Auto Trader Help Drivers Find ‘The One’

Auto Trader is launching a new integrated consumer campaign, created by glue Isobar, to demonstrate the brand’s position as the number one digital destination for buying and selling new and used cars for over three decades.

 

Created around the brand’s celebration of its 35-year heritage, the campaign launches on the 7th September 2012 and builds on the digital-only ‘Storytelling’ campaign that was launched by glue Isobar in June.

 

At the heart of the £2m campaign is an online hub and digital experience that allows existing and new Auto Trader fans to celebrate what they love about their car. The digital and social activity will also include video-on-demand, YouTube and Top Gear homepage takeovers as well as distribution across key video sites. A Twitter competition called ‘The Car’s the Star’ will reward the most original and creative submissions with a unique, personalised video response. 

 

A 40” TV spot, written by glue Isobar’s Seb Royce and directed by Mark Jenkinson, fronts the campaign and marks the first time Auto Trader has advertised on national television since 2010. The new TV ad will run on TV until the end of September and online until mid-October and celebrates the brand’s 35-year history of helping drivers find ‘The one’ by featuring scenes set in 1977, 1980s, 1990s and 2012, following a series of people who are just buying or have just bought cars through the Auto Trader magazine, website and mobile app. Set to a heart-rendering version of Etta James’ ‘At Last’ by the upcoming artist Natalie Duncan, the advert taps into the emotional connection people have with their cars by capturing the unique feeling car owners have when buying a new car, and the pride, excitement and thrill of driving away for the first time. 

 

View the spot below: 

 

 

The London branch of MassiveMusic revived a timeless classic for the spot. Natalie Duncan’s rendition of ‘At Last’, which was specially commissioned for the campaign, will be available to buy as a B-side on her new single ‘Find Me A Home’, released on 22nd October. ‘Find Me A Home’ is the lead single from Natalie’s debut album ‘Devil In Me’ which is out now. 

 

MassiveMusic was responsible for every stage of the project lifecycle. From finding Etta James’ “At Last”, to negotiating the rights, to re-recording a new cover version, and sourcing Natalie Duncan from Verve Records as the lead singer. The interesting part of the project was that Natalie Duncan enjoyed the cover so much, she asked MassiveMusic to develop a full length version of the track, to be released as a B-Side on her upcoming Verve Records debut.

 

According to Wayne Brown, Managing Director at glue Isobar: “We wanted to create a campaign that communicates the rich heritage of Auto Trader, elevating them above transactional competitors and creating a more emotional connection with audiences across the entire customer journey.”

 

Jonathan Williams, Director of Consumer Marketing, Auto Trader said: “Following the success of the digital-only ‘Storytelling’ campaign, we wanted to further strengthen the relationship we have with our customers and shift consumer perceptions of Auto Trader as being just an online marketplace. The emotional bond people have with their cars is timeless, and with the digital activity and Twitter competition, we hope to celebrate this relationship and engage viewers to remember the ‘first time’ with their car.”