Client
Year
Deliverables
Social Media
Media Relations
Content Stage Management
Influencer and Media Sponsorships
On-Site Support
Situation
For the automotive retail industry, NADA Show is the premier annual event that brings together automotive experts, dealers and vendors for announcements, insights and networking opportunities.
In 2024, automotiveMastermind returned to the show continuing its mission of leveraging data and technology to help automotive dealers thrive. For Franco, this marked another opportunity to provide comprehensive integrated marketing support across multiple platforms and channels to ensure the event was a success for automotiveMastermind.
Challenge
NADA Show is the biggest event and on-site opportunity for automotiveMastermind to connect with current and prospective dealer partners. The goal is to show new product updates to existing customers, book demos with prospective customers and build a strong pipeline to kickstart the year.
Working in tandem with automotiveMastermind’s marketing team, our challenge was to drive awareness and interest ahead of the show and on site at the booth via a variety of communications and marketing strategies.
While Franco has supported automotiveMastermind’s NADA Show planning since 2018, the 2024 event introduced new elements that needed to be worked into our event plan and strategy, including a content stage and redesigning the booth.
Our Work in Action
Ahead of the event, our creative team designed a variety of assets, including various booth elements, branded pitch decks, print/digital advertising, banners and digital content to be used during live product demos and on-site activations, such as the content stage. These assets not only elevated the brand’s presence but also facilitated clearer communication with prospective clients. Our team also provided production support for the video wall that was a standout feature at the automotiveMastermind booth.
On the ground at the show, the Franco representatives were instrumental in connecting executives with media and coordinating interviews at the booth. We also strategically pitched product updates ahead of the show to build momentum for the company on site.
The content stage — a new component of the event that Franco recommended for this year’s show — posed a unique challenge that we tackled head-on. We ensured the on-stage discussions were carefully aligned with the overall show strategy, integrating key messaging across media relations, social channels and in-person interactions to create a cohesive experience that amplified the brand’s presence.
Additionally, we were capturing content and posting in real time on the automotiveMastermind brand channels from the moment NADA Show started at the kick-off event at The Sphere. We produced a variety of content for various social channels, including video and Reels, during the three-day event.
Another new component at the 2024 show that our team recommended and then implemented was a LinkedIn newsletter. We launched the newsletter during the show and produced newsletters with updates from the show.
View this post on Instagram
Results
Franco’s integrated efforts paid off across multiple shared, earned, paid and owned channels:
- Our earned media efforts resulted in nearly 30 pieces of coverage in auto retail media outlets from January-February 2024, which was the highest among competitors who had booths at the show, resulting in a 47% share of voice.
- Our social media team developed and managed targeted campaigns across LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram leading to significant increases in engagement. LinkedIn alone saw an engagement rate increase from 3.9% to 5.9% while key announcements and engaging content (particularly Instagram Reels) garnered strong audience reactions and shares.
- The video wall and branded decks facilitated engaging product demos and the content stage attracted a steady stream of attendees throughout the event. The business development team was very happy with the amount of demos completed at the show and the people they connected with at the booth.
- We seamlessly managed the logistics of the content stage, coordinating speakers, managing the schedule, capturing content for social media channels, providing on site production and support and ensuring that sessions ran smoothly. As a result, automotiveMastermind’s content stage featured a mix of company executives, integration and dealer partners, S&P Global Mobility leaders, media and influencers.
- The LinkedIn newsletter, aptly named Masterminded, garnered more than 1,000 subscribers during the event.