Travaline said the Tier 2 effort came about at the urging of the late Rick Case, whose expansive dealership group includes an Alfa store in Miami. Case had success with Tier 2 campaigns at other brands, so he wanted FCA to get behind the idea. The automaker, which had cut Tier 2 advertising after its bankruptcy, eventually approved the plan.
The surge in advertising, Travaline said, has coincided with improvements in Alfa’s product line for the 2020 model year, including a new 8.8-inch touch screen for the infotainment system and more advanced driver-assist functions.
Karim Kassim, general manager of Rick Case Alfa Romeo, said the store’s sales got an immediate bump from the advertising. Its monthly volume rose from an average of 40 or 50 deliveries to 80, with sales crossing 125 last November and December. The goal this December is to hit 150.
While the South Florida dealers push their messaging, FCA has been running a conquest program for the Stelvio, dangling $1,000 discounts for customers who defect from Lexus, Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Infiniti and Acura.
