Engineering Creative for Guaranteed Wins

How do you guarantee a new commercial doesn’t just launch, but dominates the market when it does? That was the core question addressed by two Atlanta-based experts, Trent Thacker, Senior Director of Market and Customer Research at Cox Automotive, and Jamie Warner, Brand Partnerships Senior Account Executive at iSpot, during a recent fireside chat. They didn’t just discuss “what-if” scenarios; they showed the research-driven process used by industry leaders like Autotrader and Kelly Blue Book (KBB). The takeaway? Creating effective ads requires research that starts well before production.

Cox Automotive’s Research Driven Strategy

Cox Automotive’s creative journey begins long before production. They continuously monitor their brands and competitors, using real-time alerts via iSpot Creative Measurement, to quickly see what messages rivals are going to market with. 

The biggest game-changers? Pre-Testing & AI.

Before launch, Cox Automotive pre-tests ads through iSpot, utilizing consumer and dealer communities to pinpoint key messages and value propositions to validate message resonance. For a recent campaign, Cox Automotive put AI to work—transforming scripts into high-quality animatics with serious speed. Trent explained they could get feedback from an afternoon focus group, make AI-assisted edits, and present new content to an evening group within just a few hours. They also used AI-generated generational personas (like an “AI Millennial”) for brutally honest, quick script feedback that strongly correlates with their established research.

Key Performance Indicators: More Than Just a Like

When Cox Automotive tests creative through iSpot, they focus on performance-driving metrics that extend beyond the initial Ace Score*, serving as a gut-check for the brand. A key focus is the Information Score*, which is paramount because vehicle shoppers typically spend 90 to 100 days in-market doing extensive research. Since they serve a broad audience, from first-time Gen Z buyers to Baby Boomers, the ability to clearly and successfully convey information is essential. Trent notes that a high Information Score positively impacts the overall Ace Score, confirming that consumers value the educational aspect.

Brand Recognition Score* is also critical, as Cox Automotive operates in a highly competitive and fragmented market where shoppers often use four, five, six or seven sites during their process. A high Brand Recognition Score ensures maximum visibility for Autotrader and KBB sites. 

Finally, the Polarity Score*, the measure of disagreement regarding an ad’s overall effectiveness, is vital for a legacy brand like KBB, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year and is one of the most trusted brands in the industry. Cox Automotive takes a conservative approach, using the Polarity Score to ensure their content does not risk damaging their decades-long reputation for trust, which is crucial given their revenue model relies on advertiser trust.

Pre-Testing Case Study: The Keenan Thompson Spot

Cox Automotive used iSpot Creative Pre-Testing on a spot featuring Keenan Thompson to ensure the messaging resonated with the target audience. Although initial testing showed an above-average performance when compared to the norm, the brand aimed to increase brand awareness. By acting on the insights from the pre-test, they made targeted adjustments, which led to concrete performance gains in the final creative:

• Brand Recognition Score increased 3%.
• Likability Score saw a significant 31% increase.
• The ad scored exceptionally well for Authenticity.

Key changes included adjusting the initial dialogue and adding more Autotrader brand imagery. Introducing a small clip of the Kelly Blue Book brand proved to be a powerful brand crossover strategy, increasing Brand Recognition for both KBB and Autotrader by leveraging KBB’s perception as a “seal of approval.” By combining a foundation of consumer research, pre-testing, and a focus on metrics like Information and Brand Recognition, Cox Automotive ensured their creative was highly effective and brand-safe–all before the ad aired.

Key Takeaways

• AI Streamlines Creative: Cox Automotive utilizes AI to quickly transform scripts into high-quality animatics and generate immediate, brutally honest feedback against AI generational personas–drastically increasing the speed of the creative revision process.
• Information Drives Performance: The Information Score from iSpot is a critical metric that positively impacts the overall ad effectiveness, validating that consumers value educational content.
• Legacy Brands Must Protect Trust: To uphold a high ethical standard and keep advertising content non-controversial, the Polarity Score is crucial for KBB, safeguarding the brand’s century-old consumer trust.
• Brand Crossover Boosts Recognition: Tagging the highly trusted KBB brand onto an Autotrader spot proved to be a powerful strategy, resulting in increased Brand Recognition for both brands.

Want to know more about how Autotrader and KBB use their data to inform their marketing? Watch the full event session.

Terms & Methodology

iSpot Creative Measurement Methodology: Each nationally-breaking TV and video ad is rapidly surveyed by 500+ US consumers (demographically balanced to the census), providing a pure assessment of creative effectiveness. Quantitative and qualitative insights reveal what consumers think and how they feel about an ad.

*Ace Score: The overall summary score of each commercial’s effectiveness. Calculated based on a proprietary algorithm combining persuasion component scores (Attention, Likeability, Desire, Change, Relevance and Information) and the Watchability Score.

*Information Score: The extent to which the commercial communicates new information.

*Brand Recognition: Survey respondents are asked to name a brand (unaided) after watching an ad in its entirety.

*Polarity Score: The measure of disagreement among respondents regarding an ad’s overall effectiveness.