Autotrader pitch brief

NEW BUSINESS PITCH BRIEFAUTOTRADER.COM

CONTENT WORK PROJECT

OVERVIEWThis month, online car marketplace AutoTrader, which has been working with MDC Partners’ Doner for more than 16 years,

issued an RFP seeking a new creative agency.

A spokesperson from AutoTrader told adweek.com that the company isn’t looking for an Agency Of Record but simply a partner for an upcoming campaign since the company is “constantly reevaluating partnerships for new perspectives and fresh thinking.”

Do you have a new perspective? If so, we might be able to help you get a fresh take on AutoTrader - through its customer data.

BACKGROUND SUMMARYAutoTrader.com, Inc. is an online marketplace for car shoppers and sellers. It aggregates millions of new, used, and certified

second-hand cars from thousands of dealers and private sellers. The firm offers its products and services online and on iPhone, Android, Windows 8, and iPad apps. The marketing side of the firm has an editorial team that reviews new and used cars and

provides tips and advice via videos, articles, and social media content.

A recent focus on the millennial market

AutoTrader is constantly monitoring trends in the automotive market and has lately been moving towards targeting millennials.

Its 2013 report on the “next generation buyer” was an extensive research study that explored the motivations, opinions and behaviors of this new generation of car shoppers.

For its Fall 2015 campaigns, AutoTrader turned to Zambesi for producing campaigns targeted at millennials. The ads they produced, called “The Journey,” depict the lifestyles of two millennials, one woman and one man, and the search for the perfect

car as it changes through the years.

market share ANALYSISAutoTrader faces stiff competition as an online car marketplace, especially from Ebay Motors, which grabs 36.2% of market share,

while AutoTrader.com conquers the lesser share of the market (17.3%).

Moving our focus to Millennials, we split this cohort in two segments: Children, or no children. By measuring this way, we can see how different life stages affect brand choice among Millennial buyers - while echoing the latest AutoTrader ads.

Ebay Motors consistently takes the half of the market share among Millennials, independently of the presence of children. AutoTrader, however, performs better with Millennials who have children than Mojo Motors or Cars.com, but loses shares to

Cars.com in the Millennials with no children segment.

17.3%

17.4%

29.1%

36.2%

WITH CHILDREN

18.8%

14.7%

17.2%

49.4%

WITHOUT CHILDREN

10.1%

24.7%

15.2%

50.0%

OVERLAP ANALYSIS

1.2%

3.4% 0.8%

4.0% 1.1%

1.1%

Opportunities in the Millennials with children target segmentAutoTrader's study on the Millennial car buyer highlighted that - more than any other generation - Millennials rely on Word of

Mouth when making purchase decisions (46%).

If having a baby is the primary trigger for car research, as shown in the last ad, this presents a potential opportunity for AutoTrader to position itself as a reliable, helpful company for Millennial parents by combining peer review (ie. word of mouth)

with a parenting angle. For example, it could introduce a parents forum where peers and AutoTrader customer service reps alike can answer queries and share feedback and tips. Or, AutoTrader could publicize the safest cars for new parents in their next campaign. As more Millennials enter their peak child-bearing years, safety and affordability will be two very important goals

informing their car purchases.

Millennial parents looking for a car are mostly Male (60%), living in the Midwest, and in the older Millennial age bracket of 25 to 34. They are college educated and earn an income that places them in the middle class. Most are already married (41%), while the second largest segment (23%) is in a relationship.

AUDIENCE ANALYSISA closer look at Millennial buyers

PO

PU

LAR

ITY

89

11

94

96

6

15.95%

REACH

8.72% 12.28% 19.74% 23.66%

15

9

SPORT LOVERS

BOOK LOVERS

MOVIE LOVERS

BUSINESSPEOPLE

FOOD LOVERS

FASHION LOVERS

SOCIAL ACTIVIST

BEAUTY & WELLNESSAWARE

TRAVEL LOVERSGAMERS

PUBLIC FIGURESFOLLOWERS

HOMEMAKERS

POLITICALLYACTIVE

OUTDOORENTHUSIAST TECHIES

HOME DECORATORS& DIY’S

PET LOVERS CAR LOVERS

MUSIC LOVERS

GENDERMale (60%)

AGE25-34 (83%)

STATUSMarried (41%)

FAMILYWith Kids (100%)

EDUCATIONCollege (70%)

INCOME$40K - $70K (41%)

# NAME REACH POPULARITY RELEVANCE

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 Car Lovers

Homemakers

Pet Lovers

Business People

Techies

Politically Active

Beauty and Wellne...

Home Decorators ...

Outdoor Enthusiast

Fashion Lovers

22.12%

17.88%

17.08%

11.91%

18.17%

15.22%

23.21%

18.13%

12.31%

23.33%

151.95

159.26

151.67

141.51

124.03

124

105.13

112.39

120.88

89.96

207.28

206.66

200.46

185.12

183.57

179.19

177.35

175.76

172.12

167.37

MEDIA OPPORTUNITYInsight

the lifestyle apps usage is characteristic of this audience which makes it highly probable that they would be interested installing AutoTrader’s app and search on mobile rather than on desktop. Leveraging the high reach of mobile games, placing mobile ads into their favorite games could lead to good conversions. Moreover, this year’s study of StartApp on mobile ad revealed how Lifestyle app ads (such AutoTrader’s) see higher engagement and

higher click-through rates when placed within mobile games (21.8%).


Magazines

TV

Websites

Apps

Other

Newspapers

Radio

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

46.36%

55.64%

100.00%

56.10%

5.98%

6.28%

29.58%

148.44

130.26

120.89

110.68

96.5

85.92

79.38

153.97

144.42

147.26

131.48

97.3

90.65

102.08

TRENDS

2.29%

-8.15%

8.24%

-5.71%

-50.00%

21.74%

15.87%

ToP MEDIA

RE

LEV

AN

CE

53

93

16

30

19.67%

REACH

0.10% 9.45% 30.84% 43.06%

16

4

MUSIC

GAMES

BOOKSNEWS

PHOTO ANDVIDEO

SOCIAL NETWORKING

LIFESTYLE

TRAVEL

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

HEALTH ANDFITNESS

UTILITIES

FOOD ANDDRINK

TOP APP GENRES


2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 Car and Driver

Pickups and Beer

Mud Life Magazine

Truckin' Magazine

Smoking Rubber

Lowrider Magazine

Four Wheeler Maga...

Muscle Mustangs ...

4-Wheel & Off-Roa...

Jp Magazine

4.51%

3.58%

2.76%

2.57%

2.32%

2.01%

1.77%

1.60%

1.45%

1.43%

198.01

197.35

193.13

198.49

196.27

196.36

197.08

196.13

194.5

191.89

162.72

160.58

155.92

159.02

156.87

156.02

155.7

154.45

152.8

150.98

Top 10 Motor Magazines

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

REACH RELEVANCE

10050022.43%16.83%11.22%5.61%<0.01% 150 200

Motor

Parenting

Hobby

Computer and Technology

Entertainment

Sport

Fashion and Health

Travel

Top Magazine Genres

Insightthe technology-oriented nature of this audience reveals opportunities to increase brand awareness and market shares. For example, while technology plays a big role in the lives of this audience, their limited budgets mean it isn’t always possible for them to have all the technology they want in their new or used car. Partnerships with audio system brands to facilitate or discount installations after

the purchase could give a decisive advantage to AutoTrader over their competitors.


2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 Liberty Mutual Ins...

Gerber Life

MetLife

New York Life Insur...

Anthem

Safeco Insurance

State Farm

Kaiser Permanente

First Alert

Humana

4.14%

2.12%

1.28%

0.95%

1.70%

0.52%

1.82%

0.32%

0.09%

0.08%

196.78

198.67

198.35

198.46

192.28

198.91

181.93

194.72

198.76

198.96

161.26

157.88

154.64

153.13

152.25

150.48

145.77

145.69

143.98

143.77

TOP 10 INSURANCES


2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 GoPro

Samsung TV

Duracell

Bose

Samsung Camera

Samsung

JBL

LG Electronics

Surface

JL Audio

14.33%

7.95%

8.45%

3.71%

2.40%

2.23%

1.64%

1.62%

1.43%

0.82%

190.62

199

198.14

198.42

198.74

197.11

198.45

195.8

195.27

198.3

168.1

168.06

168.04

161.53

158.74

157.18

156.16

154.32

153.25

152.26

Top 10 Consumer Electronics brands

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY


AOTA

Online Financials

Mobile App Happy

CUOL

FITB

Online Occasionals

1

2

3

4

5

6

1.62%

0.93%

0.99%

0.91%

1.26%

0.15%

117.72

109.51

35.99

35.57

30.03

0.29

94.54

85.78

49.52

48.67

48.5

19.66

Netizens sub-segments


2

1 Tech Splorers

Techno Gamers

7.55%

3.45%

193.48

187.94

149.17

137.08

Techies sub-segments

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

CREATIVE INSIGHTSInsight

this Millennial audience appreciates content that is concise and informative - they won’t stick around for anything less. They’re a practical bunch, preferring videos that portray real, ordinary people, without action

or special effects - but with a dash of humor, and maybe even nostalgia.


2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1 Scholastic Parents

King James Bible

Relationship Rules

Marijuana is Safer

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Half Price Books

The Bible

Crazy Love

Kitchen Confidential

Barnes & Noble

1.28%

0.94%

1.33%

1.07%

0.66%

0.71%

6.49%

0.58%

0.58%

1.04%

193.17

173.71

155.62

144.53

108.81

91.35

67.69

83.72

61.78

51.07

151.21

136.54

126.4

117.78

91.57

80.24

78.78

74.23

59.56

55.34

Top 10 Book interests

REACH RELEVANCE

10060071.78%53.83%35.89%17.94%<0.01% 140 180

Business

Beauty

Fashion

Kids

Travel

Movies

Gossip

Sport

Top Website Genres

CREATIVE INSIGHTS


Reality Shows

Game Shows

Documentary & No...

Talk Shows

Dramas

Family-Oriented S...

Comedies

Talent & Variety Sh...

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Sh...

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

53.23%

7.94%

12.28%

20.23%

44.51%

13.48%

46.01%

11.56%

16.37%

145.08

96.61

84.74

61.02

50.59

38.64

36.12

36.05

23.96

153.67

99.8

95.96

85.39

88.18

66.15

78.99

62.9

58.38

TRENDS

8.33%

0.0%

-40.00%

-18.06%

-12.20%

-33.33%

3.03%

9.09%

57.14%

Top TV show genres

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Autotrader pitch brief