Ultra Tune Case Study and client testimonial The Client Ultra Tune Systems (Aust) Pty Ltd is Australia's leading fixed price car service franchise organisation. John Counsel Advertising was retained to provide advertising services to the company between 1988 and 1991, when we resigned the account as part of a change in our business direction. The company was purchased by Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd in 1994 and was subsequently liquidated. John Counsel Advertising has had no involvement with the new company, Ultra Tune Australia Pty Ltd. The Problem The problem was twofold. 1. Demand peaked in four short windows each year, then settled back into a trough. These windows corresponded to the two weeks before each school term break. 2, The client had sold no new franchises in almost two years, partly because of this unexciting turnover pattern. The Brief Our brief was to achieve new franchise sales and to tap into new retail market segments that were less likely to fall into the traditional pattern of four slight peaks per year. Improved sales volume would be a major factor in attracting new franchisees, so that became the first priority in our strategy, but because of timing (urgent due to the imminent annual Franchising Industry Expo in our city), we had to implement the strategy for attracting new franchisees almost immediately, too. The Solution We created a 12 minute video presentation promoting Ultra Tune as a franchise opportunity using well-known "Neighbours" star Ernie Bourne, who played Charlene's Uncle Rob, a motor mechanic, in the international hit soapie. The character had recently left the series to start a new car repair business elsewhere, so the video presenter began with him pulling into an Ultra Tune franchise outlet to do a bit of snooping. So impressed is he by the enthusiasm of the franchisee (a real-life one) and the training and support provided by the company, that he decides to buy an Ultra Tune franchise. The video presenter was supported by a full colour, 4 page brochure (featuring stills from the video and Uncle Rob in his Ultra Tune uniform on the front cover) and information pack, and a stand was built for the upcoming Franchise Exhibition in Melbourne and, later in the year, in Sydney. We also created a 30 second television commercial targeting women car owners as our PRIMARY target audience, based on research that showed the majority of women felt uncomfortable dealing with mechanics and service workshop staff because they had no idea if the work had been done at all, let along adequately, that could never be sure they were paying a fair price and, after paying for services or repairs, most of the male mechanics they dealt with would call them "love" or something equally patronising. Our SECONDARY audience was men who knew very little about cars — because many men are just as leery of dealing with mechanics and having their masculinity impugned (and their wallets emptied) if the mechanic suspects that they know little about cars. Our media strategy for these two audiences was simple: target the message directly to women — but run the commercials at times when men would also be watching, so we got the message through to them without it being obvious. The problem here was the reality that men have a major, three-fold advantage over women: they’re born with a complete and perfect knowledge of the three essential components of true masculinity — business, sport and cars. If any man dares to even hint to other males that his inherited, perfect knowledge is not complete and perfect, his masculinity can be instantly called into question and ridicule. So you can never target a message directly at males that says anything like "Hey, guys… we know you know nothing about cars, so let Ultra Tune do the job for you with no risk". The real risk for them now becomes being seen entering an Ultra Tune franchise at all! In fact, we risk driving away most males currently using the company's services. The commercial, featuring a well-known actress from the television series "Prisoner", tackled these issues head-on, from the opening frame, and reassured women that they could safely go to Ultra Tune for fixed-price servicing with a nationwide guarantee, and Ultra Tune's promise that they wouldn't be patronised. The commercial was given a four-week flight leading up to the Franchise Exhibition. The Results Most Ultra Tune franchises reported a dramatic increase in demand from the first day after the launch of the commercial. As we anticipated, the demand was evenly spread between women and men. The demand remained constant over several months, with no peaks or troughs. At the Franchise Exhibition, the stand was a huge hit (especially the video, which ran constantly), and the company sold more new franchises in the following six weeks than it had sold in the previous six years. Client testimonial Visit the Ultra Tune web site

Ever been called "love"? AFTER paying for your car to be fixed, not knowing if it's been done properly... then treated like a complete nitwit? Not any more!   I've found Ultra Tune... They do everything...       ... from brakes to EFI servicing. I get a written report, national warranty and the price is fixed before they start. I'll be back, and you will, too, when you discover the good things about Ultra Tune. ]Location tag full screen graphic, jingle backing with MVO: "We get it right -- guaranteed!"]   They've won me! Note: Ultra Tune is no longer a client of John Counsel Advertising. We resigned the account to focus on new business direction in 1991.