Approved Garages Take To The Track

Consumer Facing Sponsorship Raises The Game

Hot-on-the-heels of the trade launch of its Approved Garages programme, GROUPAUTO UK & Ireland Ltd (GROUPAUTO), the UK’s largest trading group, has confirmed a sponsorship deal with international race circuit Donington Park to ensure the brand is also visible to the general public when it makes its public launch in April.

“While the sales team has been busy presenting the concept and the process of building and developing a national network of trusted garages and explaining the benefits to both factors and garages of a network that is established on the principles of quality and service, the marketing team has also been busy laying the foundations of the consumer awareness campaign,” said GROUPAUTO’s MD, Jim Mazza.

“Although we know that more than 1.8 million online searches for the term ‘car servicing’ were made last year, which means that the huge investment we have made to develop a quality website that is also launched in April - www.approvedgarages.co.uk - is paramount to the success of the project, we also recognise the importance of raising awareness of the brand to the public where this is cost-effective to do so.

“The sponsorship package that we have concluded with Donington Park is a season long arrangement that will make Approved Garages the Official Ticket Sponsor, with its logo prominently positioned on around 200,000 tickets throughout the 2013 season. In addition, there are two advertising boards on the circuit itself, which will be seen by TV views on a number of channels that feature both two and four wheel competition.

“This will be great public exposure for the network, but we also have the opportunity to back this up with a lot more general information and practical advice from a trade stand that will be manned during all the circuits major events.

“With the announcement of this agreement we hope the trade will see yet more evidence of our commitment to the Approved Garages project and that those not yet persuaded by it will look again as we have endeavoured to provide a well thought out and coordinated plan that answers any legitimate criticism.

“We are unashamedly seeking to draw in quality garages that can provide the level of service the motorist deservers and to build the network the industry so desperately needs. This sponsorship agreement plays its part in that process and we believe it will be a success for the entire Approved Garages network.”

For more information contact the GROUPAUTO team on: 01274 654600 or visit: www.groupauto.co.uk

ENDS

Notes for editors

Approved Garages is a not-for-profit programme that has substantial funding from GROUPAUTO, GROUPAUTO members and a number of high quality aftermarket parts suppliers, all of whom are committed to the long-term goal of improving the quality of the service that motorists receive from the independent sector.

Although the garages in the network are not obligated to buy all of the products offered by these part suppliers, they jointly believe they will benefit over the long-term as the Approved Garages network grows and the culture of the independent sector changes from one that has used any old part to one that specifies quality parts for its repairs.

For further information relating to this press material, please contact Steve Coombes on: 01753 650004 or e-mail: steve@chicanemarketing.co.uk

Chicane is an established PR agency with a particular specialism in the automotive aftermarket and the motorsport industry.
Prix De la Communication and Barrington Needham Trophy award winners

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