NAPA Auto Parts Negative Car Wash Ad

[cdreed06]

New NAPA radio commercial

Just heard a new napa radio commercial kinda made me mad. Not sure on exact wording but went like this- at the fancy car wash for the base price you come out with a dirty car. For few dollars more you get chipped paint. The top wash will take your mirror off. Come to napa for car care products blah blah blah. Anybody have any ideas how to stop this stupid commercial?

 

[MEP001]

Might take something like a class action suit.

 

[madscientist]

There's another parts store around here that plays similar ads for themselves on their in-store speaker system. I'm not 100% confident in my memory so I won't name the store.

 

[spotfree]

Have you heard the vicious radio ad NAPA auto parts is playing? It says (paraphrasing), Wash your car at one of those fancy car washes, get a basic wash and leave with a dirty car, with a deluxe wash they will chip your paint and ask for the ultimate wash and they'll rip your mirror off. They then promote their car wash soap for home washing! I hear it frequently on ESPN.

We need to spread the word to the whole car wash industry. Everyone in the industry needs to boycott Napa Auto Parts and send lots of e-mails to Napa informing them about our displeasure with their negative outlook on car washes.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The ICA should jump all over this

 

[robert roman]

The automotive aftermarket industry is about a $170 billion a year business, $70 billion of this is parts sales.

NAPA is a retail cooperative owned by Genuine Parts Company (GPC). GPC has annual net sales of $14 billion and NAPA accounts for 53 percent of this or $7.0 billion or 10 percent of the total market.

By comparison, annual spending on chemical and equipment in carwash industry is about $1.0 billion and $200 million, respectively.

Since aftermarket has been relatively stable since recession, maybe NAPA wants to capture share from commercial carwash industry.

Actually, the message being used to do this is no different than the one OEM’s in carwash industry used to sell touch-less in-bays; brushes scratch cars.

NAPA is a sponsor of NASCAR and there is also a fledging attempt to create a chain of NASCAR-branded car washes.

So is this mudslinging or just competition NASCAR style (bumping, pushing, trash talking)?

What can the ICA do, whine about it? Maybe ICA should sponsor NASCAR.

Hey, it’s not like the carwash industry is totally undeserving. There are still enough washes around that don’t clean well and that cause damage to vehicles.

I’m a freaking carwash advisor and this happened to my car more than once in my own backyard.

In fact, I don’t even use commercial carwash in my neighborhood anymore because most are junky and don’t clean well.

 

[Earl Weiss]

NAPA is a sponsor of NASCAR and there is also a fledging attempt to create a chain of NASCAR-branded car washes.

So is this mudslinging or just competition NASCAR style (bumping, pushing, trash talking)?

.

Mudslinging or competition- How about neither.

Just marketing idiocy when one of your marketing actions slams anothher one of the businesses your marketing promotes.

Granted it is /was idiocy for most negative advertising i.e. when the cloth people slammed the filament, and the lambs cloth / other materials slammed both, and the touchless slammed everyone, and everyone slammed touchless for the use of harsh solutions and on and on.

BTW, already sent an e-mail to NAPA. I'm sure everyone else did also. I will let you know if there is a response.

 

[Axxlrod]

The NAPA ad isn't much different than the ones Mother's car care line runs in most of the print magazines. It's not gonna go away.

 

[bigleo48]

I keep reminding myself that we are selling convenience. The majority of my customers can wash at home (at least part of the year), yet they come to me...nice wash, all the options, credit card acceptance, good vacs, lots of room, SS or auto, detailing, etc. Most families don't have time to get all the stuff they need doing in the time they have...so to wash the car, they go to a professional carwash.

This stuff doesn't bother me one bit...

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

The NAPA ad isn't much different than the ones Mother's car care line runs in most of the print magazines. It's not gonna go away.

Agreed. But understanding that certain behaviors are not going to go away, and shrugging & not caring what people are doing/saying about my business are two very different things.

FYI I yanked all "Mothers" products from my vendor and stopped using them personally. Plan to have a chat with the guys at the local Napa. As Earl said, "I'm sure everyone else did also."

 

[jprb]

O'Reilly Auto Parts had a similar television commercial a few years ago. I contacted them, and the ICA. They removed the ad. I have been a customer of theirs ever since. I guess everyone who hears it should call/ Email NAPA and ICA. It can't hurt.

JPRB

 

[Washmee]

Ok Eric Wulf, I know you read this forum. You claim the ICA is trying to be a proactive organization, so what is your reaction to this advertising campaign?

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I don't think it is much different than a touchfree owner saying -- Do you really want to scratch your car and pull parts off, or the tunnel operator wondering why you don't want a clean car when you wash it- mudslinging touchfrees. Always hyperbole in advertising or it would be even more boring than it is. I have an O'Reillys 100 feet from one of my washes, and haven't been in there more than once a year.
All of you own businesses, which should give you a (Business to Business) discount at all the real car parts dealers for OEM. I get at least 20% off at the GM and ford dealerships . It is bad enough to buy OEM crappy parts or worse chinese made crap from Those auto parts stores--OOPS-- More negative mudslinging.