Car buyers already have finalists before they even click a typical listing site. That's the punchline of a new joint study that drops later today (May 18) from The Trade Desk Intelligence, an independent media buying platform, and PA Consulting.
The findings could impact how dealers allocate their advertising spend.
Driving the news: The report, based on a survey of 1,481 U.S. consumers planning to buy a new vehicle within 12 months, showed that 71% of brands in a buyer's maybe bracket were selected in the priming stage.
The report defines the priming stage as the period before a buyer is actively shopping, when brand perceptions get shaped through everyday exposure to ads, content, and word of mouth.
Dealers not wooing buyers during the priming stage may not be in the running at all, especially given the average number of brands buyers will consider has shrunk from five to three.
Bottom-funnel trap: Most dealer ad budgets go to the bottom of the funnel, meaning at the end of the buying process, when a shopper is actively searching listings, comparing prices, and submitting leads.
These often look like retargeting ads, search engine ads, and third-party listing sites such as CarGurus or Cars.com.
The issue is: It's cheap and measurable. And according to this study, it's also too late for most buyers.
Hailey McInnes, senior manager of Global Research and Insights at The Trade Desk, helped guide the research. She said the industry's default toward bottom-funnel spending is a core problem.
"A lot of automotive brands in general really try to focus on that lower funnel performance," McInnes told CDG. "They're trying to think of getting them in the door at that moment working with dealers... because it's cheap and efficient… It's not how you show up in those important moments."
The report identifies three dimensions that help shape whether a brand makes a buyer's shortlist.
Situational fit (65%): Does it match my needs now, at this life stage?
Intrinsic trust (62%): Do I have history with this brand? Think: Papa worked for Auto Motor Co. his whole life, so we only drive those cars.
Cultural identity (51%): Does the brand have a recognizable, consistent presence?
Why this matters: Eighty-six percent of consumers in the priming stage are still undecided on brand, and that's where dealers can swoop in and make an impression.
Here’s how to do that…
Evaluate campaigns to stay top-of-mind before shoppers enter the market.
Shift some ad spend away from retargeting and last-click ads toward channels that reach buyers earlier in their journey.
Maximizing ad spend: McInnes knows where she'd put her ad money.
"If I only had $1, where should I put it? Based on this, it would be CTV," McInnes said. "If I had $10, then maybe I put a little in intrinsic, a little in cultural, a little in situational, and find the channels that are going to help me get there faster."
CTV, or connected TV, refers to streaming television watched on internet-connected devices such as smart TVs, Roku, Fire Stick, and Apple TV.
Ads on CTV can be targeted to specific audiences and measured for performance, making them more feasible for dealer-level budgets.
CTV is the highest-influence channel in the priming stage, registering 1.5 times more persuasive than “walled gardens,” according to the report.
The Trade Desk defines walled gardens as closed ecosystems, platforms such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, that keep their technology, data, and user information proprietary and inaccessible to outside organizations."
Overall, the open internet outperforms the “walled gardens” by 22% in shaping brand consideration during the priming stage.
Among Tier 2 and Tier 3 campaigns, which are local and regional campaigns that dealers control, 54% of respondents said the campaigns help level up brand confidence, and 51% said they enhance brand consideration.
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Work the website: McInnes also said consumers turn to dealer sites before OEM sites to help them filter what’s available nearby, who the dealer is, etc.
More specifically, 34% of intenders use dealer sites (10% more than OEM sites).
Seventy-five percent of respondents said they need to trust a brand before considering it.
And people still prefer to buy in person, according to McInnes.
"…They understand who they're talking to and the dealer they're getting, and they feel like at the end of the day, they're still on their side," McInnes said.
What dealers can do:
Keep inventory, pricing, and availability accurate and easy to navigate.
Clearly communicate what makes your dealership stand out: service quality, reputation, and location coverage all affect trust.
After-sale support: Another Trade Desk study from August 2025 that ties in with the new research showed that 89% of respondents prioritize brands that help lower maintenance costs and offer strong post-purchase support.
In fact, 76% of respondents from that same study prioritize reliable dealerships across the country.
"[After-sales support is] actually how you keep people within the brand," McInnes said. "It's how you show loyalty and create longevity with your brand, and not a lot of OEMs as a whole kind of own this perception."
Suggested moves:
Highlight service packages, maintenance plans, and long-term cost savings.
Make sure to have strong, updated CRM and email lists to stay connected between transactions.
Position your dealership as a long-term partner, not just a transaction point.
The full report goes live later today (May 18) at the insights page on thetradedesk.com, and a related webinar with McInnes is set for 2 p.m., May 19.
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