Where are the new developments?

I recently attended the Automotive Magazine marketing event in Rotterdam. I go to events often, but this gathering particularly caught my interest. I was curious to see what new marketing developments were happening in automotive.

Perhaps because of the rise of AI, I was a bit too enthusiastic…

Sure, the advancements in tools like AutoChat are massive, and AutoChat Pro is a real support tool for the internal employee. But in terms of marketing, there actually weren’t any new developments.

Gary

Of course, TikTok and influencers add a new dimension, but if you follow Gary Vaynerchuk, you knew ten years ago that this would be a big deal. Back then, TikTok was still called Musical.ly, and being an influencer wasn’t even in the top three most popular jobs for young people. By now, these developments are no longer truly new.

The real new development is that there is no new development. Marketing on Tier 2 (importer) and Tier 3 (dealer) is still about storytelling in the right, creative way, with the right content, and through the right medium.

Ligier Store Doesburg

At Ligier Store Doesburg – Experience Center, we have been trying to do this since the beginning! TikTok and Instagram lead the way, and we are active weekly to reach an audience that doesn’t automatically consider a light car: the youth. So, attracting a new target group who hasn’t yet made the decision is a double challenge.

We are doing this with an influencer like Nina Schotpoort and creative videos featuring our own team. We’ve already generated over two million views, but ultimately it’s about one thing: the result. It’s not about brand awareness, not about the number of views, likes, or anything else—it’s about sales…

At Ligier Store Doesburg, things can always be improved, or rather, they must be improved! We see potential to double our numbers, and for the new light cars we sell, 44% goes to that new, young audience! Nationally, that percentage is below 10%.

Conclusion

So, it comes down to this: no, there were no genuinely new marketing developments presented during the Rotterdam event. Creativity combined with the right platform should lead to more sales. The KPIs often used by marketing agencies, like engagement (likes, views, reposts, etc.), are nice, but ultimately it’s about sales. And that’s precisely what we heard too little about at the marketing congress.

Creativity combined with the right platform should lead to more sales.