March 1 McGeorge Toyota tries a softer approach to sales (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

March 1, 2012

George Hoffer, a University of Richmond economics professor who specializes in the automobile industry, said McGeorge's decision to avoid pricing in its advertising is part of an evolving industry trend.

"Increasingly, manufacturers are forcing dealers not to advertise pricing because it diminishes the value of the product," Hoffer said.

He said BMW, Cadillac and Mercedes have all imposed limits on how much of a dealer's advertising can be focused on pricing.

Even as ads move away from pricing, many dealers continue to run personality- or character-driven spots that are over the top, Hoffer said. Deviating from a standard and focusing on the dealership experience could be challenging, said Hoffer, who added that he likes the concept.

In the early 1990s, Infiniti got off to a slow start because its advertising didn't focus enough on the cars, giving Lexus a leg up, he said. "They have very little brand recognition."

full Times-Dispatch article.