Mary London is owner of Londonvox Productions Inc, a hybrid Advertising Agency specializing in Automotive Advertising.
As a former on air radio personality turned writer,voice actor and media buyer, she began working with dealers directly in 1994.
By 1997, she opened Londonvox.
"Some people think women working with Car dealers is a strange combination. Why?
Half of the people buying carss are women! Plus we are the strongest influence on the guy buying one... besides that: I love cars. Give me gears to shift and an open highway or country road, and I am a happy woman.
A successful campaign brings together love of the brand, and dealership loyalty. If I can entertain, inform and compel someone to at least take a test drive, to get them on the lot, then I know I've done my job.
Buying a car is personal. Why they buy is just as important as who they buy from. It's an identity. You have to connect to the buyer.
Its not just price, its honesty, believability. and it is in the writing, performance, editing, graphics, and the words that are used to shape the image that makes someone stand up and say 'I want to buy that car from that dealer! '
It is using a multi-prong approach; good branding, combined with smart media buying. And don't forget Social Media: you found me on the Internet, so will your potential customers.
Our goal is to keep Client in front of their customers: Sound, Sight & Touch all working in unison."
London is not cookie cutter. She talks cars- not like a mechanic- but like a consumer. She doens't talk down to them, she talks to them.
"I drive 'em all. Cadillac, Toyota, Mercedes, Ford, BMW, Lexus, Chevy, Nissan, Kia, Hyundai, Honda , VW, you get the drift. There is not a car or truck made I would not want to drive. I am the customer. That's why it works. Its not a gimic or a ploy, its real. But I must admit, my favorite is always a straight drive. Heck, I even drove an 18 wheeler once...briefly.
Automotive Advertising was my destiny.
When I met my husband, I was on the air as a DJ and he worked for one of the most innovative automotive advertising agencies in the US at the time: Jess DuBoy Advertising out of Richmond, VA. We all know what Toyotathon is: and Jess created that campaign. Michael was in sales at DuBoy. He sold the campaign to Canada for the very first Toyotathon in every province. I think I learned though osmosis : you don't live with someone who works in advertising, then TV sales, then retail without picking up something along the way.
Years later while still in radio, my path crossed that of Ed Galloway and we worked together on a morning show in Charlotte, NC. He left radio, then I left radio and I found myself working with Ed once again. He had become the premiere Creative Radio Ad Man in the Automotive arena. It was a great opportunity, and we still work together on projects as often as possible.
When the time came for me to fly on my own wings in 1997, my husband guided me through the key elements of media buying, and Londonvox was born.
Life has come full circle, I have always had at least one Toyota dealer as a client. There is something special about that.
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