Measure meaningful behaviour, not simply whether an ad was served.
Automotive TV advertising has often been criticised for playing safe. In our May commentary, we explored whether streaming’s closer connection with audiences could change that.
The discussion followed Rory Sutherland’s argument, reported by Daniel Thomas in the Financial Times, that streaming is bringing new possibilities to television advertising. Our contribution is measurement: connecting exposure with what people subsequently do on automotive websites.
What the campaign analysis found
For one major European automotive brand, people exposed to a streamed-TV advertisement were:
- 62% more likely to start lead forms than the website average.
- 98% more likely to engage with the advertised model than average.
- 54% more likely to record five visits than average.
These comparisons describe the measured audiences in that analysis. They are not universal outcomes, and comparisons with the website average do not by themselves establish causation.
Confidence to be more creative
Sophus3 MD Scott Gairns recalled memorable campaigns such as Renault’s Nicole-Papa advertising. The opportunity is to combine that creative ambition with evidence about customer behaviour.
Our Auto Match work with ITV and Carwow helps brands move the conversation beyond whether an advertisement was delivered to whether relevant actions followed.
Adapted from Sophus3’s LinkedIn post dated 2026-05-05. Figures and market observations relate to that original update.
