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uHAPS Media

mcampo2501

Boss
Mar 7, 2012
158
34
First Name
Mike
Anyone ever heard of a company called uHAPS Media? I was just informed of a meeting that I'm supposed to have with them tomorrow morning. From the packet I was given to review, they call themselves an "experiential marketing firm that specializes in creating meanigful, hyper-local relations between brand and consumer".

They come in to the dealership, hire a few part time college aged kids, and send them to a bunch of events wearing dealer branded shirts. They take a bunch of pictures and then blog about it on our facbook, twitter, youtube, etc. They are supposedly responsible for setting up a years worth of events and creating a buzz. To me it sounds like it's going to be rediculously expensive and nothing that we couldn't do ourselves. Didn't want to go into the meeting completly blindsided, so any thoughts about programs like this would be great.
 
...They come in to the dealership, hire a few part time college aged kids, and send them to a bunch of events wearing dealer branded shirts. They take a bunch of pictures and then blog about it on our facbook, twitter, youtube, etc. They are supposedly responsible for setting up a years worth of events and creating a buzz. ....

They found a way to SPAM your neighborhood with fake happiness and you get to pay for it.

If your HIPPO buys it, you'll know who's the idiot in the room. The kids that are taking your money know its a dog and pony show.

Stick to sign spinners.
 
Thanks Joe. I don't know how they got past me in the first place. They found there way to the GM and now he's excited about it. The only bit of credibility I see is that they represent Anheuser-Busch, Smoothie King, Fantastic Sam's, A&W Restaurants, Rainforest Beverage, and "numerous Auto Dealerships". It seems like some big name clients are using this kind of service, but I'm wondering if it's just not something that works for the automotive industry. It concerns me that no one on here has anything good to say about them or has even heard of them.
 
<rant>
Jesus Christ, I'm getting sick and tired of hearing about all these social media companies. Yes, I understand they will post to twitter, Facebook, and hey maybe do a couple blogs a week. In this case, it looks like they go one ahead an people people out on the streets.

I mean, not bad, but definitely nowhere close to good - If this was for the $2 Thursday Miller Light special .. I get it, but for selling a 20k+ vehicle. It's complete BS. Seriously, a waste of money!
</rant>

As for being prepared, obviously do as much research as you can. Find out who they've been working with and see if there's anyway they can prove it's led to sales. Then ask how they can prove what they are doing is leading to sales at your dealership.

Oh they're a social media company - Are they posting UNIQUE content to Google+, flicker, insta-gram. What about custom vlogs on YouTube?

They'll claim that's there's really no way to track. Which we all know is far from true.

Keep us in the loop. I'd love to hear what happens.
 
Okay. Not a lot of new information in our meeting today. This solution seems to be more a replacement for traditional media and advertising. They suggest that the 20 something crowd is basically immune to traditional advertising and that the only way to reach them is by meeting them where they are. They've been doing business for 4 years and have only started working with auto dealers this year. I actaully think it's a really good program and somethig that would work for a dealership that was trying to brand themselves locally against other OEM dealers. Doesn't do anything for us, who have no Mercedes-Benz competition in Cincinnati. Of the many "socail media solutions" I've been pitched, this truly does seem like something different, and over the next 5 years I think this approach will be the only way we're advertising. They're supposed to be sending me examples of work they've done for other auto dealers in similar markets and in similar situations. If it's worth sharing I'll post it.