{"id":33023,"date":"2025-09-25T09:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T16:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/?post_type=events&p=33023"},"modified":"2025-11-24T14:26:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T22:26:52","slug":"brandweek-2025","status":"publish","type":"events","link":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/events\/brandweek-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Engineering Creative for Guaranteed Wins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How do you guarantee a new commercial doesn\u2019t just launch, but dominates <\/strong>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 \u201cwhat-if\u201d 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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cox Automotive’s Research Driven Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cox Automotive\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest game-changers? Pre-Testing & AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014transforming 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Performance Indicators: More Than Just a Like<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/strong>*, 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<\/strong>, confirming that consumers value the educational aspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brand Recognition Score<\/strong>* 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the Polarity Score<\/strong>*, the measure of disagreement regarding an ad\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/strong>Pre-Testing Case Study: The Keenan Thompson Spot<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Brand Recognition Score<\/strong> increased 3%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Likability Score<\/strong> saw a significant 31% increase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The ad scored exceptionally well for Authenticity<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Key changes included adjusting the initial dialogue and adding more Autotrader brand imagery<\/strong>. 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\u2013all before the ad aired<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • AI Streamlines Creative:<\/strong> Cox Automotive utilizes AI to quickly transform scripts into high-quality animatics and generate immediate, brutally honest feedback against AI generational personas\u2013drastically increasing the speed of the creative revision process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Information Drives Performance:<\/strong> The Information Score from iSpot is a critical metric that positively impacts the overall ad effectiveness, validating that consumers value educational content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Legacy Brands Must Protect Trust: <\/strong>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.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Brand Crossover Boosts Recognition:<\/strong> Tagging the highly trusted KBB brand onto an Autotrader spot proved to be a powerful strategy, resulting in increased Brand Recognition for both brands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Want to know more about how Autotrader and KBB use their data to inform their marketing? Watch the full event session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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