Industries · Automotive
Media for automotive brands and dealers in New Zealand
Model launches, run-out deals, dealer networks and long buying cycles. KBR plans, buys and measures media for car brands, distributors and dealer groups, connecting national brand activity to test drives, enquiries and sales in each region.
The short answer
What does an automotive media agency do?
An automotive media agency plans and buys advertising that moves people from interest in a model to a test drive or enquiry. It has to balance national brand activity with tactical offers and the needs of individual dealers.
KBR has run automotive campaigns since 2017 for brands including Mazda, Volvo, Dongfeng, Honda, Ford and BMW. We plan launches and offers together, keep search and social always on, and report on the leads and test drives that matter to brands and dealers.
Why it's different
What makes automotive brands and dealers different
Long buying cycles
People research a car for weeks or months. Media has to stay present through research, comparison and the dealer visit.
Brand and dealer needs
National brand campaigns and local dealer offers have to work together, not compete for the same searches.
Launches and run-outs
New models need reach fast. Run-outs and offers need tactical, high-intent media with tight timing.
Leads are the currency
Test drives, finance enquiries and brochure requests matter more than clicks, so tracking has to capture them.
What we do
How we help
Model launch campaigns
Reach-led plans across online video, BVOD, social, programmatic and publishers, timed to arrival in showrooms.
Always-on search
Model, comparison and dealer searches covered year round, with brand and dealer campaigns structured so they don't bid against each other.
Tactical offers
Run-out, finance and event campaigns that switch on quickly and target in-market buyers.
Dealer-level targeting
Geo-targeting and budgets set by dealer region, so local stock and offers reach local buyers.
In-market audiences
Programmatic and platform audiences built around automotive research behaviour, plus retargeting of model page visitors.
Lead and test-drive tracking
GA4 and form tracking for test drives, enquiries and brochure downloads, reported by model and region.
How we work
From brief to results
- 01Model and dealer prioritiesWhich models, offers and regions need volume, and when stock arrives.
- 02Plan brand and tactical togetherA launch or brand base with tactical bursts layered on top.
- 03Launch and optimise weeklyBudget follows the models, regions and channels producing leads.
- 04Report on leadsTest drives and enquiries by model, region and channel.
Experience
Automotive brands we have worked with
- Mazda
- Volvo Cars
- Dongfeng
- Honda
- Ford
- BMW
FAQ
Common questions
Which channels work best for automotive advertising in New Zealand?
Search and social do much of the work, because buyers research models, compare options and look up dealers online. Online video, BVOD and programmatic build reach for launches. Publishers and digital out-of-home add scale and local presence. The mix changes between launch, always-on and tactical periods.
How do you stop brand and dealer campaigns competing?
By agreeing who covers which searches and audiences. Typically the brand covers national and model terms, and dealers cover local and dealer-name terms with clear geographic boundaries. We set up the account structure and negative keywords so they support each other.
How do you measure automotive media?
We track the actions that lead to sales: test-drive bookings, enquiries, finance and brochure requests, and dealer locator use. Where possible we connect these to CRM or dealer data so you can see cost per lead and which channels produce sales.
Can you run campaigns for individual dealers?
Yes. We can run dealer-level campaigns within a brand framework, with local targeting, budgets and offers, and reporting each dealer can understand.
Has KBR worked with automotive brands?
Yes. KBR has planned and bought media for 17 automotive brands since 2017, including Mazda, Volvo Cars New Zealand, Dongfeng, Honda, Ford and BMW.
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