CMe Automotive has launched an invitation-only test of ChatGPT ads for UK dealers, with four dealerships taking part in the initial phase.
The company’s in-house performance team will run real automotive campaigns to understand how consumers engage with ChatGPT Ads, what drives performance and where the platform could fit within the wider automotive marketing mix.
Charisse Thomas, CEO at CMe Automotive, said: “The way people search and research their next car is changing quickly, and we want our dealers to be at the front of that change.
“We have four dealers going live in this initial test and our focus now is on understanding what performs and what this new channel could mean for automotive.
“We’re looking forward to sharing what we learn and taking those insights into the next phase.”
Rather than relying on individual keyword searches, sponsored ads can appear alongside relevant ChatGPT conversations while users are researching products.
A relevant sponsored advert can then appear alongside that conversation, clearly labelled as sponsored and separate from ChatGPT’s AI-generated response.
Google Vehicle Ads use dealer inventory feeds to showcase relevant available stock to people actively searching for vehicles on Google.
ChatGPT Ads could complement this by reaching consumers while they are still researching.
The dealers taking part represent different types of automotive retail operations, including franchised multi-site businesses, multi-regional retailers and single-site used car operations, each with varying stock profiles and customer audiences.
CMe Automotive can then compare performance across different dealer models and stock mixes, helping the team understand where ChatGPT Ads delivers the strongest results.
ChatGPT Ads is not a replacement for Google Ads or Google Vehicle Ads. The team will be exploring how the channels could complement one another.
Independent dealers, dealer groups and OEMs interested in being part of future testing or accessing ChatGPT advertising once the initial test concludes can register interest.
CMe Automotive is also welcoming interest from OEMs looking to test the channel and explore how ChatGPT advertising could support their wider dealer network and digital marketing strategies.
