It’s Never Just a Car

Bring a Trailer (BaT), a unit of Hearst Magazines and the leading digital auction platform for collector and enthusiast vehicles, launched a major multi-platform advertising campaign aimed at expanding awareness, consideration and adoption among car lovers of all kinds. Developed in partnership with PMG, Hearst’s creative and media agency, the campaign is a celebration of the people who live and breathe cars, and an open invitation to join a community that shares that same passion.

The campaign, titled It’s Never Just a Car, is fueled by a simple truth: For car enthusiasts, it’s never just about the car, it’s about the stories behind each vehicle, the culture built up around them and the feeling drivers get when they’re behind the wheel (or when they spot something special up for auction.)

Like any passionate audience, car lovers have their quirks and their obsessions. This campaign speaks to them in their native language by showing off jaw-dropping cars, having a little fun with the culture and celebrating the deeply human side of the hobby.

Tapping into BaT’s unique position as a community-powered marketplace, the campaign focuses on the people, passion and stories that make up the soul of car culture. From first-time buyers to lifelong collectors to serial commenters who know every trim level by heart, BaT is driven by a collective brain trust of enthusiasts who bring enthusiasm, humor and horsepower to everything they touch.

The campaign is activated in a multi-channel, full funnel media strategy across linear, CTV, social, video, display and audio as well as within Hearst’s general and automotive titles.