Auto Trader to launch 'buy online' marketing campaign on Christmas day

Auto Trader will promote online car buying services with a brand-new marketing campaign launching on Christmas Day.

The new marketing activity is designed to highlight the ease and simplicity of buying a car online from retailers on its marketplace, during a period of COVID uncertainty.

It marks the next phase of Auto Trader’s Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker (BBM) campaign, which is the organisation’s largest to date.

Catherine Faiers, Auto Trader’s COO, said: “Throughout the pandemic we’ve seen a significant increase in consumers looking to complete more of the buying journey online, which is only set to accelerate in the weeks and months to come.

“We’ve seen many of our retailer partners embrace - and make a huge success of - buy online features, and so in this time of covid uncertainty, we wanted to once again promote the convenience and availability of home delivery services to millions of potential car buyers.

“I hope this campaign, and our wider investment in marketing this year will make a real difference for our retailer partners. Given the current retail environment, and to make the most of this opportunity, it is vital retailers feature their buy online services prominently on their adverts, in their marketing and across their digital forecourts.”

With a focus on home delivery, the new buy online phase of the BBM campaign will go live across multiple channels, including TV and broadcast video on demand (BVOD), as well as digital activity including YouTube, Connected TV, Facebook and Snapchat.

As with previous instalments of the BBM campaign, the new TV advertisement will again feature the voice of British actor, Jennifer Saunders.

It will target a mass audience, including both in- and out- of market consumers, and is expected to reach more than 80% of the UK audience between Christmas Day and April 2022.

Auto Trader posted a 121% increase in operating profit to £151.7 million for the half year ended September 30.

The group recorded revenue of £215.4 million up 82% (H1 FY21: £118.2 million), and up 15% on H1 FY20 (£186.7 million).

Average Revenue Per Retailer (ARPR) increased by 82% to £2,199 (H1 2021: £1,206).

Much of the increase came from COVID related discounts which were offered to retailers in the prior year and due to their absence in FY2022 contributed £640 of growth.

Taking account of those discounts there was an underlying increase in ARPR of £353 which was spread across Auto Trader's price, stock and product levers. 

The results mark a return to profits after the business suffered a 29% decline in revenues and 38% reduction in operating profit from its full year results last year.