Multi-franchise dealer group Hendy is using innovative market techniques made available by digital television to bring its sales messages to targeted consumers in its southern England heartland.

It has employed television adverting previously in a blanketed, one-message approach, but advances in technology means it can now single out the type of person it wants to see the ads by location for example or affluence, how many times it wants them to see the Hendy ad, when and during which programmes.

The capability is being provided by Sky and its AdSmart system. Managing the campaigns is Mark Busby, Hendy new car sales and marketing director.

“In the next campaign we have planned, I have taken Experian Mosaic data providing demographic, lifestyle and behavioural data, plus Sky’s information on the viewing habits of its customers to identify 91,000 affluent households that will be shown our ad five times over a four week period," he said.

"This will mean the ad will be viewed 334,000 times at a cost of about 3.6 pence per advert."

The tactical campaign will promote a five-year warranty on new Fords and a Honda five-year car package, with views split 65:35 respectively.

While Busby is not able to prove a direct correlation between ad broadcast and a customer purchase decision, he is confident AdSmart is having a positive impact on sales: previous campaigns – one on a special edition Fiesta and another on Hendy used cars – were followed by objective beating sales for the former and the group’s best ever month for the latter.

In the near future Hendy will be able to identify which of its customers are also Sky subscribers and be able to show them loyalty building ads.

And as well as the bottom line benefits, Busby said the impact on staff was considerable: “You cannot underestimate the placebo effect on the sales team and the impact of being ‘on TV’ and the way it improves their confidence and moral knowing the group is investing in television exposure.”

> Hendy features in a Sky AdSmart case study video.