Skip to content

We are an agency with one mission

Drive
Traffic to
Dealerships

Strong Automotive Merchandising has over 45 years of experience as a full-service marketing & advertising agency exclusively serving the automotive industry.

We Are Strong.

WHO WE ARE

Strong Automotive Merchandising is a full-service marketing and advertising agency, focusing exclusively on the automotive industry. We are located in Birmingham, AL, with a team of over 140 employees serving more than 400 dealerships nationwide. Our services range from digital marketing to direct mail, encompassing nearly every facet of modern advertising. The agency is led by John Paul Strong and remains a family company. We have one overarching goal: to drive traffic to automotive dealerships.

Our STory

WHAT WE DO

View Services

Direct Mail

Direct mail is one of the lowest cost-per-car marketing methods. Our team delivers over 6M pieces of mail annually with a quick turnaround. We offer data mining and custom creative, plus in-house printing for the highest quality.

Learn more

Email Marketing

eCampaigns drive traffic through mass-market saturation. We send 4 email broadcasts over 2 months, targeting thousands of active web shoppers, and Google Analytics tracks progress in real-time. Geofencing allows dealers to capture data of prospects, including those who visited the lot, automotive websites, and those in-market for a car.

Learn more

Video Production

With over 7K commercials produced in the last 4 years, we use cutting-edge technology and feature-film-quality motion graphics and visual effects. Plus, our team is adaptable to client changes and offers one of the fastest turnarounds in the industry.

Learn more

Graphic Design

Our graphic design team creates over 100 unique concepts annually for multi-channel marketing. We produce 10K+ digital and print ads yearly to drive traffic to dealerships through polished and effective artwork, ensuring consistency across all channels.

Learn more

Digital Marketing

Our digital marketing services get results by reaching customers where they already are online. As a Google Premier Partner with a team of 40+ full-time experts, we push the boundaries of online reach through SEO, social media, and paid search.

Learn more

Media

Strong’s media team has a proven track record of delivering exceptional media buys and negotiating added value for our clients. We extend your advertising dollars with Value Buying, and we are experienced with OTT and streaming services like Hulu and ESPN.com.

Learn more

Co-Op

We make it easy for our dealers to take advantage of manufacturer co-op dollars. Our co-op team files all necessary paperwork on your behalf, ensuring that your ads are compliant and that you receive all the funds you are entitled to. We help make the most of your co-op budget, ensuring none of your funds go to waste.

Learn more

“From a simple question to needing a graphic designed by day’s end, I can always count on the team to be there for us.”

Daniel Ruttenbur Jr.
Dealer Assistant, Chevrolet Center, Inc.

“I have worked with John Paul and the Strong team for nearly 4 years. Our business has grown considerably over that time, and I attribute a lot of our success to the great partnership we have with Strong.”

Robert Goston
General Manager, Safford Hyundai

“Because they are a full-service agency, you get that one-on-one contact that I missed out on with smaller one-off vendors. The people in the organization are helpful, quick to act, and experienced.”

Matt O’Daniel
President, O’Daniel Honda

“Strong’s ability to read and react to market trends with detailed creative for both traditional media, as well as digital marketing, has allowed us to stay in front of our customer base in a way that drives more traffic equaling more sales and service business for the dealership.”

Mike Shaw
Owner, Mike Shaw Automotive Group

“We became a customer of Strong in March 2015. Since that time, we have achieved double-digit growth every year in our new car volume while reducing our overall marketing expenditures.”

Greg Harte
Owner, The Harte Group

“Because they are a full-service agency, you get that one-on-one contact that I missed out on with smaller one-off vendors. The people in the organization are helpful, quick to act, and experienced.”

Bill DiMaio
General Manager, Lexus of Edison

“One thing I am incredibly impressed with is their Value Buying. This year alone, their Value Buying across my 6 stores has saved me around $225,000.”

Mitchel Bone
Dealer Principal, Wilson County Automotive

“I recently attended a Southeast Toyota awards function where multiple SET officials were complimenting the results of the Strong team. They are positioned to tackle the challenges of customer awareness in the 21st century.”

Bruce Limbaugh
President, Limbaugh Toyota

“Strong’s ability to read and react to market trends with detailed creative for both traditional media, as well as digital marketing, has allowed us to stay in front of our customer base in a way that drives more traffic equaling more sales and service business for the dealership.”

Thom Stathakis
Area Vice President – Penske Automotive Group, Fayetteville AutoPark

“Champion conducted a thorough search for a marketing partner to support our Automotive Retail Franchised Dealerships in 2020. […] It took only a few dealer visits with John Paul and his team to realize that we had made the correct decision by choosing his company as a partner.”

Dean Gauthier
Vice President, Champion Automotive Group

SUCCESS STORIES

Strong’s approach to marketing helps dealerships achieve success by providing consistency, reliability, and uniformity across all marketing channels. By building name recognition, awareness, and trust through frequent and consistent messaging and maintaining a distinct image, dealerships can increase traffic, save money, and ultimately exceed sales objectives.

See All