Cars Commerce partnered with FGPG to design, fabricate, and produce their marquee trade show experience at the NADA Show 2024 to launch their new rebrand, which included the creation of numerous interactive sales demos, a “Phygital Experience”, Live Stage, double decker with meeting rooms, and more.
BACKGROUND:
Cars Commerce offers a comprehensive platform designed to streamline the process of buying and selling cars. They provide an audience and technology platform to help local retailers simplify their operations, scale their businesses, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Cars Commerce was looking to find a new agency to help them launch their new branding at the biggest show of the year, the NADA (National Auto Dealers Association) Show in Las Vegas.
THE CHALLENGE:
The challenge was to design a powerful experience at NADA that would showcase the new Cars Commerce branding, while bringing together the multiple different sub brands (Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, AccuTrade, Cars Commerce Media) in a simple, yet cohesive way. We also had to navigate spatial design and flow across two booths, separated by an aisle, to create a cohesive experience.
In addition, Cars Commerce had inventory from previous shows and agencies that could potentially be leveraged and provide some cost saving if we could strategically find a way to use them.
THE SOLUTION:
As experts in design and fabrication, we first worked with Cars Commerce to assess everything that Cars Commerce had in inventory. We then strategized across creative and fabrication departments deciding what could be refurbished, what could be reskinned, and what we could supplement to reimagine structural design.
Our design approach leaned into the new color palette, heavy with purple with pops of colorful accents. We created site lines that ensured the first thing people saw was the new branding overhead, and a welcoming, and somewhat artistic, reception desk and hospitality counter that would stand out from the usual fare at NADA. Each moment included a visual nod to the new “dashboard” brand graphic within Cars Commerce’s new logo.
AT THE CENTER OF OUR EXPERIENCE WAS THE CARS COMMERCE LIVE STAGE.
An important centerpiece of our two booth experience, it was visible from the main aisle and hosted featured content each day including big announcements, interviews with the CEO, educations sessions, panels, and a special surprise moment where the Cars Commerce CEO revealed on stage for the first time the identity of the Car Dealership Guy – an industry social media and content icon that had gone unfaced until he stepped on our stage.
INTERACTIVE TOUCHSCREEN SALES KIOSKS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, AND CLOSE SALES.
FGPG led the design and production of a series of interactive applications for Cars Commerce at NADA, tapping our talented digital partners at Groove Jones to help bring it all to life.
The Cars Commerce platform aims to consolidate various aspects of the automotive sales process, including marketplace visibility, digital experience enhancements, trade and appraisal services, and media network outreach, thereby creating a more connected and efficient ecosystem for automotive retail. The digital component of the displays served as tools for attendees to learn about the individual products.
Our objective was to showcase Cars Commerce’s capabilities in car appraisals and dealer services through interactive demos. The focus was on user engagement, ease of use, and providing a seamless experience that highlighted Cars Commerce’s appraisal kiosk at the event.
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND, PHYGITAL DEMO TO BRING TO LIFE THE ACCU-TRADE APPRAISER / ACCU-SAVE EXPERIENCE FROM THE DEALERS LOT TO THE TRADE SHOW FLOOR.
FGPG was challenged to bring to life the new Accu-Trade appraisal tool, which combines vehicle data powered by the Accu-trade appraisal engine with unique data collected by the VIN OMD reader. Our idea was to create a first-of-its-kind, phygital demo that blended technology to replicate how the tool works in the field at a dealer, with an actual vehicle.
Our integrated team built multiple physical stations that resembled the interior dashboard of a car. This dashboard served as a unique and inviting interactive experience for attendees to learn about the Accu-Trade Appraiser/Accu-Save service platform. Every guest wanted to step up and grab the wheel as if they could drive off.
As attendees arrive at the NADA Cars Commerce AccuTrade kiosk, they are greeted by an interactive screen inviting them to initiate their experience either by scanning their badge.
Participants are then presented with the opportunity to appraise one of four vehicles:
- 2021 Chevy Trailblazer
- 2014 Ford F-150
- 2018 Nissan Rogue
- 2015 Chrysler Town & Country
Following their selection, attendees are directed to plug in an Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) unit into the plug port integrated into the physical dashboard. (An OBD is a system that monitors a car’s computer system and reports diagnostic trouble codes.) The OBD plugs were positioned at the top of the dashboard, allowing the user to plug and play.
FGPG and Groove Jones created an NFC control system that “read” the physical OBD plug prop and activated the digital content on screen, creating a “phygital” magic moment for attendees. Guests can specify various attributes of the vehicle, including odometer readings, color choices, onboard diagnostics, and tire conditions. After fine-tuning these details, users can generate a comprehensive report, offering an instant valuation alongside a detailed assessment of the vehicle’s condition.
This demo facilitates an immersive appraisal experience, enabling participants to understand the vehicle’s value comprehensively.
CARS COMMERCE “ALL-IN” DEMO MADE IT EASIER THAN EVER FOR THE SALES TEAM TO SHOWCASETHE FULL SUITE OF NEW SOLUTIONS TO ATTENDEES WITH JUST A TOUCH OF THE SCREEN.
This component of the project provided an extensive look into the Cars Commerce ecosystem, including Cars.com, Dealer Inspire, AccuTrade, and Cars Commerce Media Network.
The application featured several key components designed to enhance the user experience and showcase Cars Commerce’s services:
- Cars.com Demo and Reputation Report: A web-based module that displayed reputation data alongside email marketing integration.
- Dealer Inspire Demo with the integration of a Prizm Report
- AccutTrade Demo and Login integration
- Cars Commerce Media Network Demo and Integration with Building Your In-Market Media Plan
It allowed users to explore a wide array of services and tools offered by Cars Commerce, from vehicle appraisals to dealer network support, showing the platform’s capabilities.
RESULTS:
- Record sales closed by the Cars Commerce team from the show floor
- Thousands of one-to-one demos, one-to-many demos, and sales leads generated.
- Busiest NADA in-booth show traffic ever for Cars Commerce
- Successful new “Investor’s Breakfast” pre-show opening led to supporting new and existing key relationships and establishing a new model for events.
- Successful launch of the new brand at the first live event of the year generated positive sentiment from attendees, the Cars Commerce CEO and leadership team.
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