CTR Afermarket (CTR) is an established leading auto parts manufacturer. With over 60 years of experience in OE manufacturing experience and over 300 clients worldwide, CTR is a global powerhouse in the automotive industry.
Working with brands including Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Nissan, and GM, CTR understands the demands and standards of global automotive brands. CTR supplies suspension and steering parts and prides itself on producing products with a focus on safety and high engineering competency.
Their commercial footprint spans Latin America, Europe, Asia, and North America in both manufacturer and direct-to-consumer markets. Over 33% of American cars include CTR parts (89% of GM automobiles), and the company products 70% of Korean car parts.
CTR Afermarket faced uncertainty during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the global crisis, the afermarket parts industry as a whole faced a completely new marketing landscape and challenges in customer engagement.
During this complex and difficult time, CTR saw an opportunity to engage with consumers with a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign. Their goal was to underscore brand awareness with messages that would lay the groundwork for their company to emerge stronger from the crisis.
CTR outlined their goals and quickly identified the need for assistance in bringing them to life. They looked to the team at waymakrs to help them connect with varied audiences with consistent messaging. Markets spanned different cultures and languages such as Latin America, Thailand, Poland, and North America.
A successful campaign would identify ways to maximize campaign reach with universal appeal and options for localization. Adding an additional layer, CTR served two key consumer segments that our agency had to address: B2B with automotive companies and B2C with car enthusiasts.
We started by confirming the addressable market for CTR Afermarket’s predefined segments. Research was designed to confirm and scope the opportunities that existed across four continents, two demographics, and countless regionalized markets. With the global total value for automotive afermarket at roughly 760 billion with 3% growth, we confirmed the timing and opportunity for additional market penetration.
Next, we analyzed and defined targets in the distribution chain. Automobile aftermarket distribution varies significantly by region, with fragmented distribution channels and systems in place. In B2B alone, there are a number of potential targets including warehouse dealers, e-commerce retailers, and major B2C retailers.
Regionally, target markets varied in vehicle quality, quantity, and demand for aftermarket parts. Research showed that the U.S. alone has 14.5 million vehicles over 25 years old, with an average vehicle age of 11.5 years. Poland represented the single largest automotive market with a growth rate of 10% in the last three years. Over 80% of vehicles in Poland were over 10 years old, and repair garages accounted for more than 83% of all parts. Thailand's demonstrated continuous growth in cars over 8 years in age, but Thai buyers tended to source safe, quality OEM car parts from authorized workshops or retail shops. Mexico’s aging car population (15 years old on average) offered clear opportunity in passenger vehicles, SUVs, minivans, and pick-up trucks with key distribution targets being local aftermarket parts distributors.
With the size and growth of all markets, there was a clear opportunity for growth. The challenge became how to craft a universal message that cut across all target audiences with a global message that worked across a variety of creative mediums.
We began by creating a universal message centering around car parts safety: a message relatable across regions, languages, and cultures. The content approach was flexible enough to adapt and tailor toward regional audiences and distribution channel targets.
We developed a CSR concept that had broad appeal and communicated CTR's core values. The Unseen Heroes campaign depicted the Hreless work CTR performed behind the scenes. With an emphasis on brand awareness and market differentiators, CTR stood out as a dedicated developer and manufacturer of criHcal automotive parts that keep consumers safe on the road, no matter where they lived or whatever their destination.