Bauer Autoventure is made up of a team of experts assembled from Bauer Media’s autos, lifestyle & radio teams combining the specialist automotive market expertise of Bauer’s top motoring brands such as Car, Parkers and Fleet News with the reach and insights of influential consumer brands including Grazia, KISS, Empire and Absolute Radio.
Bauer Autoventure was created to help automotive advertisers communicate effectively with audiences as they adapt to electrified cars amidst the challenges arising from the pandemic which has impacted car ownership needs and seen emerging car purchasing behaviours and expectations of car brand advertising, says Bauer.
Research conducted by Bauer Media found that a car is one of the top things people plan to buy after lockdown, with two thirds feeling comfortable to visit a car dealership and 63% agreeing that owning a car is important in order to avoid using public transport. Significantly, 27% said that they were more likely to consider a more environmentally friendly car now than before the crisis.
Bringing together Bauer’s consumer and industry knowledge, the Bauer Autoventure team will assist brands at all stages of their communications, from insight and ideas to content creation and project management, covering consumer touchpoints including print, radio, digital, podcasts and social media. By accessing Bauer’s diverse media channels – in-market car buyers, auto-enthusiasts and influential fleet purchasers through brands such as Parkers, Car and Fleet News and those whose car choice could be influenced through the brands they engage with every day such as Grazia, Empire, Magic Radio and Absolute Radio – Bauer Autoventure will tap into Bauer’s 25 million consumers across the UK, says the company.
The Bauer Autoventure team have already worked together to create content for BMW, Mitsubishi, Jaguar, Renault and Peugeot. These campaigns demonstrate a strong ability to engage mass audiences with Bauer video, radio, digital and print content, driving tens of thousands of consumer leads and views, and influencing online search behaviour. For example, says the company, Bauer Autoventure’s Peugeot activity increased Car magazine users’ searches for the 508 model by 90% during the campaign’s three months compared with the preceding three months.
Commenting on the new offering, Phil McNamara, Editor in Chief, Car, said: “Across our suite of top motoring brands at Bauer Media, we have a deep understanding of cars, the latest automotive technologies, consumer demands and car buying patterns. By partnering with our colleagues in the lifestyle and radio businesses, we can combine our expertise with their creative ideas and audience insight, providing bespoke advertising solutions that really deliver. Whether customers want to build an environmentally friendly brand identity or boost immediate sales, we’ll be able to create customised multi-platform campaigns and content that can cut-through and resonate.”
Lucy Wheeler, Director of Bauer Adventure, added: “As lockdown begins to ease across the country, we have noticed an upturn in interest for cars – so we know that the time is right to create a new service dedicated to the industry. It is now more important than ever that brands can communicate with their audiences appropriately, informatively and relevantly as audiences are increasingly judging brands on their products and values, and we’re here to help them do just that.”
