Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - (Page S16)
16 ❙ OCTOBER 21, 2013
V I C T O R V I L L E M O T O R S , V I C T O R V I L L E , C A L I F.
California dealer's car raffle boosts
attendance, brings goodwill sales
Printed in Automotive News Jan. 21, 2013
Larry P. Vellequette
lvellequette@crain.com
ots of dealers have given away vehicles
to boost their business and help local
charities. But a Chrysler Group dealership's annual $75,000 car raffle
has pumped more than $1 million into struggling local schools and earned the dealership
dozens of extra sales.
Last year, Victorville Motors, a familyowned Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram dealership about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles,
developed "It's a Gas to go to Class."
Eligible for the raffle are high school students with perfect attendance. The campaign culminates in a daylong festival in
spring where valuable prizes - including
two new Dodge Darts - are raffled off.
Even though the contest is only in its second year, the impact on the local school districts is impressive because school funding
in California is based
partially on attendance. Participating
schools have enjoyed
a fourfold increase
in perfect attendance,
significantly higher
state revenue and
better academic performance by students.
And the dealership says it has sold more
than five dozen vehicles over 18 months as a
direct result of the contest.
"I had no idea how successful it would be,"
said Tim Watts, the dealer principal.
Victorville Motors had long been involved
in its community, raising funds and sponsoring events for local groups, Watts said.
But when one of the parents of a local Future Farmers of America chapter asked
whether the dealership had ever considered
giving away a car, the question planted a
seed in Watts' mind.
"It wasn't just about us. We wanted to do it
as a multilayered approach and an outreach
that includes other local businesses," said
Watts, 47, who runs the dealership with his
brother Chet, 65.
Last year the dealership sold 850 new and
756 used vehicles.
Two dealership employees, Kevin Smilen
and Billy Mack, developed the idea for the
L
Victorville Motors rewards perfect high school attendance with a raffle ticket that might win
the holder a vehicle. At left, Sydney Toney, with keys below, won a 2012 Jeep Patriot.
annual perfect attendance contest. The first
thing they did was reach out to local district
superintendents to weigh interest.
"Every one of the superintendents was
over the moon about it," Tim Watts recalled.
Elvin Momon, superintendent of Victor
Valley Union High School District, said that
before the contest started, there were
"maybe 15 or 20 kids" within his district's
three high schools that finished the year with
perfect attendance.
"But with the chance to win a car on the
line? We had several hundred kids that came
to school every single day," he said.
Six school districts and 12 high schools are
participating in this year's contest, which
will raffle off a pair of Dodge Darts. At the beginning of the academic year, the schools
hold a rally where the prizes are shown and
the rules explained. Tracking attendance is
left to the districts.
Midyear, students who have maintained
perfect attendance are eligible to win supplemental prizes, such as gift cards, as a motivational tool. And as the school year comes
to a close, students with perfect attendance
are given a special golden ticket.
That ticket allows the student to attend a final wrap-up event where the vehicles and
other prizes are raffled off. In the contest's
inaugural event, more than 3,800 people at-
tended the final six-hour event, where sponsoring businesses set up booths.
Under California law, minors aren't allowed to win vehicles, so if the ultimate prize
winner is under 18 the car is awarded to the
parent, Watts explained.
Watts said the prize vehicles, with special
wraps announcing the contest, visit participating high schools several times during the
year.
They also appear at football and basketball
games, especially when two participating
schools play each other. About 31,000 students attend participating schools.
The contest isn't the traditional kind of advertising message in that there is no direct or
indirect solicitation. Victorville purchased
special wraps for the exterior of four Dodge
Darts to advertise the contest, though only
two will be raffled off. But the product exposure and good will generated have been phenomenal, Watts said.
"We sold over 50 vehicles on the program
during the first year, mostly to educators,
who were delighted to see a local business
helping out its local schools," Watts said.
"And we've had 64 sales directly attributable
to the contest over the first 18 months. It's
been as trackable and achievable in sales results than I would get from a traditional
broadcast media, radio or TV campaign." c
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - Intro
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S1
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S2
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S3
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S4
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S5
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S6
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S7
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S8
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S9
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S10
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S11
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S12
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S13
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S14
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S15
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S16
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S17
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S18
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S19
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S20
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S21
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S22
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S23
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S24
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S25
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S26
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S27
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S28
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Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S30
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Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S40
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Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S43
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Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S47
Automotive News - October 21, 2013 - Supplement - S48
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