Head to Iowa City Says Yahoo! Finance

By Miranda Manigold, Advertising Specialist & Sales Trainer

You know we love ALL  of our Corridor but a new addition to our family…an FM translator at ESPN1600!  So we now have 106.3 – the South Gym on the FM dial.  That way those of you listening to us in Johnson County (like the Iowa City area) can get your sports fix on 106.3FM!

Well this article from “The Street” on Yahoo! Finance backs us up on our reasons to grow in Iowa City and boasts IC as THE NUMBER ONE place to start over in 2012.  Luckily for most of us reading this blog we already live in the area!  We already know it is a great place to go to school, live, and work.  The last few weeks I have heard more reports of the business climate taking a turn for the “positive” in 2012 and this report confirms that for our area.  You can read the full article from “The Street” here.

Are you still looking for ideas on how to improve your business or recruitment efforts?  We can listen to what your goals are for 2012 and beyond and strategize concepts to get you there.  We are here to answer questions at any time.  Just ask!

Cars going bye bye!

By Kellie J. Lala

I think it is always a bit sad when something comes to an end.  A favorite body lotion, restaurant, gift shop (some on my missed list of late)  and now some models of cars.  According to a USA Today article on 12/20/11, there are many models that have rolled off the assembly line for the last time and will fade into automobile history after 2012.  These are just a few of the models taking their final bows and that will not be replaced by newer versions:

• BMW Active Hybrid  (many BMW’s are going electric)
• Buick Lucerne
• Cadillac DTS and STS  (new XTS will fill in here)
• Dodge Dakota  (no enough demand for small trucks)
• Ford Crown Victoria  (this made me laugh-“it’s the last, great, rear-wheel drive American really-full-size car”)
• Honda Element
• Mazda RX-8*
• Nissan Altima Hybrid
• Mitsubishi Eclipse and Endeavor

There could be more to come.  It appears that the whole line of Saab will soon be gone as well. 

Now think…..what do you miss that is no longer around?



Auto Sales on the Rise

By

Kellie J. Lala 

The “Cash for Clunkers” program in 2009 helped the auto industry crawl out from a slump.  However, it really hurt the sales months that followed as consumers had spent their dough $.  But November 2011 looks to be their best month since 2009!  GM is using the jolly old man himself-Santa Claus in its “Chevy’s Giving More” campaign, while Honda is wishing buyers “Happy Honda Days”.  I don’t know about you, but I must not be in the right family as I have never gotten a car for Christmas.  You? 

According to the New York based research group, The Consumer Board, consumer confidence surged in November by its biggest margin in 8 years.  That is good news for the struggling car industry.  Toyota and Honda had both been reporting year-to-year declines in every month this year since April.  The big domestic winner so far this year appears to be Chrysler with a 37% surge in sales over 2010. I think they have done a fab job with their Detroit commercials using popular music from Eminem.  Ford has a 10% climb and is launching a new Escape SUV in the first half of 2012.  According to VP of U.S. sales for GM, Don Johnson,  GM is looking at a 7% increase and will be poised to replace Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by vehicle sales.  When you think about where the U.S. Automakers were a while back, this is a great comeback story. 

What will be your next vehicle purchase and when?