Auto Trader : NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN SET TO DRIVE MILLIONS OF CAR BUYERS TO RETAILERS’ BUY ONLINE SERVICES

Press release NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN SET TO DRIVE MILLIONS OF CAR BUYERS TO RETAILERS' BUY ONLINE SERVICES 21st Dec 2021

• Next phase of Britain's Biggest Matchmaker campaign launches to drive awareness of home delivery services to millions of car buyers at a time of covid uncertainty
• Auto Trader's Buy Online hub will feature prominently onsite from Wednesday 22^nd December
• 2021 marks Auto Trader's largest annual marketing spend ever

Auto Trader is set to drive millions of consumers to retailers' buy online services with a brand-new marketing campaign launching on Christmas Day. Launching at a time of covid uncertainty, it's designed to highlight the ease and simplicity of buying a car online from retailers on its marketplace. It marks the next exciting phase in its Britain's Biggest Matchmaker (BBM) campaign, and another significant investment in marketing this year, which collectively is the most Auto Trader has ever spent in a single year.

With a key focus on home delivery, the new buy online phase of the BBM campaign will go live across multiple paid and organic 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 talents of acclaimed British actor, Jennifer Saunders - it can be watched here: https://vimeo.com/657373487/7ea0220d22

As part of the marketing campaign, from Wednesday 22^nd, Auto Trader will also prominently feature its buying online hub across its platforms. With Covid posing more uncertainty, Auto Trader wants to support retailers by showcasing their home delivery and click & collect options which helped them to sell cars throughout previous periods of lockdowns. With these services on offer, retailers were able to trade at 84% of normal levels during lockdown three in Q1 of this year.

The light-hearted creatives will also be amplified through Auto Trader's own channels and platforms, including search, homepage takeovers, and CRM activity targeting its 2.1 million social media followers and email subscribers. The campaign, which will target a mass audience, including both in- and out- of market consumers, will reach over 80% of the UK audience through hundreds of millions of impressions delivered between Christmas Day and April 2022.

Commenting on the campaign, Auto Trader's COO, Catherine Faiers, 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."

Largest ever marketing investment in a single year

The new campaign closes what has been a full marketing schedule for Auto Trader this year, which as part of the launch of BBM at the start of 2021, included three TV advertisements. In a first for Auto Trader, it also secured a media partnership with ITV, which included sponsoring ITV2 Showtime as well as running six contextual ads using talent across sporting, family entertainment and younger audiences: Micah Richards, Stephen Mulhern and Emily Atack. What's more, Auto Trader continued running its sponsorship of 'Weekends on DAVE', as well as another BBM advert in the summer for its consumer facing Instant Offer service. Collectively, it represents the most Auto Trader has invested in marketing in a single year.

-ENDS-

About Auto Trader

Auto Trader Group plc is the UK and Ireland's largest automotive marketplace. Our marketplace sits at the heart of the car buying process, with the largest number of buyers and the biggest choice of trusted stock. Auto Trader exists to change how the UK shops for cars by providing the best online car buying experience and enabling all retailers to sell online. We are building stronger partnerships with our customers, using our voice and influence to drive more environmentally friendly vehicle choices and creating an inclusive and diverse culture for all of our people. Auto Trader listed on the London Stock Exchange in March 2015 and is a member of the FTSE 100 Index.

For more information, please visit https://plc.autotrader.co.uk/who-we-are/about-us/

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Laura Harvey | [e-mail]