Hoping to restore consumer confidence, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is putting forth a $1.8 million advertising campaign to tell consumers credit is available.

The association said the tight credit market has led to double-digit drops in year-over-year dealership sales figures, as many car buyers worry about whether they will be able to finance their purchases. According to the CATA, 94 percent of new-car purchases are financed.

The CATA said it is shifting its advertising funds away from the association's DriveChicago Web portal to its new campaign, which included television and radio spots touting the availability of vehicle financing. The new ad is also posted on the association’s Website - http://cata.drivechicago.com/section_Home_6.

The television ad can also be seen on the ChicagoLandDealersCare Web site.

John Webb, who leads the media strategy committee of the CATA board of directors, said other dealers he talked to are including similar messages in their own advertising. "We've got to confront the negative message of the media, that there is no money out there to borrow," he said. "The struggles for bad-credit people are the same now as a year ago."

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