4/3/2009 | Coordenação de Comunicação

The chain of automotive  replacement, with the help of public bodies (DENATRAN – National Department of Traffic and CET – Engineering and Traffic Company) and of SENAI-SP –National Service  Industrial Learning, launches the "Carro 100%", campaign

Under the coordination of GMA – the Automotive Maintenance Group, the "Carro 100 %”) is the first initiative of the sector which aims to show to the driver the importance of carrying out preventive maintenance on his automobile. The project includes the disclosure of an educative publicity campaign (announcements on radio and in specialised sector magazines which circulate nationally), training in management and professional  skills for the  owners and employees of shops and repair workshops, apart from offering conditions for the preparation of quality certification for these companies

All these links in the business chain (manufacturers of auto parts, distributers, retail sellers and repair workshops) are united to guarantee the success of the project.

The trade-mark "Carro 100%", with the slogan "Who has it, arrives safely", was created by the advertising agencies Logullo Associados and Confraria Visuale has institutional and educational attributes, with a visual appeal which refers to the motto of the campaign: who carries out preventative maintenance on his vehicle arrives safely. The idea is to make the owner aware of the importance of care with his vehicle and presenting the benefits of this practice: the guarantee of safety in traffic, economy in the consumption of fuel, reduction of costs with emergency repairs, reduction of polluting emissions and the appreciation of the resale price.

Thinking of the heavyweight line, the agencies also developed the trade-mark "Caminhão 100%", seeking to awaken the interest of the truck driver to the motto of the campaign.

The signature of the campaign is that of the IQA, Automotive Quality Institute, a body specialised in the quality of the automotive sector and responsible for the certification of all links in this chain of business.

"‘Carro 100%' is an institutional banner for the replacement sector in support of the safety of the occupant and protection of the environment. In general, mechanical faults provoke accidents, which unfortunately has frequently been news in the media, apart from making the traffic even worse in the large cities. The experience in the field has shown us this, and there is data available which corroborates the affirmation that the well maintained vehicle pollutes a lot less, guaranteeing the improvement of the quality of the air. For all of this, ‘Carro 100%' motivates us a great deal. We are sure that we can give a positive and socially responsible contribution. It is a very simple project, however built on a solid base of facts and information which could help the driver, as it is for him that we developed all this work, to understand the importance of preventive maintenance", explains the GMA coordinator, Antônio Carlos Bento.

The campaign “Carro 100 %", with the slogan "Who has it, arrives safely”, had its beginning in May, running through to February 2009, when it will be reformulated. "The idea is to treat the theme in a perennial way, where afterwards we could have new forms of appeal created and based on the experience obtained with the first version. We are just giving the initial kick off to the greatest movement that the Brazilian sector of automotive  replacement has ever realised and which will be, without doubt, enlarged upon by all the links of the chain, as we believe that this is the route to be followed", adds Bento.

The example of other countries (United States, Mexico, and Portugal, among others) who adopted this initiative to awaken  drivers interests about the advantages of preventive maintenance for vehicles, will be disclosed through adverts in nationally circulated magazines with links to the auto industry, and spots of 30 seconds will be run on radios in the cities of  São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba and Recife, locations which concentrate between 60 to 70% of the national fleet of vehicles estimated at 28 million units, according to the Study of the Circulating Fleet prepared by Sindipeças.

As the proposal of GMA is to involve all the links in the business chain of automotive  replacement, adverts will also be run in publications specialised in the segment and promotional material with the trademark "Carro 100% - Who has it, arrives safely" in sales points (auto parts shops and repair workshops).

The campaign also has the portal "Carro 100%" (www. carro100.com.br) where the driver can obtain more information and hints on preventive maintenance of vehicles.

Apart from the media campaign, GMA will also begin training in the areas of management and professional skills to perfect the quality of services provided by the automotive replacement sector. "Our proposal is to give support to repairers and create conditions for the greatest number of repair workshops to be prepared to offer quality services which guarantee the loyalty of clients", says the coordinator of GMA.

The system to be adopted for training is in phase of completion and the modules already developed will be applied in face to face sessions and in video conferences via satellite.

Safety, economy and ecology – The motto of the company "Carro 100%" is based on these three pillars to show the owner that preventive maintenance guarantees the safety of the vehicle.

The environment is also another theme that the campaign "Carro 100%" addresses, to show the driver that his participation is important in improving the quality of the air by periodically servicing his automobile thus maintaining the levels of emissions of his vehicle within the determined limits. "The campaign joins up with the project “Clean City - Phase 2 of the City Council of São Paulo” – which provides for the implementation of the Environmental Vehicle Inspection in the city from 2008, firstly inspecting diesel vehicles", adds Bento.

Public Bodies support the campaign "Carro 100%" – As they recognise that the proposal of "Carro 100%" has as its object to improve the quality of air and the conditions of use of automobiles, guaranteeing the safety of use on highways, streets and avenues of the whole country. DENATRAN – The National Department of Traffic and the CET – Engineering and Traffic Company support the campaign for the awareness of drivers.

Electrical breakdowns and mechanical failures are responsible for the removal of an average of 470 vehicles from the public streets of the São Paulo capital because of the lack of preventive maintenance, causing even more increases in the high level of traffic congestion in corridors and avenues.

An investigation of consumer behaviour served as the base for the creation of the campaign "Carro 100%" – The GMA – Automotive Maintenance Group – armed itself with data based on the research of GIPA, an international body which carries out market studies at the post sale in various countries, which allows them to get to know the habits of drivers with relation to their care with the vehicle and their real necessities.

The research of GIPA identified that the trusted repair workshop is a respected institution and recognised by the consumer, with the preference of 80% of the drivers when the subject is carrying out servicing on the vehicle.

Of the total of 28 million vehicles (data of the Study of the Fleet of Sindipeças), 57% have already run for more than 100.000 km. The average annual number of kilometres run is 13.275 and has remained stable in the last few years, indicating that the motorist has maintained the same standard of use of his vehicle. However, 53% of automobiles with more than five years of use have run more than 50.000 and 25% have already passed 100.000km.

Learn more about the GMA

The GMA – Automotive Maintenance Group, created in 1995 with the name of GPE – Strategic Planning Group, is formed by entities which represent the productive chain of the automotive replacement: Sindipeças – National Syndicate for the Industry of Components for Auto Vehicles; Andap – National Association of Auto Parts Distributers; SINCOPEÇAS -  São Paulo State Syndicate for Retail Commerce of Vehicle Parts and Accessories and SINDIREPA-SP  - São Paulo Syndicate for Industry for Vehicle Repairs and Accessories.

GMA is a permanent forum of discussion which has as its objective to identify the threats and opportunities which impact on the development of the automotive replacement sector, proposing ideas and the elaboration of projects, having as its principal focus, the consumer.

More information:
Majô Gonçalves
Journalist MTB 24.475
Verso Comunicação
 (55 11) 4102-2000  / 9905-7008
majofg@uol.com.br

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