Four UK dealers are to launch ChatGPT advertising campaigns through marketing agency CMe Automotive to test whether the channel can help them reach customers actively researching and comparing their next car.
The invitation-only programme will assess consumer engagement and campaign performance across different dealership models, with the agency exploring how ChatGPT Ads could complement established channels such as Google Vehicle Ads.
Participants include franchised businesses operating multiple dealerships, dealers trading across several regions and single-location used car operations.
CMe Automotive said their differing stock profiles and audiences would help it compare where the channel performs most strongly.
The agency says campaigns are going live, with testing due to continue over the coming months although has not named the participating dealers or disclosed campaign budgets or performance targets.
Reaching buyers during research
ChatGPT advertising can use the context of a conversation to match adverts with relevant interests, potentially reaching users asking about vehicle budgets, fuel types or suitable family cars.
OpenAI says paid placements are separate from ChatGPT’s answers and do not influence its responses. For dealers, buying an advert does not mean securing a recommendation within an AI-generated answer.
CMe Automotive wants to establish how this form of advertising fits alongside campaigns aimed at customers already searching for available vehicle stock.
Charisse Thomas, chief executive 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.”
The programme is an initial test rather than evidence of an established return for dealerships but its findings could help inform whether dealers allocate additional marketing budget to conversational advertising.
Testing stock feeds and performance
CMe Automotive said its performance team had seen functionality expand since it began exploring the platform, with audience uploads, conversion events and product feeds appearing alongside headline, description, image and destination URL fields.
The agency is also developing a ChatGPT stock feed through its LeadFeed technology which already uses API connections with Autotrader and Cazoo and distributes feeds across Google Vehicle Ads, Meta and TikTok.
It said product feeds are of particular interest because they could help connect advertising activity with dealers’ changing vehicle inventories. CMe Automotive said its ChatGPT feed work was under way, although it did not give a date for wider availability.
Petar Nikolov, PPC manager at CMe Automotive, said: “What has really stood out is how quickly the platform is evolving. We’ve already seen new functionality introduced since we started exploring it.
“Google Vehicle Ads are incredibly effective at reaching people actively searching for cars. ChatGPT gives us an opportunity to test a different stage of that journey, when someone may still be researching, comparing and deciding what is right for them.”
Dealers and manufacturers can register interest in future testing with CMe Automotive.
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