Press Releases

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used car information, today reports a huge surge in new-car Web traffic for the heavily advertised Hyundai Sonata during Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7.  In addition, kbb.com saw a significant lift in new-car traffic for the Honda Accord Crosstour and Kia Sorento following the airing of their respective new-vehicle ads during Super Bowl Sunday.

For the second year in a row, the new-car model most advertised by Hyundai during the Super Bowl garnered the largest increase in Web traffic to kbb.com that day (among models advertised during the Super Bowl).  This year, Hyundai advertised the all-new Sonata multiple times on Super Bowl Sunday and subsequently experienced a massive 91 percent increase in traffic to the new Sonata on kbb.com.  Last year during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009, Hyundai premiered spots for the Genesis and saw an 82 percent increase in traffic to the model that day.

Other big auto-related Super Bowl XLIV ad traffic winners for this year were the Honda Accord Crosstour with a 66 percent increase in traffic on kbb.com, and the all-new Kia Sorento with a 47 percent increase.

New-Car Models Seeing Increased Web Traffic on kbb.com Following their Brands'
Respective Super Bowl XLIV Ads

Hyundai Sonata         + 91%

Honda Accord Crosstour + 66%

Kia Sorento            + 47%

Hyundai Tucson         + 42%

Audi A3 TDI            + 38%

Acura ZDX              + 27%

Dodge Charger          + 16%

In addition, a kbb.com homepage quick poll asked car shoppers to vote for their favorite Super Bowl car ad, and consumers chose the Dodge Charger "Man's Last Stand" spot as their favorite at 24 percent, closely followed by the Audi A3 TDI "Green Police" ad at 21 percent.  Rounding out the top five choices were the Hyundai "10 Years/Favre" ad at 17 percent, the Volkswagen "Punch Dub" spot at 16 percent and the Kia Sorento "Joyride" ad at 10 percent.

"The latest kbb.com traffic data shows that big-budget ad buys really can pay off when you have engaging product and a creative, eye-catching spot to capture football fans' attention during the big game," said James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com.  "The Saints may have taken home the Vince Lombardi trophy, but Hyundai captured the big win this year in terms of new-car interest increasing from their ads.  It's impressive when a car commercial can compel someone to take their eyes away from the big game to research a new-car online, and we know informed car shoppers come to Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com to get the most timely and trustworthy vehicle values and information."

For the purposes of this data, traffic increase is defined as the percent change when comparing Sunday, February 7, 2010 (Super Bowl XLIV Sunday) with the previous Sunday, January 31, 2010.  The quick poll asking car shoppers to vote for their favorite Super Bowl car ad was featured on the homepage of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com from February 7-9, 2010, and had 201 respondents.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated Web site, www.kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book® Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book® Official Guide. According to the C.A. Walker Research Solutions, Inc. - 2009 Spring Automotive Web Site Usefulness Study, kbb.com is the most useful automotive information Web site among new and used vehicle shoppers, and half of online vehicle shoppers visit kbb.com. Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com also is a W3 Gold Award winner, sanctioned by the International Academy of Visual Arts. Kbb.com is a leading provider of new car prices, used car Blue Book Values, car reviews, new cars for sale, used cars for sale, and car dealer locations.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book

New Report Released In D.C. & Four U.S. Regions; Highlights States' Success

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Senate debates the merits of a Jobs Bill, a new report -- Projects and Paychecks: a One-Year Report on State Transportation Successes under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- finds that more than 280,000 jobs were created and more than 12,250 transportation projects are underway as a result of the jobs bill signed into law one year ago.  

The comprehensive study, released today by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in conjunction with state transportation departments (DOTs) in Nevada, Michigan, Georgia and Rhode Island, finds that one year after its passage, state DOTs have set an amazing record of speed and efficiency, putting 77 percent of the $34.3 billion provided for highways and transit out to bid on 12,250 transportation projects. The 9,240 projects under construction total $20.6 billion. One hundred-fifty of these projects are profiled on the companion website at: recovery.transportation.org.  As a result of the Recovery Act, 280,000 direct, on-project jobs have been created or sustained across the country.  

"That's a lot of projects and paychecks," said Larry "Butch" Brown, AASHTO President and Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. "U.S. unemployment in the construction trades has surpassed 20 percent. Recovery dollars are helping to rescue thousands of workers like Frank Anzenberger, a 30-year construction veteran who'd been unemployed for more than six months before he was called back to work on a recovery project in Michigan."

With bids running as low as 30 percent below estimates, the study finds that states stretched federal dollars even further, creating more jobs and more miles of improvements. California, Georgia, and Texas awarded more than 90 percent of their highway contracts below original cost estimates.

The report, which includes data from the states, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Federal Highway Administration, also found an impressive list of completed projects. As of January 7, 2010, 1,125 bridges had been improved or replaced, 21,400 miles of pavement had been resurfaced or widened, and 1,700 safety traffic management projects had been put into place.

"Projects and Paychecks proves just how big a role stimulus is playing to keep Americans working," said John Horsley, AASHTO executive director. "In January, state DOTs identified more than 9,800 additional 'ready-to-go' projects worth $79 billion. Congress needs to move quickly to pass another Jobs Bill. This study proves transportation projects can deliver hundreds of thousands of jobs for America," Horsley said.      

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the "Voice of Transportation" representing State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation.

SOURCE American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials