{"id":36768,"date":"2026-04-06T11:32:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T18:32:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/?post_type=ispot_case_studies&p=36768"},"modified":"2026-04-06T15:01:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T22:01:12","slug":"how-cox-automotive-drove-a-31-increase-in-ad-likeability","status":"publish","type":"ispot_case_studies","link":"https:\/\/www.ispot.tv\/hub\/resources\/case-studies\/how-cox-automotive-drove-a-31-increase-in-ad-likeability\/","title":{"rendered":"How Cox Automotive Drove a 31% Increase in Ad Likeability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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+31%<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increase in Likeability<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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+5%<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increase in Brand Mention as “Single Best Thing”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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+4%<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increase in Brand Recognition<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Executive Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cox Automotive, the parent company of AutoTrader and Kelley Blue Book (KBB), redefined its video creative development process by using iSpot Pre-Market Creative Testing<\/a><\/strong> to ensure the creative connects with audiences before launch. By integrating iSpot\u2019s real human response data and competitive benchmarks with the brand\u2019s AI-generated animatics, Cox successfully accelerated production cycles while safeguarding the brand\u2019s 100-year legacy of trust. The partnership drove strong performance gains, including a 31% increase in ad Likeability and a lift in Brand Recognition through data-driven creative refinements<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“<\/em> We\u2019ll take some of those early revisions and <\/strong>we’ll run them through iSpot and see how they score. It’s very important to see those initial scores for us.<\/strong>“<\/em><\/p>\nTrent Thacker, Senior Director of Marketing Intelligence, Cox Automotive<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Challenge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a legacy organization, one of Cox Automotive\u2019s greatest assets is its strong brand reputation built on consumer trust\u2014especially for Kelley Blue Book, which turns a century old in 2026. The primary challenge was consistently maintaining that feeling of trust, across campaigns. Because the brand is viewed by many consumers as a seal of approval, even a minor misstep in creative tone or Polarity Score could jeopardize decades of equity. The team needed a way to verify that their messaging resonated across diverse demographics, from digital-native Gen Z buyers to experienced Baby Boomers, without alienating their dealer partners.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Solution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cox Automotive utilizes iSpot Pre-Market Creative Testing<\/strong> to assess how creative lands with various audiences before they put any media spend behind it. The process leverages survey-based assessments from a robust, geo-demographically balanced sample of over 500 respondents, delivering actionable insights in 48 to 72 hours. With access to both quantitative and qualitative data via the intuitive iSpot dashboard, Cox Automotive can drill down into specific demographics and target audience filters to pinpoint exactly what consumers think and feel about an ad, all before the ad airs<\/strong>. Additionally, during the development phase, Cox Automotive pioneered the use of AI engines to transform initial scripts into high-fidelity animatics for these tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For example, the iSpot Creative Pre-Testing insights behind Autotrader\u2019s \u201cKeenan Thompson\u201d ad revealed a clear opportunity to strengthen impact by increasing Brand Recognition. By spotting these gaps early, the team modified the creative to clearly emphasize branding components, making sure the creative was dialed in before the final film was produced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“<\/em> We look at the Ace Score from iSpot which for us is just that real quick sanity or kind of gut check, is this a good ad, or is it a bad ad?“<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trent Thacker, Senior Director of Marketing Intelligence, Cox Automotive<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Results<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the use of iSpot Creative Pre-Testing, Cox Automotive identified immediate and measurable performance gains for this campaign. By using these insights to strengthen the branding, specifically within the background and end cards, the team achieved the following results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • 31% Increase in Likeability:<\/strong> Creative refinements resonated significantly better with the target audience’s emotions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 4% Lift in Brand Recognition:<\/strong> Increased brand density in the background and end cards ensured the message stuck.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 5% Growth in Brand Mention:<\/strong> When asked for the “Single Best Thing” about the ad, more viewers specifically identified the brand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Cross-Brand Synergy:<\/strong> Integrating the trusted Kelley Blue Book logo into AutoTrader spots successfully leveraged 100 years of trust to drive awareness for both brands simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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    Ultimately, the partnership enabled Cox Automotive to launch a campaign that balanced product education and information with entertainment while upholding a trusted brand image proven to engage today\u2019s car buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n