Auto Trader's Largest Campaign in 47 years Evolves Its Famous 'Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker' Tagline

On Boxing Day, Auto Trader, the UK’s largest digital marketplace for new and used cars, launched one of its largest integrated campaigns to date. Created by creative agency Recipe, the new campaign comes with significant marketing investment, marking the next phase in the evolution of the Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker campaign – something the brand is now famous for. 

To date, the Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker campaign celebrates the diversity of today’s car buying public, hero-ing Auto Trader’s sheer scale as well as its proud history of matching buyers and sellers in Britain for over 47 years. 

Auto Trader's new Matchmaker campaign aims to speak to all car buyers. At its core the campaign is about relatable life moments and the nuanced reasons why people choose their cars. More often than not it isn’t about wanting the best engine and flashy interior, but about having enough space for the whole family on the chaotic school run. That's where Auto Trader's expertise comes in - supporting customers on their journeys and helping them navigate all of life's twists and turns so they can find the right one for them. With an average of 450,000 cars on its platform and trusted car reviews, advice and help Auto Trader is well positioned to help any car buyer find their next car with confidence.

Britain’s biggest matchmaker comprises an omnichannel approach. Led by media agency The Specialists Works (TSW), it includes above the line (ATL) platforms including TV, broadcast video on demand (BVOD) and radio as well as digital activity spanning social, display, digital audio and online video. 

The new creative also lives throughout Auto Trader’s owned channels and platforms including onsite, email, in app, search and organic social. PR will be led by Pitch PR in coordination with Auto Trader’s in-house PR team. 

To bring this iteration of the Matchmaker platform to life, Auto Trader has created a TV campaign full of relatable moments that amplify Auto Trader’s role in helping consumers find the right one. The characters used in the scenarios celebrate real people from all walks of life. The campaign was produced by Recipe’s in-house production arm, The Kitchen, and directed by Michael O’Kelly.

Four key scenarios in the campaign show people at varying life stages, who have found their one - with the features and details that are most important to them. Whether that’s one with the perfect size boot; the one with the one for the school run; the one with keyless entry; the one with long enough range or one with a rear-view camera.

On Boxing Day, the campaign kicked off the AV campaign with a national spot in the brand-new series of The Voice Kids. Following the launch, the creative featured within a range of high-profile programmes and festive films throughout the post-Christmas period.

Auto Trader’s co-marketing director, Camilla Ellerton, said “As a brand we are established for the work we have done to make life easier for buyers and sellers of new and used cars. We know our choice; data and our heritage stand us apart as the platform consumers have trusted for over 40 years. So, at a time where the outlook of the wider economy is uncertain, Auto Trader is demonstrating how it continues to help consumers as they navigate through their car buying or selling journeys, no matter the life stage they are in.” 

Dan Jacobs, creative founder at Recipe said “It’s been such a joy and a privilege working with the team at Auto Trader on the next iteration of their Britain’s Biggest Matchmaker platform. This campaign is all about celebrating those little things that make a car right for you, and Auto Trader’s unrivalled ability to help you find it.”

Joe Green, client director at TSW said: “This campaign has been a truly harmonious collaboration between media, creative and business objectives, which has helped us deliver an integrated multi-channel strategy that will showcase the scale, authority, and expertise of Auto Trader. We’re incredibly excited to see this go live and celebrate Auto Trader’s continued success in 2023 and beyond.”