Car Advertising Tactics & Taglines- What It All Means in Print, Online, or TV Ads

Car Advertising is generally used to get you to go to the lot. Nothing in the advertising world is a guarantee, especially when it comes to cars. It is important to be able to decode car advertising tactics, since it can help prevent you from driving to the car lot and getting trapped into buying a car on the spot. Before you pull out your car keys and head to the dealership, know what you are getting yourself into.

Here are some common advertising tag lines dealerships use to get you into the lot, but it doesn't mean you get the deal.

On the video below, stop at the 14 second mark to see exactly what I mean.

1. Zero-Percent Financing: This the example that can be seen in the video, a dealership offering ridiculously low rates to entice you to come in. And at the 14 second mark, you see the catch-- "On select models with approved credit." That means you could potentially pick out a vehicle that does not qualify for such a low rate or your credit rating (which, let's face it, for most) does not meet their requirements.

• The dealer's purpose in offering you zero-percent financing is to get 1) you onto the showroom floor, 2) into the Finance and Insurance room to discuss your options, 3) get you to buy the vehicle without the zero-percent financing. Honestly, that is a lot of work for anybody, so they are hoping that you just buy because you invested so much time.

2. "Buy it now at this low price per a month." The key element in this tag line, is "per a month." Auto loans have three important elements: term, monthly payment, and interest. By focusing on just one part, you can easily lose sight of the rest. Having a smaller monthly payment does not take into account if the term is short and interest rate low. You could be paying more over time in interest, than the low monthly payment saves you. Always keep the big picture in mind when dealing with auto loans.

3. "No Matter the Condition, We Will Pay A Huge Price For Your Trade-In." Most likely, this tag line is a little more discrete, but with the same idea: a promise for a great price for a trade-in. An offer made before they even look at your car will never be in your favor. They may offer you a great price but then stiff you on your new car price, monthly payment, interest, etc. There are many outlets dealers can use to get the money back, and still make it look like they are doing you a favor by taking that old clunker off your hands.

4. "For you, a car price way below the invoice price." The invoice price is how much the manufacturer charged the dealership to purchase that vehicle for sale; this price does not take into account the dealer's profit. So why would a dealer want to sell a car that has no profit? They don't. The reason for such a low price can be either the model is not selling very well or the invoice price is not an accurate assessment of how much they actually paid. It can be very hard to find the invoice price of a car at the dealership; your best bet is to search online first. Also, if it is a model not selling, manufacturer's offer dealer holdbacks to reward salespeople for getting these type of cars off the lot. Some profit is better than none.

5. "Sale Ends Today!" Talk about pressure, which is the point exactly. For cars, there are always sales, and if there isn't, there is always the power of negotiation. Car lots are always offering sales, especially at the end of the month/year; therefore, there really is no end in sight. Don't be pressured to hurry that day to get the car; instead, go online and research. Once you feel prepared, then tackle on the big task. Going in unprepared is exactly what they are hoping for.

 6. "Only One at this Low Price" Yep, put on your fighting gloves, because there is literally only one sold at that price. Most likely, by the time you get to the lot, the car will be sold; or worse, ugly. These type of cars tend to be an out-of-the-box colos, or not in the best condition. Think twice before you try to beat everybody for a piece of junk. A good option is to call ahead.