Chevrolet is running a mobile video advertising campaign that targets on-the-go consumers and aims to drive them to nearby dealerships.

In addition to finding the nearest dealership, consumers can also learn more about the car?s features through additional videos on Chevy?s mobile site. The mobile ads are running in the Hulu Plus iPhone application.

?Utilizing mobile video for Volt is really about associating Volt with emerging technology across mobile and tablet and being present where our target is consuming media,? said Carolin Probst-Iyer, manager of digital media at Chevrolet, Detroit.

?Using this medium in general for Volt allows for us to tell the educational and tech story better than with standard ads,? she said.

Mobile test drive
The Chevy Volt ads are running as mobile video commercials in the Hulu Plus app.

A 30-second video clip promotes the Volt as being affordable because it uses less gas than other cars.

Similar to other Hulu mobile ads, a button in the upper right-hand corner encourages users to tap to learn more.

The ad directs users to a Chevy?s mobile site inside a landing page, which is heavily promoted with the Volt car.

Via the mobile site, consumers can watch additional videos that promote the Volt. The video series is an extension of the in-app ads that feature additional 30-second clips.

Additionally, users can also learn more about the car with descriptions, photos and viewing the car in additional colors. Consumers can also find nearby dealers via the ads.

In particular, mobile video gives automaker brands a quick and easy way to show off its products without consumers being able to see it first-hand.

?The combination of sight, sound and motion in video, as well as the immersive nature of mobile devices makes mobile video one of the best channels to demonstrate the capabilities and design of a car,? said Lisa Abramson, senior director of marketing at Rhythm NewMedia, Mountain View, CA.

Ms. Abramson is not affiliated with Chevy or Hulu. She commented based on her expertise on the subject.

Drive into mobile
Chevy has been in the mobile advertising space for a while with campaigns for each of its models that target different groups of consumers.

For instance, Chevy recently ran a campaign inside the Words with Friends app to let young, tech-savvy consumers learn more about its Sonic line of cars (see story).

With consumers using their mobile devices as a primary way to research cars, mobile video is not only effective at educating consumers on new products but can also drive users into dealerships to turn around an ROI.

?Mobile video ads can be extremely effective at driving consumers to dealerships. Mobile video advertising allows for brands to instantaneously take advantage of an engaged consumer allowing them to take further action,? Ms. Abramson said.

?At Rhythm, we have found that during the auto buying process, 32 percent of all consumers are interested in finding nearby dealerships on their mobile devices,? she said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York