As automotive retail evolves, some commentators believe manufacturers will enter an “age of curiosity” as they seek to engage with new demographics. This will likely be characterised by innovative approaches that make use of social commerce through new digital channels, using entertainment and brand affiliates to build communities centred on products.
Success will be determined by moulding marketing content to fit with the dynamic of the most popular platforms. For many younger customers, this means TikTok. Currently available in more than 160 countries, the short-form video hosting service claimed to have approximately 1.7 billion users worldwide in 2022. By 2025, Statista forecasts this figure will grow to around 2.25 billion. As of October 2023, 36.2% of users are aged 18-24 (Gen Z) and 32.1% aged 25-34 (millennials).
“For the last two years, companies have been wondering how to do TikTok ‘in the right way’,” Jack Carter, Automotive Lead for the UK at TikTok, tells Automotive World. Although the automotive industry has experience with a range of legacy media formats (television, radio, printed, etc.), he believes a period of strategic adjustment will be required. “Automotive is one of the most difficult industries in which to develop great creative stories—it’s not quick, easy, or cheap.”
