Is Your Advertising Reaching All Generations of Car Buyers?

If you’ve ever worried your auto dealership might not be reaching all the generations of car buyers, you’re not alone. The fear of missing audiences (FOMA) is a common phenomenon in the world of marketing. FOMA often results from a total market approach, which doesn’t account for the ways different audiences consume content.

Make FOMA a laughable thing of the past and be confident you’re reaching all generations of car buyers, whenever and wherever they’re consuming content, by focusing on these three factors.

Really, really know your audience

It’s important to take a deep dive under the hood to know car buyers’ wants, needs, and media consumption habits. Understanding each generation of auto intenders provides valuable insights on how to reach them and leave a lasting impression. Here are a few stats to consider:

• 66% of Gen Z car buyers prefer conducting extensive research and comparing various options before choosing a new vehicle to purchase.¹

• 49% of millennials agree they enjoy personalizing their car to reflect their individual taste.²

• Gen X auto buyers plan to spend $34K on a car in the next 12 months.³

• 48% of baby boomers are loyal to vehicle brands and stick to them.⁴

Misconceptions can lead to missed connections. Don’t be fooled into thinking that baby boomers spend most of their time watching the news, or that Gen Z never watches cable TV. Knowing where your audience is watching can help you reach and engage with them. For reference, here’s a list of one of each generation’s most-watched networks:⁴

• Baby Boomers: Hallmark Channel⁴

• Gen X: HGTV³

• Millennials: FX²

• Gen Z: Adult Swim¹

Let audience insights guide your creative

Did you know only 66% of vehicle owners look forward to technology advances in new vehicles? Utilizing insights like this will help you tailor your creative. For example, if you want to target EV buyers, consider their unique preferences when developing ads.

• Millennials may respond well to a tech-savvy ad that highlights an EV’s features.

• Gen Z would likely resonate with an environmentally-conscious message, as they are more focused on sustainability.

• For Gen X, emphasizing the cost-savings benefit could deliver the best results.

• Baby Boomers may respond well to a trustworthy message of positioning your dealership as an expert in EVs.

Combining creative messaging with an understanding of your audience allows you to tell your story in a relatable way. Creative influence on the success of campaigns can be as much as 60%.⁵ Plus, leading with a local approach captures your audience’s attention because you’re showing off your cultural relevance. When you harness the power of audience insights, business will soar.

Be on the screens your audience uses

Today, content is consumed on a variety of different screens. A multiscreen approach is a must for your advertising strategy. Using a multiscreen approach helps viewers see your business from every angle, because they’re watching from every angle.

• Baby Boomers intending to purchase a vehicle watch an average of 106 hours of TV per week.⁴

• 28% of millennials have searched for automobile information on the internet in the past 30 days.²

• 93% of Gen Z auto buyers stream video content regularly.¹

• 44% of Gen X auto buyers watch sports on TV or streaming.³

On average, there is a 28% increase in reach when streaming TV is added to linear TV campaigns.⁶ Going multiscreen could make a huge difference in the success of your next advertising campaign.

The bottom line?

Avoiding FOMA is easier than it seems. Connect to your audience across every screen and find the key to each generation’s heart.

We’re here to help. Spectrum Reach Automotive can connect your dealership with the best in entertainment, sports, and news across all screens, with direct access. Marketing is complicated. We’re not. Learn more at SpectrumReach.com/auto.

¹Nielsen Scarborough USA+ 2022 Release 2 Total (Jun 2021 - Nov 2022), Base: Adults 18+ Target: Generations: Gen Z (18-24). Extrapolated by Prime Lingo; Top Networks extrapolated by Prime Lingo.

²Nielsen Scarborough USA+ 2022 Release 2 Total (Jun 2021 - Nov 2022), Base: Adults 18+ Target: Generations: Gen Y/Millennials (25-39). Extrapolated by Prime Lingo; Top Networks extrapolated by Prime Lingo.

³Nielsen Scarborough USA+ 2022 Release 2 Total (Jun 2021 - Nov 2022), Base: Adults 18+ Target: Generations: Gen X (40-59). Extrapolated by Prime Lingo; Top Networks extrapolated by Prime Lingo.

⁴Nielsen Scarborough USA+ 2022 Release 2 Total (Jun 2021 - Nov 2022), Base: Adults 18+ Target: Generations: Baby Boomers 1 (60-69). Extrapolated by Prime Lingo; Top Networks extrapolated by Prime Lingo.

⁵ “Maximizing Creative Attention to Drive Increased Share of Voice.” Realeyes, November 10, 2022. https://www.realeyesit.com/resources_list/maximizing-creative-attention-to-drive-increased-share-of-voice/. 

⁶Spectrum Reach AM Campaign Data. Date: Q4 2020. O&O & Partner Affiliates. *Includes all campaigns with Streaming TV & Linear. Total Campaigns: 5,758. *Streaming TV Lift = % of new HHs reached. **Results based on averages, results will vary and not all campaigns will achieve +28% lift.

Spectrum Reach®, the advertising sales business of Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), provides custom advertising solutions for local, regional and national clients. Operating in 36 states and 91 markets, Spectrum Reach creates scalable advertising and marketing services driven by aggregated and de-identified data insights and award-winning creative services. Spectrum Reach helps businesses of all sizes reach anyone, anywhere, on any screen. Additional information about Spectrum Reach can be found at https://www.spectrumreach.com.