REINVENTING A HOUSEHOLD NAME FROM HERITAGE TO HIGH-TECH

What we loved

Making AutoTrader synonymous with the end of the car buying journey not just the start…while breathing new, modern life into an increasingly overlooked heritage brand

How we got there

AutoTrader was facing three main issues: they were not known for brand new cars (only secondhand); they were not seen as tech savvy and future focussed as they in reality are; and they were only being used to start the journey, ie to look for cars but not to actually buy them. We had to change all three of these perceptions with one clever creative campaign.

Our solution was to build a new brand platform Found AT AutoTrader. It was designed to show that we had the technology to help you not just search for, but confidently buy the perfect brand new car for you. From finding to having found. This new strategy was combined with a new tone, new design system, new colours, new brand mark. A powerful cinematic style captured the emotional hit of stepping into a brand-new car. The bold new red world identity brought energy and edge to OOH and digital performance. While a first of a kind treasure hunt on social, allowed people to interact with the campaign, finding their own miniature car to win big, for real. It all laddered up to one key result: confidence in buying cars, only found AT AutoTrader.

What it changed

A campaign that spread across Brand Identity, Digital, Website, Performance, TV, OOH, Social. The work reached 96% of UK adults, with an average 35 touch-points, driving home that AutoTrader is no longer just where you buy used. It’s where you find your next new. It led to: 

+8% in overall search | +48% new car search | +17% new leads | + 55 new dealerships. | British Arrows Finalist