New OMVIC consumer rights campaign to fill car-buying knowledge gap for millennials
Aug
25
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Toronto, ON, Aug. 24, 2021 –A new consumer rights campaign from the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC) is targeting consumers with a focus on millennials buying their first car – a particularly vulnerable group of consumers who have lower awareness of their car-buying rights.
Under the tagline “OMVIC.CA – it’s your free ride to a new ride,” the campaign intends to fill this knowledge gap by reaching millennials on platforms they frequent, like streaming services, social media, and connected television. An omnibus study commissioned by OMVIC last year showed that millennials aged 25-35 have a low level of awareness of their rights when it comes to car buying.
The campaign’s goal is to help millennials see OMVIC as a trusted, free and easy-to-access resource for advice and guidance throughout the entire car buying process. As current dealer inventory shortages and rising car prices have drastically increased competition between buyers, there has never been a greater need for millennials to be aware that these educational resources exist to help them make measured and informed choices.
“Young car buyers are extremely tech savvy and will spend hours researching the cars they want online, but they may not be doing as much research on the more practical aspects of car buying – like navigating contracts, arranging financing, or understanding the maximum price a dealer can legally charge,” said John Carmichael, OMVIC’s CEO and registrar. “Instead of turning to strangers on online forums, social media, or web articles with advice that may not be specific to Ontario, we want young car buyers to understand that as the province’s official regulator of vehicle sales, OMVIC is the best place for them to get credible car buying advice.”
With this demographic in mind, the campaign’s theme is built around animated animals looking for a ride and who eventually get a lift from other animals, like oxpecker birds who ride on hippos in the wild.
“We want millennials to understand they can lean on us in the same way when they go looking for their new ride,” said Carmichael. “If they find themselves confused or unsure about any aspect of car buying, they can always reach out to us with their questions.”
Recent innovations like online sales have made it possible to buy a car without ever stepping into a showroom or seeing a car before delivery. Accordingly, the campaign also targets parents of millennials to lean on OMVIC’s resources as a way of brushing up on their own car buying knowledge.
“With their life experience and higher levels of financial literacy, parents can play a crucial role in helping millennial car buyers navigate the car buying process,” said Carmichael. “When it comes to millennials, understanding how to buy a car is just as important as figuring out what to buy.”
Videos for the ad campaign can be found on OMVIC’s website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages.
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