Streaming services are becoming a game-changer, and one company is leading the charge with innovative solutions. Jeff Brown, the Chief Operating Officer of Force Marketing, joins us on today’s episode of Inside Automotive to explain how connected TV is transforming how dealers connect with their audiences. From hyper-targeted ads to optimizing media spend, Jeff shares insights into how streaming can create a game-changing strategy for dealerships.
According to Brown, streaming media is revolutionizing automotive advertising. He highlights the shifts from traditional media, where dealerships bought ad space hoping to reach their target audience, to the precision of connected TV, where dealers can pinpoint their ideal customers based on detailed data.
The strategy’s core involves leveraging first-party and third-party data to ensure ads are delivered to the most relevant viewers. Brown explains that by analyzing customer data, including vehicle ownership, age, and market behavior, dealers can create tailored campaigns targeting individuals likely in the market for a new vehicle, even before they actively search. He emphasizes that pre-market audiences—those 31 to 90 days away from making a purchase—actually perform 2.4 times better than in-market audiences, making it crucial for dealerships to engage early in the buying cycle.
Additionally, Brown discusses how dealerships can use streaming platforms like Hulu, Peacock, and Disney+ to place their ads in front of a highly targeted group, ensuring zero waste in media spend. He notes that connected TV campaigns can be adjusted based on performance data, making them a sustainable and repeatable tool for dealers.
On budgeting, Brown suggests that dealers should consider allocating 20-30% of their ad spend to streaming media, as this shift in the media mix is becoming increasingly important. With the rise of connected TV, more U.S. households are streaming, with 87% of homes expected to have connected TV by the end of the year, spending an average of 2 hours and 34 minutes daily.
As the market matures, dealers who get ahead of the curve with streaming will reap the benefits of low-cost, high-efficiency advertising that captures both current and future buyers.
“87% of U.S. households are connected TV enabled. By the end of this year, U.S. households will spend 20% of their total media time with connected TV. That’s two hours and 34 minutes." – Jeff Brown
