Q: Many have noticed that "Huge" no longer is flanked by Caroline. What happened to her?
? Paul Lighton, NaplesQ: What happened to Caroline in the Kia commercials? She has been replaced in the new commercials.
? Kate, East Naples
A: It's incredible that Caroline's absence from local television commercials for Fuccillo Kia of Cape Coral was noticeable this month. That shows how ubiquitous these spots have become in Southwest Florida with dealership owner Billy Fuccillo and his in-your-face trademark: "It's HUGE!"
Fuccillo and Caroline, his promotional sidekick, truly are huge here because they are everywhere ? interrupting every TV channel, booming from every radio station, popping up on slick posters in mailboxes, and spreading out in the Naples Daily News. They can't be missed.
That, of course, is why Caroline was missed this month when she didn't appear in commercials, replaced by another blonde named Abby.
"Caroline was on vacation for two weeks. That's why she wasn't on the commercials," Fuccillo said via telephone from Syracuse, N.Y., where his huge auto empire is based.
"So, the girl that fills in on our infomercials filled in for her while she was on vacation."
Caroline Renfro is not just another pretty face. She's a professional spokesperson from North Carolina who also has promoted the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team and a supermarket chain based near Charlotte. Fuccillo hired her after seeing her doing commercials for a Kia dealership in the Carolinas.
Fuccillo and Renfro now tape about 35 TV commercials a month. These pitches have helped sell 7,500 to 8,000 cars a year at the Cape Coral dealership, making it the No. 1 Kia dealer in the nation since opening in December 2010, Fuccillo said.
The pair already has taped spots for August. So, Caroline will be back on the air this week, Fuccillo said.
Although Caroline may be noticeable, she is merely second banana to Fuccillo's King Kong persona. So, just imagine the response Fuccillo gets when he is out and about in Southwest Florida. His voice is probably even more recognizable than his face.
"No matter where I go, I sign autographs all night long. No matter where I go," Fuccillo said. "I just walk into the Blue Martini and they start the ?Huge' chant."
Fuccillo said he recently was fifth in line checking out at an area Publix grocery store when a guy in an adjacent line recognized him.
"He said, ?Hey, Huge, how ya doin'?' All four people in front of me turned around," Fuccillo said.
The owner of Fuccillo Automotive Group, which includes more than 20 car dealerships, said he doesn't mind being called "Huge." It's not really a reference about Fuccillo's physical stature, which undoubtedly is big and tall. It's more than about his net worth, which is estimated at $100 million. Whether you like it or not, it's more about Fuccillo becoming a part of everyday life in Southwest Florida. That's HUGE-a.
Reference link:http://fuccillo.com/dealership/Locations.cfm
