SAT#43 - 🔌 Excel and Acronyms

David Marzi, Ketchup, and UFO Pizza Bike

November 04, 2023

Recharge by ASOTU Logo

Monday - Friday, we send out daily emails heavily focused on the news, data, and culture.

Saturday, we take a break from that to turn our attention inward toward the people who make retail auto a community.

We have fun, too, but make no mistake; we want our friends to know our friends who tell their friends to invite their friends.

We’re building something big enough for us all.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHT

David Marzi

Giphy/MTV

ASOTU’s Chris met David Marzi at ASOTU CON 2023 and later connected on LinkedIn. David had insight and energy at the conference so eventually we got him on a Google Meet to learn a bit more about him.

Howdy, David! Can you share with us how you started in the automotive industry?

I've been friends with Cory, Robert Bassam's son, since preschool. We're talking a quarter-century of friendship. I'd help at Visions Automotive Group during college summers — just moving cars around, nothing fancy. After my stint as a sports management major intern with the Washington Commanders – thanks to James Madison University's partnership with them – I scored a full-time gig. In 2021, Cory's brother, Joel, offered me a comeback, this time in marketing. To me, it's like returning to my second family.

Over two years back now, and we've got this cool thing at Easterns, right? In our email signatures, we count our years of commitment. So, I’ve got my "2 years" proudly displayed. It's a nice touch for everyone, showing how much experience we bring.

Tell us about marketing at a basic level and your secret discovery along the way?

Folks think working at a dealership means you sell cars. And yeah, we do, but indirectly. Marketing at Easterns is about brand visibility and community engagement. We've been at it for 35 years, and it's more than transactions — it's about being a supportive community member. My days involve lots of Excel and acronyms, but the goal is to market our Easterns family brand across the area, not just the cars.

Marketing seems to be an invitation to partner with your brand long-term?

Exactly. It's not about hounding folks. Our catchy jingle from the early 2000s and our partnerships with athletes and celebrities — that's what keeps us familiar. People tag us when they hear it; it's nostalgic for the older folks and just fun for the younger. We aim to be that household name people think of; not only when needing a car but for the good we do, too.

Are there any standout moments where it's been about more than cars?

We've got this Pay It Forward thing with our local Fox station. Robert Bassam, our owner, might gift a car during Christmas, but we've broadened that giving spirit year-round. We partner with local stations, contributing to deserving community members — sometimes with a surprise live on TV! We've also donated laptops to schools, and depending on the month, we tailor our contributions to relevant causes. It's our way of showing we're not just about selling cars; we're ingrained in the community, giving back wherever we can.

It's about more than cars – it's about a 35-year relationship with the community. We're not here just to make a sale; we're here to make a difference and support our neighbors. It's a privilege, really.

CONTENT RECAP

A Little Catch-Up

Giphy/Heinz

Email:

  • Japan’s Mobility Show strikes a hopeful note for car shows and EVs that are fun to drive.

  • Slightly damaged “Wolf of Wall Street” Lambo is hitting the auction block. 🐺

  • Not all movies are winners, but they are all movies. 🍿

  • AI Revives and Reunites The Beatles for a Final Song 🪲

Podcast:

We asked ASOTU’s Nathan Southwick, who produces The Automotive Troublemaker behind the scenes, which of this week's podcasts we should share, and he told us about Friday's Automotive Troublemaker.

It was all about Used Car Week with special guest Steve Greenfield. 

Since Paul and Kyle will be at the event next week, and any chance to hear from Steve Greenfield is a good time, it seemed like a perfect pod for a first listen or re-listen. 

Check out their talk about:

  • Residual values of EVs

  • The effect of the market on car auctions

  • Negative equity in the used car market

Listen now on Spotify, Apple, Google, or YouTube.

CAPTION CONTEST

New Car, Who Dis?

More Than Cars / ASOTU

Paul had a little too much fun filming More Than Cars Episode 3. 🤭

Hit reply and help us caption this image.

Our favorite will get a shoutout on LinkedIn. 📣😉

SOMETHING FUN

UFO PIZZA BIKE

AutoBlog

We love to find automotive oddities for our Saturday Recharge email, and boy, did we deliver this week.

At some point in history, 1985-ish, Dominos had the idea to deliver pizza in rotary-powered, three-wheeled... "Vehicles," and now one is up for grabs at auction.

Of course, the 440cc engine can get you where you want to go, but the "motorcycle" no longer has a built-in warming oven. So, you'll need to get those separately.

Quick Hits

  • YouTube is cracking down on adblockers. WIRED reports a record number of uninstalls and installs are happening as people look for ways to block ads that still work. 🛑

  • Vegas hospitality workers are talking about a strike. 🎲

  • Planet of the Apes keeps getting bigger and weirder. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” just dropped a trailer. 🦍

History

  • 1922: British archaeologist Howard Carter and his workmen discover a step leading to the tomb of King Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. 🇪🇬

  • 1924: Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming becomes the first woman elected as governor in the United States. 🤠

  • 1938: Ford Motor Company debuts Mercury. 🪐

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