J.D. Power and Associates Reports; Embracing Social Media in Automotive Marketing is Critical to Changing Customer Perceptions

J.D. Power and Associates Reports; Embracing Social Media in Automotive
Marketing is Critical to Changing Customer Perceptions

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Investment in high-quality digital and
social media content is key to changing customer perceptions of a brand, as
well as in raising brand awareness and consideration levels, according to
industry experts at the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Internet
Roundtable. The conference is currently being held at the Red Rock Casino,
Resort and Spa in Las Vegas, Nev., through Friday, Oct.16.

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Creating engaging digital content that demonstrates the value of a brand is
critical to telling the brand's story and shifting consumer perception.

"At Ford, we have invested heavily in social media and organic marketing and
we are achieving unprecedented levels of consideration," said Jim Farley,
group vice president of marketing and communications at Ford Motor Company and
a keynote speaker at the conference. "Approximately 25 percent of Ford's
global media buy is digital, and it is the richness of the digital experience
that makes a big difference."

By integrating user-generated content and capturing "real-world" consumer
opinions, marketers can improve their brand's credibility among consumers.
Strong digital content often spurs discussion among social media users, which
can achieve a widely expansive reach among the target audience.

"The customer's voice provides content that customers can talk to other people
about," said Farley. "Customers share their personal experiences with the
brand, which is then able to be shared on social media sites. It creates a
dialog between companies and consumers. For marketers, social media is about
getting unique and creative content in the hands of the customers and letting
them amplify it."

According to Farley, Ford has successfully relied on digital and social media
to build on the brand's global reputation for small, fuel-efficient
vehicles--such as the Ford Fiesta--and to revitalize perceptions of existing
vehicle models, as well as to elevate its overall brand image. For example, a
video focusing on the paint quality of the Ford Taurus has been particularly
effective in conveying the high overall vehicle quality of this all-new model.

The 2009 Automotive Internet Roundtable is the most highly attended J.D. Power
and Associates conference since the event was first initiated in 1984, with
nearly 900 automotive dealers and industry professionals registered.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a
global marketing information services company operating in key business
sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web
intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers
annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,
health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D.
Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global
information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial
services, education and business information markets through leading brands
such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power
and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries.
Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts:
John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 312-4119; media.relations@jdpa.com

Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103;
media.relations@jdpa.com

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this
release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and
Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates

John Tews, +1-248-312-4119, media.relations@jdpa.com, or Syvetril Perryman,
+1-805-418-8103; media.relations@jdpa.com, both of J.D. Power and Associates