From the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 to the 2016 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, the Monroe Shockmobiles traveled extensively – more than 10,000 miles – through the United States and Canada this past summer.
The Monroe Shockmobiles and the Monroe Brand Ambassadors completed hundreds of stops at consumer events, like baseball games, concerts and festivals and customer visits at service provider locations and parts distributors.
According to Denise Hanefeld, marketing communications manager for the Monroe brand, trade partners visited by the Shockmobiles consistently commented that customers readily asked for inspections during visits and techs were more comfortable recommending inspections after meeting with the Monroe Brand Ambassadors who helped them understand more about why a shock may need to be replaced.
“The Monroe Shockmobile mobile tour was designed to create attention for the entire category, helping educate consumers about the need to replace worn ride control components, ask for an inspection and to make our trade partners much more confident during service recommendations.”
The extensive tour schedule led to more than 500 customer stops, hundreds of thousands of roadside impressions among consumers and more than 2 million people following the tour on the Monroe brand’s social media channels. The tour also provided Monroe partners with content and visibility through their own social pages.
The summer tour included the Northeast of the United States and Eastern Canada, including stops in Pittsburgh; Virginia Beach, Virginia; New York City; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Ottawa, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario, and others. The second Monroe Shockmobile had stops that included Little Rock, Arkansas; Fort Worth, Dallas and Houston, Texas; Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Las Vegas; and Brainerd, Minnesota.
This year’s tour celebrated the Monroe brand’s 100th anniversary and continued its emphasis of the “Everything Gets Old. Even Your Shocks” consumer education campaign. The Shockmobiles and respective tow vehicles featured 100th anniversary graphics and “Made for the Road Ahead” messages plus a 50,000-miles/80,000 kilometers inspection reminder.
“The Monroe Shockmobiles are truly a memorable experience. Consumers see the Shockmobile and the inspection reminder which starts the conversation at the service counter,” said Hanefeld.
The Monroe Shockmobiles and the brand’s “Everything Gets Old” campaign were designed to remind consumers that their vehicles’ shock absorbers and struts eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Because these ride control components are “hidden” beneath the vehicle, the Shockmobiles feature a very eye-catching, 25-foot-long, 10-foot-high, translucent Monroe OESpectrum shock absorber that helps remind consumers about the importance of inspecting shocks and struts at 50,000 miles/80,000 kilometers. While ride control products aren’t as visible as many everyday consumer items, they play a crucial role in protecting drivers and passengers by helping to provide safe steering, stopping and stability, the company says.