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Big Game Auto Commercials Drive Spike in Traffic to Cars.com
Alfa Romeo wins big with 7,320 percent spike in Cars.com traffic after three commercials

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Following Big Game LI on Sunday, February 5, featuring commercials from nine automakers, Cars.com analyzed site traffic to determine how TV advertising translated to online activity. Auto brands with commercials during the game averaged 7 percent lift to their brand pages on Cars.com and a 238 percent lift to pages of specific models on Cars.com advertised during the game.

"Advertisers spent upwards of five million dollars for a 30-second commercial during this year's game, and the resulting boost in traffic to Cars.com demonstrates the power of this significant investment," said David Greene, Cars.com data strategy manager. "Cars.com is a trusted platform that consumers already use during every stage of their car shopping process, so it came as no surprise that consumers engaged with brands on Cars.com right after seeing the commercials."

In the eight minutes following their commercial, visits to Alfa Romeo pages on Cars.com saw a staggering 1,179 percent increase in comparison to the same time period prior to the airing of their spot, a sign that their Big Game ad was highly impactful.

When compared to Cars.com traffic over the four prior Sundays, automotive brands who advertised during the Big Game saw the following lifts to their advertised model pages:

  • Alfa Romeo Giulia – 7,320 percent
  • Audi S5 – 1,391 percent
  • Buick Cascada – 424 percent
  • Buick Encore – 59 percent
  • Honda CR-V – 35 percent
  • Kia Niro – 497 percen
  • Lexus LC 500 – 861 percent
  • Lexus LS 460 – 888 percent
  • Mercedes-Benz AMG GT – 910 percent

"During the game, nearly 60 percent of visits to Cars.com came from mobile devices on game day," said Greene. "Because of the sheer audience size, the Big Game continues to be an effective advertising method, however, when paired with online digital support, the impact is even greater. On mobile alone, there was a 1,074 percent increase to brand model pages advertised during the game."

Data was collected in real-time by comparing Cars.com site visits on Game Day Sunday to averages of the four prior Sundays.

Data Source: Cars.com internal data

ABOUT CARS.COM
Cars.com is a leading online destination that helps car shoppers and owners navigate every turn of car ownership. A pioneer in automotive classifieds, the company has evolved into one of the largest digital automotive platforms, connecting consumers with local dealers across the country anytime, anywhere. Through trusted expert content, on-the-lot mobile app features, millions of new and used vehicle listings, a comprehensive set of research tools and the largest database of consumer reviews in the industry, Cars.com helps shoppers buy, sell and service their vehicles.

Cars.com properties include DealerRater, Auto.com, PickupTrucks.com™ and NewCars.com©. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Chicago. It is owned by TEGNA, Inc.

 

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/big-game-auto-commercials-drive-spike-in-traffic-to-carscom-300402493.html

SOURCE Cars.com

For further information: Ethan Hertzberg, ehertzberg@cars.com, 312.601.5685