#459 - 🍌 The First of Many

TOGETHER WITH

For many, Friday is the day before a day off.

For auto…its just the warm up to the big show. Get your dancin’ shoes on!

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, & Chris

DEALERS

Harvesting Hope

Imagining 11 million meals is easy when you skip breakfast and slog into a late lunch, but the Harvest Hope Food Bank couldn’t have even dreamed of that many 12 years ago. That was until they joined forces with the Jim Hudson Auto Group.

This year, the group donated $200K to the Harvest Hope Food Bank and Golden Hope Harvest, marking the eleven millionth meal to be gifted by the dealerships’ kind contributions over the past dozen years.

But wait, there’s more! The collaboration between the dealership and the food bank extends even beyond fundraising. The dealership's employees often volunteer their time and resources to actively participate in food drives, sorting donated items, and assisting in distribution.

According to Keith Hudson, President of Jim Hudson Automotive Group, giving back is in their blood. "It's a part of our core values in this organization. The community is one of our three pillars — our customers, employees, and community. We just don't say it; we live it.”

Telling it like it is – 11,000,000 meals is hard to conceptualize. Instead, imagine enough food to satisfy one person three times a day for 10,045 years. Much easier.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

ASOTU CON Speaker Announcement!

We’re proud to announce the first ASOTU CON 2023 speaker - Jesse Cole, the "Man in the Yellow Tux" from the Savannah Bananas!

A legend in people-first strategies and founder of Fans First Entertainment, Jesse is also an acclaimed author and the subject of ESPN+'s documentary, "Bananaland."

See why we knew our people needed to meet him? 😉⚾️ 🍌

Grab your ASOTU CON tickets now, and get ready to meet Jesse, among many other talented leaders, in September!

TOGETHER WITH AUTO GENIUS

Every Marketer Needs Other Marketers

Whether on a team or beating the drum out somewhere in a forest, the marketing world can be a lonely one. 😥

That is where the community at Auto Genius comes in! 🤜 🤛

Auto Genius is a 24/7 Slack group of the top automotive marketers in the country pushing back against the common misconceptions in the industry and solving problems together.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

David Long and the All Things Used Cars community meet weekly to discuss, implement, and practice processes for more tremendous success. This week the conversation is about the ongoing relationship between dealers and technology.

There will be a lot to learn and space to share what you know, so come ready to participate and leave ready to rule your business’s tech with competence and confidence!

AUTOMOTIVE

Motor Morsels: Canoo, Lucid, Chevy

🛶👽 🪖

Without a Paddle? EV startup Canoo is having some issues staying afloat. The adventure-themed bubble-shaped electric vans haven't quite found their target audience among private consumers, which would sink the brand if it weren't for hefty contracts with the US Army, NASA, and the Defense Department.

Near insolvency since last year, the brand's contracts are a life preserver for now and could hint at a permanent direction shift for years to come.
 

😴⏰🌙

Sleepwalking? Lucid dreams were cut short by the sober light of morning when it fell nearly 600 vehicles short of its Q2 delivery expectations. The company has been tossing and turning the last few years with an 18% workforce cut in March, an emergency cash injection from its's Saudi majority shareholders in June, and a 58% decrease in value over the last 12 months.

However, a deal with Aston Martin Lagonda could at least keep things from transforming into a nightmare.

🔥🧯👩‍🍳

Really Cookin' GM's first Chevy Blazer EV is rocketing toward the US from the company's plant in Mexico. Two weeks ago, the company announced they had completed building the first sellable Blazer EV and have since turned up the heat, saying they are producing 65 units per hour. At that pace, we are excited to see how quickly the company burns through pent-up demand.  

CULTURE

That’s a Whole Lotta Boat

💧🩳👙🛝 World's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, is set to launch in 2024. Five times larger than the Titanic, it houses a record-breaking waterpark, 40+ dining venues, and can host 10,000 people. After successful sea trials in Finland, it's scheduled for a Miami debut in January. 🍔🌭🌮🌯

Telling it like it is – We give it one year before a spoof of this ship plays the setting for a horror movie. Think Snowpiercer + Jaws with some kinda, like, mermaid zombies? Maybe we’ll leave the specifics to the experts. 🚢🦈🧜‍♀️🧟‍♀️

Quick Hits

• China’s exports fall the most in three years. 🚢

• Bring us a pizza and a ninja sword. The new TMNT trailer is too dope to contain ourselves. 🐢

• A plastic surgeon streamed procedures on TikTok and lost his medical license. 😷

History

• 1789: The French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille Prison in Paris. It is now celebrated as France's national day called Bastille Day. 🇫🇷

• 1914: American engineer Robert Goddard is granted the first patent for a liquid-fueled rocket design. 🚀

• 1969: $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 bills are officially pulled from US circulation. 💸