MAACO® Brand "MAACOVER™" Inspires Consumers With Positive, Fresh Approach And Innovative Social Platforms

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MAACO®, part of the Driven Brands family of automotive companies, recently fielded the first independent brand tracker study* since launching its contemporary marketing and image campaign in the spring. The study was completed in late summer and analyzed the impact of the brand's new "MAACOVER" campaign.  After only three months, the results proved dramatic with increases in brand awareness as well as perception of the brand as more current, relevant and respected overall.

The "#MAACOVER"

Last April, the 40-year-old MAACO brand gave itself a radical "MAACOVER" with a new, modern marketing and brand image campaign. In a category traditionally known for pushing information out, MAACO turned industry communication on its ear by inviting the customer in with its use of a host of social initiatives that encouraged dialogue directly with the brand.

Revolving around confidence, optimism, inspiration and value, the new image work used both traditional advertising and social platforms that were first-of-a-kind for the industry, along with new, fresh imagery in MAACO® centers across the nation.  Positioning paint and body work as its "tools,"  MAACO set out to offer its customers the benefit of a great MAACOVER, a "transformation" that could help "turn the car they drive back into the car they love."

Consumers are Responding: Study Results Top Expectations

The immediate changes in perception reflected in the study results show that the new MAACO strategies are making headway.  Three reports a year are generated.  The first was completed as a baseline and fielded prior to the "MAACOVER" campaign launch in Q1.  The recent study, compiled at the end of Q2 focused on the impact of the new campaign versus the previous campaign and looked at the differences in awareness, likeability, perception, intent to visit and the performance of advertising over time. 

Highlights and priorities from the study include:

• The new campaign is successfully portraying MAACO as a more experienced and contemporary brand, with specific increases in knowledge and professionalism.
• MAACO's brand health improved across all measures since Q1 with significant increases in awareness, visitation and advocacy.
• The "MAACOVER" campaign is considerably more likeable and inspiring than the prior campaign, and improves overall perception of the brand.
• In a short period of time, recall of the new "MAACOVER" campaign matched and eventually surpassed that of the prior, long-running campaign.

"We set out to evolve the MAACO brand and to make it more relevant to consumers," says Artemio Garza, Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, MAACO. "The dramatic jumps we've seen in consumer perceptions of the brand tell us we are on the right track.  We had hoped for improvement, what we got, over a very short time period, was a real validation of our efforts to help our consumers in ways that are more meaningful and valuable to them.  And despite the fact that there is no simple way to determine an immediate correlation between enhanced reputation, brand image and sales, at this point, the brand has seen positive sales since the campaign launch. We plan to make sure this is only the beginning," he adds.

About MAACO®
Founded in 1972, MAACO® Collision Repair & Auto Painting (www.maaco.com) repairs accident damage, dents and faded paint for close to 500,000 drivers annually. The 450 franchises have restored the safety and beauty of all types of vehicles for nearly 40 years. MAACO Franchising, Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, NC, has been cited numerous times by Entrepreneur magazine as #1 in its category in the Annual Franchise 500 survey.

About Driven Brands
Driven Brands, (www.drivenbrands.com) headquartered in Charlotte, NC, serves as parent company for the separate businesses: MAACO® (a franchise-based collision repair and auto painting retail network) Meineke Car Care Centers® (a franchise-based automotive service and repair retail network); Econo Lube & Tune (a franchised chain of automotive repair/quick lube services); a franchised network of mobile services consisting of AutoQual®, Aero-Colours® & Drive N Style® (specializing in automotive interior reconditioning and maintenance, paint refinishing and restyling services for Car Dealerships) and Management team members serve on the industry association boards, the IFA and AAIA.

* The Study was fielded for MAACO by Bovitz, a research and strategy expert.

SOURCE MAACO