Fewer new car buyers recall auto ads by major makes – Volkswagen and Jeep buck the trend.

In the year to May 2013, 85.5% of the 2.3 million Australians in the market for a new car in the next four years recalled seeing an auto ad recently—a decline of 1.8% points over the previous 12 months thanks largely to some big drops among last year’s most recalled makes.

A smaller proportion of new car intenders recalled seeing ads for Holden, Ford, Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan or Kia, with Volkswagen the only car manufacturer among last year’s Top 10 to improve.

Volkswagen jumped 5% points, overtaking Nissan, Mitsubishi and Honda to go from 10th in the 12 months to May 2012 to 6th a year later. A massive 9.6% point advance by Jeep has seen it vault from 14th to 9th.

Although each has suffered a decline in recall, Holden, Ford and Toyota remain in 1, 2 and 3 as most-recalled brands, while Mazda’s smaller comparative decline nudged it ahead of Hyundai.

Each of the top 10 makes has more than 1 million new car intenders who recall seeing or hearing some of its advertising recently.

Norman Morris, industry communications director, Roy Morgan Research, says:

“In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, advertising cut-through for many of the major brands has declined over the last 12 months.

“One brand to buck this trend is Jeep, which was well outside the top 10 most recalled brands 12 months ago but now more than a million new car intenders recall seeing one of their ads recently.

“When it comes to advertising attractiveness, although not in the top 10 most recalled brands, more new car intenders believe BMW has attractive advertising and sales promotions than any other brand tracked.

“In terms of connectivity with consumers, not surprisingly Toyota leads the way – with around 12.2% of new car intenders nominating Toyota as a brand that makes ‘advertising that speaks to me’.

“Crucially for all brands, advertising recall has a very positive effect on brand image. Looking at Holden as an example, intenders who have seen a Holden ad recently are more likely to think Holden makes reliable, dependable, safe vehicles with good exterior design and appearance and is a brand consumers ‘like’ – when compared to the total market.”