They're Not Just Car Doors, They're Auto Marketing Sites

To John Wingle, car doors are more than just means of getting in and out of a vehicle.

If the car is on a dealer's lot, its doors make great spots to put marketing messages about the vehicle and the dealership selling it, Wingle says.

He founded OnSight Solutions, a firm specializing in banner-like advertising that's affixed to the sides of lot vehicles. A typical banner includes graphics, the dealership name and pricing information. The target audience is people who drive by dealerships.

Wingle came up with the idea while watching the 2002 Super Bowl game with his brother, Nick, who worked at a dealership in Albany, NY, and the owner of the store, Tom DeNooyer.

They talked about how DeNooyer Auto might achieve a more professional look, get more customers onto the lot and improve the buying process.

With a talent for graphic design and a strong entrepreneurial sprit, Wingle came up with a business plan of taking visual merchandising — found in various other retail environments — and applying it to the automotive retailing.

OnSight sold the first of its 14 franchise in 2006. Clients include about 1,000 dealerships. Its website is www.eonsight.com.