide vital and Drivers all have a list of features essential transportation services to consumers and also come to the aid of their they’d like when it comes time to buy communities during the COVID-19 crisis through goodwill. a new car. Perhaps a heated steering Most recently, the CATA launched a new advertising campaign to share the rea- wheel or onboard Wi-Fi. Or, maybe a sons that now is a great time for consumers to visit their local new-car dealer for hands-free driving system. service and to have open safety recalls addressed. The message continues to run According to a new study by research across local media outlets. firm AutoPacific Inc., the most popular The CATA wants to send a special “thank you” to the following media partners feature is a built-in dash cam. Fully 70% that helped the association stretch its budget further. These outlets understand just of the car buyers who participated in how important and essential dealers are for our market and local communities. the annual Future Attribute Demand Radio Study listed that as a must-have. • Entercom Radio: WUSN-FM, WBBM-AM, WBBM-FM, WBMX-FM and That probably shouldn’t come as a WXRT-FM surprise. The firm’s research analyst, • Nexstar Media Group: WGN-AM Deborah Grieb, said: “Consumers have • IHeart Radio: WEBG-FM, WGCI-FM, WGRB-AM, WKSC-FM, WLIT-FM experienced an influx of personal video and WVAZ-FM in social and news media in recent years • Weigel Broadcasting: WRME-FM (ME TV) and are very familiar with the poten- • Cumulus Radio: WLS-AM and WLS-FM tial security benefits of camera footage • Hubbard Radio: WTMX-FM, WDRV-FM and WSHE-FM from dash cameras, body cameras, cell Television phones and doorbell cameras. It’s really • WLS-TV not surprising to see such high interest • WBBM-TV in an in-vehicle recording device.” • Weigel Broadcasting (WCIU/WMEU/HCIU/EWME) What was significant about the study • WFLD-TV/WPWR-TV was the finding that interest in dash • WGN-TV cams was broad, covering essentially all • WMAQ-TV buyer groups, no matter their age, the Cable type of vehicle they were interested in, • EffecTV / Xfinity-Comcast or how much they planned to spend. Also, a special thank you to Select Marketing Group, which has helped cham- About 79% of those planning to pion media support for the CATA in a relationship that dates back more than 20 spend at least $79,000, for example, years. SEE FEATURES, PAGE 2 2 CATA Bulletin August 10, 2020 Bar association promotes adoption of NADA fair credit program The American Bar Association on Rights and Social Justice, Section of bile Dealers Association said the action Aug. 3 approved a resolution that, in State and Local Government Law, and represents the latest recognition by a part, urges governments at all levels to the Commission on Homelessness, rec- diverse and growing number of public adopt laws and policies that promote ommended “safe harbor” protection to and private groups of the value of the the adoption of an enhanced nondis- dealers who faithfully adopt the NADA optional NADA fair credit program as crimination compliance system for fair credit program in lieu of a recom- an effective mechanism to address fair dealer compensation for arranging and/ mendation that governments consider credit concerns while preserving com- or originating a vehicle finance contract requiring dealer finance compensation petition in the marketplace. The pro- by offering a safe harbor against pricing to be in the form of a non-discount- gram, along with supporting materials, discrimination claims for dealers that able fixed fee. This was one of several is available at www.nada.org/faircredit. faithfully implement the NADA/NA- significant improvements to the original The NADA continues to encourage MAD/AIADA Fair Credit Compliance resolution, which sought to impose a dealers to consider, in consultation with Policy and Program. series of new duties and restrictions on their counsel, whether to adopt the vol- The resolution, which was co-spon- the dealer finance office. untary approach to fair credit compli- sored by the ABA Section of Civil Officials of the National Automo- ance. New-car sales up 3rd straight month far behind, with 64% of the Features respondents listing perim- New light-vehicle sales of all vehicles sold in July CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 eter camera systems, includ- improved for the third con- spent fewer than 20 days on want a dash cam in their ing ones that could moni- secutive month in July. The the lot, up from 35% a year next vehicle, but even among tor what’s in a pickup’s bed, July SAAR totaled 14.5 mil- ago. Inventory constraints those looking for something where applicable. lion units, a decline of 14.4% in popular segments may under $30,000, the figure The study appears to re- compared to July 2019 but have limited some sales in came in at 59%. flect the uncertain times we up from the SAAR of 13.1 July and, according to Wards The new study looked at live in, but also reflects the million units for June 2020. Intelligence, final inventory 16 different features in cat- fact that camera-based tech- In terms of raw volume, numbers are expected to reg- egories including safety and nologies, as Grieb noted, are July sales were up by just ister an eight-year low for the security, self-driving, com- becoming a familiar part of over 120,000 units from June. month. fort and convenience, and our daily lives. And through the first seven Because of such robust connectivity. It showed that The study also found months of the year, new demand, incentive spend- safety and security-related strong interest in over-the- light-vehicle sales were off ing was dialed back in July. features were overwhelming air updates, listed by 64% of by 22.1% compared with the Preliminary estimates from favorites among the 1,000 those surveyed. That’s some- same period in 2019. Ameri- J.D. Power pegged incentive car buyers who responded. thing offered on virtually ev- can consumers continue to spending per unit at $4,236, Vehicle airbags came in ery new smartphone, though choose light trucks over cars, down from June 2020 but up at a close second, with 66% only now starting to become with light trucks represent- by $166 compared with July putting that at or near the available in the automotive ing 76% of all vehicles sold 2019. top of their list. But an- community. in July and 75.4% of all new The NADA’s outlook has other camera system wasn’t SEE FEATURES, PAGE 3 vehicles sold so far this year. not changed much since last Similar to May and June, month, with forecasters ex- The CATA Bulletin is produced by the fleet sales fell more than retail pecting new-vehicle retail Chicago Automobile Trade Association sales did in July. According sales to continue to recover 18W200 Butterfield Rd. Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181-4810 to Wards Intelligence, retail for the rest of the year, while The CATA Bulletin is distributed via blast email every other Friday sales were off by 10% year fleet sales continue to strug- except during the Chicago Auto Show, when it is not produced. over year, while fleet sales gle. Listings of items for sale are subject to the approval of the CATA. declined by a substantial 60% Inventory constraints in Candidates for employment must submit a full resume to the Editor. Review past editions dating to 1998 or search by subject at year over year. Vehicles have popular segments will be a www.cata.info/publication/bulletins. been selling quickly once headwind for new-vehicle they reach dealer lots. Ac- sales for the rest of the sum- David E. Sloan President, Publisher cording to J.D. Power, 41% mer. Erik K. Higgins Editor, Director of Dealer Affairs August 10, 2020 CATA Bulletin 3 More charities buoyed by Chicagoland Dealers Care Two more nonprofits favored Similar to ABC-TV’s hit show be a place where all families would by area new-car dealerships were “Shark Tank,” the students have the embrace and accept each other’s recent beneficiaries of the CATA’s chance to pitch their business ideas to faiths and racial and socioeconomic Chicagoland Dealers Care program. local business leaders and investors. backgrounds. Her goal was to have The Young Entrepreneurs Academy One student qualifies each year to 30% of the school’s students benefit in Palatine and the Children at the present at a national level in Roches- from financial assistance, a hope that Crossroads Foundation in Chicago ter, New York, in front of a panel of became a reality with the inception each received $1,500. judges at the conclusion of the pro- of Children at the Crossroads Foun- The CATA has been a longtime gram. All students are pledged some dation. supporter of local charities. Since its funding to launch their business, and Since then, the Foundation has inception in 2008, the Chicagoland some have even reaped the benefits of changed the lives of more than 700 Dealers Care program has donated receiving offers from local investors.