Gumtree to boost user numbers to take on Auto Trader
EBay’s online listings site Gumtree is poised to launch a TV campaign to persuade UK car dealerships to sell on the site and build consumer awareness of the portal as an alternative to sites such as Auto Trader.
The website is ranked as the 25th most visited site in the UK during July, according to ComScore data, and is currently in the midst of an integrated awareness drive geared towards bolstering its audience numbers in areas outside of its London stronghold, such as the North West of England and the Midlands.
Sam Diamond, Gumtree, head of brand communications, says the campaign is focusing on outdoor and TV executions in the regions in order to bolster its brand awareness – the company’s first to embrace offline media.
“We have ambitions to become at top ten site within the next couple of years… we’re still a tier-two business so we’re looking to make the brand relevant and exciting all the time,” he says. “Our marketing budget will grow in proportion to our audience.”
Gumtree is currently devising its strategy for a TV campaign scheduled to run in 2014, and of particular interest to the company is promoting its popularity with both those selling and looking to buy auto vehicles. A move that would bring it in direct competition with existing market leader Auto Trader.
To do so, Gumtree intends to leverage both marketing insights and databases from its sister outfit eBay Motors and it has already inked several agreements to target this audience, such as its deal with TalkSport making it the official Premier League match day partner, plus a TV spot created with Fold7.
