The Detroit-based Cable Advertising Representatives Society
has spent the past year trying to bolster network cable's profile among the "Big
Three" automakers. Next, it wants to target nonautomotive accounts in Motown, as well
as others based in Ohio.
Brian Janks, manager of Detroit ad sales for Fox Family
Channel and CARS' president since its formation in August 1997, will step down within
a month, he said.
Succeeding him as CARS president will be Ted Andrusz, who
recently moved from ESPN to Fox Sports Net as vice president of Midwest ad sales. Jon
Stitle, A&E Television Networks' vice president and Detroit-region director, will
in turn succeed Andrusz as the organization's vice president.
The more than 30 cable networks that comprise CARS'
membership established the organization as a way to ensure that cable is meeting the
automakers' advertising-related needs and to learn how they can improve on these
business relationships, Janks said.
The client executives like the forum format since it
enables them to reach 30 major cable networks at one time, rather than meeting with them
on 30 different occasions, in 30 different locations, he said, adding that CARS members
can learn a lot from the presentations and the question-and-answer segment.
CARS has proven very successful in those regards, Janks
said. Top brass from Chrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. have
addressed quarterly CARS forums during the past year, he noted.
"We're pleased with the progress that we've
had over the past year," Janks said.
The CARS officers will be meeting shortly to draw up goals
for the coming 12 months, he said. One aim will be to reach more of the nonautomotive
marketers in the Midwest.
Toward that end, Janks said, CARS is trying to book a
top-level executive with Domino's Pizza or Little Caesars for an upcoming CARS forum.
Moreover, since so many networks' Midwest regions also
encompass Ohio, Janks said, CARS hopes to expand its forums into that state by the first
quarter of 1999. Delta Faucet Co. and Whirlpool Corp. are among Ohio-based marketers that
CARS will target
Since CARS' focus is national, Janks said, the society
has not yet opened its membership to regional networks, cable operators and spot-cable
ad-sales rep firms.
