FUEL DRIVES BUYERS WHO ARE 4X MORE LIKELY TO PURCHASE USING CARS.COM AUDIENCE DATA

Rhea-AI Summary

FUEL, a Cars.com company (NYSE: CARS), boosts dealer sales through targeted digital video advertising. Walser Automotive Group, an early adopter, reported a 21% increase in year-over-year sales for 2021 by leveraging Cars.com's first-party data. FUEL's unique approach identifies high-intent audiences and delivers customized video ads, achieving 100% relevant impressions. The FUEL Attribution Customer Tracking System (FACTS) provides analytics to optimize advertising effectiveness. This targeted strategy not only increased sales but also fostered consumer loyalty.

Positive

• 21% year-over-year sales increase reported by Walser Automotive Group.
• FUEL generates 100% relevant video ad impressions.
• Buyers using FUEL are four times more likely to purchase.
• 85% of consumers reached are new customers.
• FACTS system delivers analytics for advertising effectiveness.

Negative

• None.

CHICAGO, March 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FUEL, a Cars.com Inc. company (NYSE: CARS) and leading automotive digital video provider, is helping dealers achieve impressive sales results. Walser Automotive Group, an early adopter of FUEL, achieved an increase of 21% in combined sales year-over-year in 2021 by owning the right ZIP codes and leveraging Cars.com's first-party data to target in-market shoppers with the right messages.¹ 

FUEL invented a market category in auto with the launch of its in-market digital video solution. It takes the guesswork out of targeted video advertising, identifying audiences with high intent to purchase and delivering active car shoppers customized, high-production-value digital video in an exclusively owned ZIP code. Powered by Cars.com's pure audience data, FUEL drives buyers who are four times more likely to purchase compared to a general or modeled audience, and 85% are net new customers.² 

"Zeroing in on the audiences that will drive actual vehicle sales is what we set out to do with FUEL and we are seeing tangible results from this hyper-targeted approach — for example, 95% of the impressions achieved from linear TV are wasted. With FUEL in-market video 100% of the impressions are relevant³," said Terry Laughridge, chief operating officer of FUEL. "FUEL has always created value by eliminating assumptions — about who is shopping, who is viewing and who is buying. Dealers have also found that in this inventory constrained market it is also a great tool for vehicle acquisition and to drive consumers to the dealership for service."

The FUEL Attribution Customer Tracking System (FACTS) delivers industry-leading analytics that demonstrate the real value of investing in this more targeted approach to automotive advertising. FACTS shows dealers how effective their messages are and when and if changes need to be made to ensure the greatest results.

"Taking a more targeted approach to our advertising with FUEL has allowed us to be more efficient in our spend and attract more in-market shoppers into our showrooms," said Colton Ray, chief merchandising officer, Walser Automotive Group. "In addition to resulting in a 21% increase in combined year-over-year, we were able to establish new relationships with consumers and in turn earn their loyalty — which will be even more valuable to us in the future."

Dealers interested in learning more about FUEL can make an appointment here or visit the CARS booth (#3421) in the West Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Expo in Las Vegas on March 11-13.

1. Walser Automotive Group internal 2021 new car sales data
2. Cars.com, FUEL internal data 2021
3. Based on a 5% in-market household estimate

About FUEL
FUEL™ is an innovative advertising solution that combines best-in-class audience data, video creative, and dealer strategy to future-proof dealer ROI. As more and more consumers cut cords and spend their time across streaming platforms, FUEL efficiently adapts dealer advertising by only targeting consumers we know are in the market for a car across the platforms they watch video on every day. Powered by Cars.com's audience of more than 20 million monthly shoppers, FUEL is exclusively available to one dealer per territory to maximize the performance and market share gains of our innovative partners.

ABOUT CARS.COM INC.
CARS is the leading automotive marketplace platform that provides a robust set of digital solutions that connect car shoppers with sellers. Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace Cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers. In a rapidly changing market, CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.

In addition to Cars.com, CARS brands include Dealer Inspire, a technology provider building solutions that future-proof dealerships with more efficient operations and connected digital experiences; FUEL, which gives dealers and OEMs the opportunity to harness the untapped power of digital video by leveraging Cars.com's pure audience of in-market car shoppers, DealerRater, a leading car dealer review and reputation management platform, automotive fintech platform CreditIQ, and Accu-Trade Group, a leading provider of vehicle acquisition technology and valuation data.

The full suite of CARS properties includes Cars.com™,Dealer Inspire®,FUEL™, DealerRater®, CreditIQ™, Accu-Trade™, Auto.com™, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com®. For more information, visit www.Cars.com.

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SOURCE Cars.com Inc.

FAQ

What sales increase did Walser Automotive report using FUEL?

Walser Automotive reported a 21% increase in combined year-over-year sales for 2021.

How does FUEL improve ad targeting for dealers?

FUEL uses Cars.com's first-party data to deliver targeted video ads to high-intent audiences in specific ZIP codes.

What is the significance of the FUEL Attribution Customer Tracking System (FACTS)?

FACTS provides analytics that help dealers evaluate the effectiveness of their advertising and make necessary adjustments.

How does FUEL affect purchase likelihood among buyers?

Buyers reached through FUEL are four times more likely to purchase compared to those targeted through traditional advertising.