Honda Uses Magazine to Promote e-Tools
American Honda’s Motorcycle Division recently borrowed an idea from the manufacturer’s automotive side and developed a print publication designed to get more of its 1,200 powersports dealers to embrace the company’s e-business tools.
A PRINT publication to promote ONLINE offerings? Honda says it works. The company’s motorcycle division engaged Tendo Communications, a San Francisco-based strategic custom publisher, to develop a print publication featuring articles that introduce and explain Honda’s suite of e-business tools.
Tendo said its first step was to complete an analysis of both the audience and the industry. The result, Inside Line Magazine, debuted at the 2004 Honda Dealer Show.
In its first two issues, Inside Line was used by Honda to promote the launch of several sales force automation and customer relationship management applications. Future articles will document Honda’s website content strategy and additional e-business marketing tools.
