CASE STUDY
Denver Auto Show Mass Media Campaign
The Denver Auto Show is one of the country’s third longest-running automotive trade shows, following the Los Angeles and Chicago automotive shows. The event brings thousands of car enthusiasts to the Colorado Convention Center for five days.
In 2020, the pandemic closed the auto show. In 2021, organizers moved it from the Colorado Convention Center in the spring to Elitch Gardens in autumn. And in 2022, the show was canceled once again because of the pandemic.
For 2023, the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), the organization that runs the event, decided in late fall of 2022 that they wanted to return to the Convention Center. Still, they needed a marketing strategy that would make a big splash and create a current of excitement around the event’s return to its home location. CADA challenged AdPro with the development and execution of a statewide creative strategy and marketing campaign with an execution timeline of just a few short months.
Campaign Objectives
- Build awareness of the 2023 Denver Auto Show and its return to the Colorado Convention Center.
- Increase earned media presence from previous years to maintain interest during the show.
- Drive website traffic toward conversions for online ticket sales.
- Obtain at least 50% of paid media in added value for traditional media.
Target Audience
Primarily, the campaign focused on residents of the Denver Metro area, using digital and radio to expand across the Front Range south to Colorado Springs and north to Fort Collins. Overall, our target demographic followed these characteristics:
- Males 25-64
- Spanish-speaking people
- Interested in automotive or works within the industry
Target Audience
Primarily, the campaign focused on residents of the Denver Metro area, using digital and radio to expand across the Front Range south to Colorado Springs and north to Fort Collins. Overall, our target demographic followed these characteristics:
- Males 25-64
- Spanish-speaking people
- Interested in automotive or works within the industry
CASE STUDY
Denver Auto Show Mass Media Campaign
The Denver Auto Show is one of the country’s third longest-running automotive trade shows, following the Los Angeles and Chicago automotive shows. The event brings thousands of car enthusiasts to the Colorado Convention Center for five days.
In 2020, the pandemic closed the auto show. In 2021, organizers moved it from the Colorado Convention Center in the spring to Elitch Gardens in autumn. And in 2002, the show was canceled once again because of the pandemic.
For 2023, the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association (CADA), the organization that runs the event, decided in late fall of 2022 that they wanted to return to the Convention Center. Still, they needed a marketing strategy that would make a big splash and create a current of excitement around the event’s return to its home location. CADA challenged AdPro with the development and execution of a statewide creative strategy and marketing campaign with an execution timeline of just a few short months.
Campaign Objectives
- Build awareness of the 2023 Denver Auto Show and its return to the Colorado Convention Center.
- Increase earned media presence from previous years to maintain interest during the show.
- Drive website traffic toward conversions for online ticket sales.
- Obtain at least 50% of paid media in added value for traditional media.
Media Approach
Given our short timeframe, AdPro employed a mass-media strategy. We leveraged traditional tactics, including broadcast, radio, print, and outdoor. We combined them with high-converting digital tactics, including streaming video and audio, paid social, paid search, display, and pre-roll. We focused most of our campaigns in the weeks immediately leading up to the event to accommodate interested participants who might be planning the next few weekends out. Then, during the show dates, we focused efforts on a complete public relations and communications strategy, showcasing the fun events at the auto show on local news and over social media channels. This was also the first year the Denver Auto Show had Spanish-language ads on television and radio and earned media support, increasing attendance numbers for Hispanic families to the event.
Results
In a year where other auto shows reported decreased attendance numbers and shrinking spaces, the Denver Auto Show proudly announced that the 2023 return to the Colorado Convention Center was a success. The show returned to pre-pandemic attendance numbers and became CADA's most profitable auto show ever.
MARKETING RESULTS
Broadcast and Cable
4,512,790
Total Impressions
OTT/CTV
355,588
Total Impressions
Streaming Audio
644,361
Total Impressions
DIGITAL RESULTS
Paid Search
14.77%
Click Through Rate
Paid Search
1,818,304
Impressions
Paid Social
1,418,054
Impressions
80% ROI in Added Value Display
2,997,719
Impressions
EARNED MEDIA RESULTSTotal Stories - 483
76
53
Podcast
9
Youtube
3
Television
73
Radio
24
Online and Print
245
Publicity
$2,409,279
Audience
84,265,207
Strategy drives everything we do at AdPro. Our team members are closely aligned, working diligently together to help our clients exceed their objectives. Their wins are our wins.
- Camille Blakely, President – AdPro