RCP

London

Reinventing Auto Trader: From Heritage to High-Tech

The Challenge:

Auto Trader's brief was clear: to make the brand as well known for brand new and electric cars as it is for used.To do this successfully we also had to change perceptions of the brand from 2nd hand and old fashioned to a modern day tech power house. On top of that, we also had to find a compelling reason to buy new cars through Auto Trader, vs some of the other retailers more readily associated with brand new cars. .

The Strategy:

With the brief clearly articulated, we set out to change perceptions by adopting elements from modern technology companies. Our TV advertising features real people and a narrative rich with emotion. Our 'Red World' employs bold typography and vibrant colours, both of which are hallmarks of the tech industry advertising.

When crafting our messaging, we highlighted AutoTrader’s advantage: the new cars on their site are available now and ready to buy. We knew this would be a compelling message because the last thing a new car buyer wants after a complex, stressful, and often lengthy buying journey is to wait even longer for the car to arrive in stock.

The Idea:

We launched the platform Brand New Cars Found AT, highlighting Auto Trader’s key proposition: thousands of brand-new cars ready for purchase with no wait time. The emphasis on "found" conveys the success and satisfaction buyers feel when they secure the car they want quickly and easily.

The campaign unfolds in two parts:

Film: New Car Smell:

The emotional journey of buying a new car is captured through that first breath of the iconic new car scent. The film showcases the relief, pride, and joy of stepping into a new vehicle, making it a personal sanctuary. The quiet, intimate tone invites viewers to observe this deeply personal experience. The film will air across TV, cinema, online, and social media.

‘Red World’ Identity

A bold, playful graphic identity has been created for OOH, social, and digital, using eye-catching animations and headlines to give Auto Trader a vibrant personality. This "red world" modernises the brand and showcases its wide range of new and electric cars.

The campaign, in collaboration with The Specialist Works, will span TV, radio, cinema, OOH, social, PR, and digital. It is expected to reach 96% of UK adults, with an average of 35 touchpoints per person, running through March 2025.

As the UK’s number one car buying platform, we have the largest and most engaged audience of car buyers. Our new campaign aims to bring our inside out, showing to consumers who we really are and remind them why Auto Trader is a great destination to purchase a brand-new car with thousands of new cars, available now and at every budget. We’re absolutely thrilled to have worked in close partnership with one of the UK’s most acclaimed advertising directors Glenn Kitson. We wanted to be bolder and more confident than ever before in our creative and produce a compelling and standout multi-channel campaign that will help make the car buying process as seamless as possible for new car audiences across the UK.
Camilla Ellerton, Consumer Marketing Director

So so so pleased with this. A monumental undertaking, in double quick time, over the summer when everyone and their dog is in Majorca. Still we killed it, new look, modern af and Glenn Kitson and Iconoclast did the business on the TV.
Dan Jacobs, Creative Founder, ECD

Reinventing Auto Trader: From Heritage to High-Tech

Auto Trader aimed to rebrand as a tech leader in new and electric cars. Our Brand New Cars Found AT campaign emphasises their key advantage: new cars available immediately. Spanning TV, radio, and digital, the campaign will reach 96% of UK adults by March 2025.