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Client news and Hedges & Company news
Here is the latest on what's going on with Hedges & Company and our clients. For industry news and research data please visit our Data Center.
Hedges & Company Represented on "Ask the Experts" Panel at ChannelAdvisor's CatalystAmericas 2013
(April, 2013) -- Hedges & Company, a ChannelAdvisor Agency Partner, is presenting at ChannelAdvisor's annual CatalystAmericas event in Las Vegas. Jon Hedges is a panelist on the "Ask the Experts" panel, discussing search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing strategies unique to the automotive aftermarket, and answering questions from attendees.
Over 800 attendees are expected at CatalystAmericas, held in Las Vegas April 29 through May 1.
Hedges & Company Ranks #28 in 2012 Direct Marketing Agency Standings
(June, 2012) -- Hedges & Company was again named one of the top direct marketing agencies in the 2012 Agency Business Report by Direct Marketing News magazine. The report ranked Hedges & Company as the 28th leading direct marketing agency in the United States. The Report ranks agencies across industries by reportable US revenue and can be downloaded here as a PDF file.
As a leader in database marketing, market research and strategy serving the automotive aftermarket industry, Hedges & Company is proud to be recognized along with agencies serving broader markets. We would like to thank our clients for making this possible.
Hedges & Company Expands International Reach through Research and Markets
(May, 2012) -- Hedges & Company has joined into a strategic relationship with the Irish-based firm Research and Markets to distribute BuyerZoom and BrandZoom research reports globally. Research and Markets promotes and distributes more than 1.5 million market research reports covering all industries. Research and Markets specializes in reaching the European and Asian business communities, giving Hedges & Company research on the automotive aftermarket global reach.
"We're excited to work with Research and Markets to distribute our reports world-wide," said Julie Hedges. "This also gives manufacturers and distributors from outside the U.S. a convenient way to learn about entering the U.S. market."
BuyerZoom and BrandZoom research reports will be marketed by Research and Markets and will still be available for purchase directly from the Hedges & Company Market Research Store. Reports through Research and Markets are priced in Euros.
Hedges & Company Opens Online Market Research Store
(January, 2012) -- Market research reports on automotive enthusiasts' buying behavior and brand perceptions are now available in the Market Research Store on HedgesCompany.com. These reports include new part-specific BuyerZoom and BrandZoom research reports which are based on research compiled from surveys sent to more than 100,000 enthusiasts.
BuyerZoom reports are part-specific and include data on reasons for buying a part, type of vehicle the part was purchased for, type of outlet purchase from and why, where enthusiasts go for product information, first part purchased, demographics and more. They include the top 25 magazines consumers read and the top automotive websites they visit. This information can help business owners and managers in media planning.
BrandZoom reports are also part-specific and capture enthusiasts' awareness, opinions and perceptions of the brands for specific types of products. Survey respondents selected words and phrases that match their perception of the brands they were familiar with. These reports also include graphs of brand familiarity with the percentage of respondents who were aware of brand names, and graphs of positive perception with the percentage of positive attributes consumers associate with those brands. Reports include attributes such as trusted brand, ease of installation and quality.
BuyerZoom and BrandZoom research reports are currently available for camshafts, crankshafts, cylinder heads and gaskets. Additional reports to be added include bearings, carburetors, connecting rods, engine blocks, engine fasteners, fuel and oil pumps, intake manifolds, valve lifters, pistons, rocker arms, valves, valve covers and valve springs.
For more see SearchAutoparts.com, SEMA, Aftermarket News and PRWeb.
Hedges & Company Grows Again
(August, 2011) -- Hedges & Company has added to its staff: Shane Davis. Shane, a Kent resident, will handle copywriting and marketing duties. The firm has relocated to larger office space at 72 Village Way, Suite 2C in historic downtown Hudson. The new office space overlooks the First & Main office and shopping area.
Hedges & Company Ranked #33 in 2011 Direct Marketing Agency Standings
(July, 2011) -- Hedges & Company was named one of the top direct marketing agencies in the 2011 Agency Business Report released by Direct Marketing News. The report ranked Hedges & Company as the 33rd leading direct marketing agency in the US. The Report ranks agencies across industries by reportable US revenue and can be viewed here.
As a leader in database marketing, market research and strategy, Hedges & Company is grateful for the recognition. We are proud to be part of the automotive industry and will continue to thoroughly serve our customers.
Opinion Leaders Market Research Report Released by SEMA
(February, 2011) -- The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has released a market research report prepared by Hedges & Company covering the SEMA Show Opinion Leaders program. As with the previous year, Opinion Leaders Program participants were granted one-day access to the SEMA Show.
They completed a detailed survey to share their opinions and buying habits, and shared impressions from the SEMA Show through social media using their personal account or their car club affiliation. The feedback from the Opinion Leaders market research program gives SEMA members a big opportunity to understand the buying process used by automotive enthusiasts.
An important finding: almost universally, enthusiasts associate "performance" with "an improvement in function" and not necessarily with "speed." This is worth noting because the aftermarket industry often associates the word "performance" with horsepower. A restoration enthusiast is likely to refer to a replacement radio as "improved performance" just like an off-road enthusiast might refer to a new suspension as "improved performance" even though he may be rock-crawling at 5 mph. About 85% of enthusiasts reported purchasing parts for more than one vehicle. (story continued on the Hedges & Company blog)
Hedges & Company Conducting Automotive Market Research with 2010 SEMA Show Opinion Leader Program
(September, 2010) -- Building on the success of last year's Opinion Leader market research program, SEMA announced the market research program will be expanded at the 2010 SEMA Show. Hedges & Company will be conducting extensive focus group research with dozens of automotive enthusiasts at the 2010 SEMA Show covering the off-road, street performance, light truck, motorsports, powersports and tire/wheel market segments.
The program is open to consumers, not normally admitted to the SEMA Show. It brings together a group of the nation's most influential and active car and truck enthusiasts to identify future trends in the automotive aftermarket. The Opinion Leaders get an exclusive look at thousands of new products, and they'll be asked to share feedback on industry trends, vehicles and products as well as their experience at the 2010 SEMA Show. Opinions Leaders will also be sharing photos, videos and comments through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Participants will also be asked to add SEMA to their own social network contacts, register with SEMA's own social media feed, publish comments, photos and/or video from the 2010 SEMA Show using the #SEMA hashtag and have that information shared through SEMA's EnjoyTheDrive.com consumer website.
SEMA Show Wins 2010 Innovation Award from Trade Show Executive Magazine
(June, 2010) -- The SEMA Show was awarded an Innovation Award for the Opinion Leaders project, where carefully-selected enthusiast consumers were brought into the trade-only show. The goals were to increase awareness of exhibiting manufacturers and to gain market research knowledge. Hedges & Company assisted with the screening and selection of enthusiasts and market research.
The article in the June, 2010 issue of Trade Show Executive Magazine states, in part:
Building a social networking community is trendy, but the SEMA Show went to great lengths to ensure that the community it created remained an exclusive club. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) developed a strategy that enabled it to bring SEMA Show exhibitors into closer contact with the customers of their customers, that is, car buffs that ultimately buy the products of the attendees. The result was a cadre of visitors who were considered quality attendees even though they were end-users and not part of SEMA’s traditional target audience. This represents a milestone in SEMA Show history as the event is a strictly enforced, trade-only show that has never before been accessible to consumers. "We were careful to ensure that business at the show was not disrupted, so the number of enthusiasts was restricted to only 527, less than 1% of all attendees," said Tom Myroniak, vice president of marketing and member services for SEMA.
The 2009 SEMA Show ranks No. 11 on Trade Show Executive’s Gold 100 list, with 735,200 net square feet of exhibit space and 106,000 attendees. The groundwork done in the months leading up to the 2009 SEMA Show resulted in a strategy for community building and social networking that is more sophisticated than simply opening the doors of their trade shows to the general public.
The results were impressive. Facebook friends of the SEMA Show spiked from 2,000 to 6,200 in November, and the show was a Top Ten Twitter topic on November 4. At the same time, show managers were able to tap into a new source of insight into the thinking and buying behavior of the car enthusiasts. Myroniak reported that the research resulted in many ground-breaking discoveries, including insights into vehicle ownership and modification; behavior changes due to gas prices; and other buyer behavior. (For more information see the June issue of Trade Show Executive magazine.)
Worldwide Reach: Quarter of All SEMA Show Buyers Come From Outside U.S.
Demonstrating the specialty-equipment industry's growing global reach, international buyer and attendee attendance continues to climb. Hailing from 140 countries and U.S. territories, 2009 SEMA Show international attendees increased to 25%, a 5% rise from 2008, according Hedges & Company data.
One of every four buyers at the 2009 SEMA Show came from outside the United States, with the percentage of international buyers increasing from 22% in 2008 to 25% in 2009. Ninety percent of international buyers had the ability to make buying decisions or recommendations, which is three points higher than the net buying influence of domestic buyers.
Forty-two percent of international buyers were from businesses with annual sales of less than $1 million, while 59% of international buyers were from businesses in operation 11 or more years. Eighty-two percent reported at least 10% of their business was wholesale compared to 68% for U.S. buyers. International buyers also reported a higher mix of wholesale business, 73% of which have $5 million or less in annual sales from one location and wholesale is half of their business. (for more see SEMA eNews, Volume 13 Issue 14)
This Bit of Business is Hardly a Drag
(Exerpted from Reporter's Notebook, Crain's Cleveland Business magazine, March 29-April 4, 2010) -- Database marketing company Hedges & Company in Hudson has carved a nice niche in the automotive world, based on its principals' years of experience in the field. But that niche recently got a little bigger, as the company announced a deal with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the national sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing.
Hedges & Company has culled consumer buying history and association membership history, among other things, to provide NHRA a database...(for more see Crain's Cleveland Business)
SEMA Releases Four Enthusiast Opinion Leader Market Research Reports
(March, 2010) -- The market research department of SEMA released four ground-breaking market research reports from the first-ever Enthusiast Opinion Leaders Research Program conducted at the SEMA Show in November 2009. The reports have been released to SEMA Show exhibitors for free and will be available for sale to the rest of the industry. The four reports include: Applicant and Pre-Survey Analysis - Provides insight into the program participants and the 1,651 comprehensive applications that they completed. Data includes demographics, amount spent on accessories and types of modifications made to the vehicles owned by these enthusiasts. Buying Behavior Analysis - Discusses the buying behaviors of enthusiasts based on their segment preference, whether it be compact performance, off-road, racing, or any of the eight primary niches that SEMA studies. Focus Group Results - Two focus groups were held at the SEMA Show as a part of the Enthusiast Program. This report includes findings related to the two target groups: truck/SUV enthusiasts; and street-performance enthusiasts. Gas Price Influence - Enthusiasts were asked questions regarding their response to increased gas prices as it relates to accessory and vehicle purchases.
Hedges & Company assisted the market research department of SEMA with the Enthusiast Opinion Leaders Research Program by screening applicants and conducting focus group research for SEMA and authored the four reports.
NHRA Hires Hedges & Company To Assist With Database Marketing
(March 8, 2010) Glendora, Calif. -– With the intent of better reaching and servicing its fan base, NHRA has retained the services of Hedges & Company, a database marketing agency in Hudson, Ohio, to assist the world’s largest sanctioning body on a comprehensive database marketing initiative in 2010.
"We've launched our database marketing initiative in order to better communicate with NHRA fans and to add value for our sponsors and partners," said Gary Darcy, senior vice president, sales and marketing, NHRA. "Aligning our efforts with Hedges & Company makes perfect sense given their extensive knowledge and success in database marketing and the drag racing marketplace."
Hedges & Company will assist NHRA in organizing its extensive internal databases with the goal of creating an actionable marketing database to extend the variety of touch points NHRA currently has with its various customers and constituents. "We're excited to be working with NHRA and bringing the latest database marketing technology and predictive analytics to motorsports," said Jon Hedges, principal of Hedges and Company.
Hedges & Company is a full service database marketing, market research and strategic planning firm specializing in motorsports and the automotive industry, headquartered in Hudson, Ohio. The company offers email marketing, database marketing, direct mail and customer list management solutions, as well as mailing lists through its subsidiary EnthusiastsDirect. For more information, log on to HedgesCompany.com or EnthusiastsDirect.com.
Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA has 80,000 members and 140 member tracks nationwide. As the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States, NHRA presents 23 national events in the U.S. featuring the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. Two NHRA-sanctioned bracket racing series provide competition opportunities for drivers of all levels: the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers the Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 8 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates five racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; National Trail Raceway in Ohio; O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the Official NHRA Pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
Hedges & Company Recognized by Hudson Economic Development Groups
(February, 2010) Hudson, Ohio -– Three local organizations responsible for economic development have recognized Hedges & Company, a market research and database marketing agency, for investing in Hudson. A new program sponsored by the City of Hudson Economic Development department, the Hudson Economic Development Corporation, and the Hudson Chamber of Commerce/ExploreHudson.com, recognizes companies new to the city with a sign placed in front of the business.
Hedges & Company relocated to office space in Hudson in September, 2009 and has since expanded its staff.
PINKS: All Out Brings Down Phones and Website; Estimated 9,000 Racers Vie For 425 Openings at Summit Motorsports Park
(December, 2009) Norwalk, Ohio -– Demand to appear on PINKS: All Out, a drag racing reality show that airs on SPEED TV, resulted in phone system and Web site outages in Norwalk Monday, December 7. An estimated 9,000 racers from the Midwest United States tried to grab one of 425 available openings when they went on sale at noon at Summit Motorsports Park. The 425 openings sold out in two minutes and were only available by phone or online.
The episode of PINKS: All Out will be filmed at Summit Motorsports Park August 27-28, 2010. The reality show last filmed an episode at the track in June, 2008.
"We had a lot of people simultaneously trying to get one of these 425 racer openings," said Bill Bader, Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. "We were amazed when we looked at the logs for our Web site. When you have that many people calling and using the Web site at the same time, it creates a large spike in demand on the equipment. I apologize to anyone in Norwalk that may have been inconvenienced." Many residents in eastern Norwalk reportedly lost phone service and Internet access mid-day Monday as demand interrupted service.
"There were only two other times when Norwalk experienced this much load on the phone and Internet lines," Bader continued. "The first was when a local resident appeared on the TV show American Idol and people were voting for him, and the second was when tickets for our first PINKS: All Out event went on sale December 3, 2007."
When tickets for the first PINKS: All Out show went on sale, 400 available driver openings sold out in 12 minutes, which was then a record for ticket sales for the reality show. Then, track officials estimated there were approximately 5,000 racers competing for the available openings.
"By all accounts, interest in PINKS: All Out is higher than it was two years ago," said Bader. "We think that's a positive sign for the economy and for northern Ohio." The 2008 event brought over 25,000 fans from Ohio and surrounding states to the track to watch the reality show being filmed.
PINKS: All Out pits drivers in street-driven cars against each other in an old-style drag race. Host Rich Christensen starts each pair of drivers with his famous arm drop, instead of using the traditional drag racing “Christmas tree” with lights. The show will be in its fourth season in 2010 and will tape 13 episodes across the country.
For more information on PINKS: All Out spectator tickets contact Summit Motorsports Park at (419) 668-5555 or visit www.SummitMotorsportsPark.com.
Hedges & Company Grows, Acquires New Office Space
(September, 2009) Hudson, Ohio -– Hedges & Company, a database marketing, strategic planning and market research firm specializing in the automotive aftermarket industry, motorcycle/powersports industry, and other enthusiast-based market segments, has expanded into larger office space in Hudson, Ohio. The new offices are located in the Cambridge Commons Building located at 126 W Streetsboro Street (also known as State Route 303), Suite 8, Hudson OH 44236.