Electric Car Ads: 12 Powerful Themes (With Examples!)
When a new technology takes birth, it's fascinating to see how the future makes its way into the present. The 18th century would have been in awe of the sounds coming through the radio. On the other hand, the 19th century folks couldn't fathom how a device like the television showed them moving images!
Fast-forward to the 21st century, these 'futuristic' technologies are a way of life.
Want to pass the time? The television displays multiple shows and movies 24/7.
Want to know what's happening at the other end of the globe? The internet will take you there.
Want to go from point A to point B in under 15 minutes? An automotive gets the job done.
Seriously, what's next?
The shift to electric vehicles
Today, electric vehicles (EVs) are quickly graduating from futuristic status to everyday use—courtesy of rising environmental concerns and a determined shift to sustainable alternatives.
Nearly all automotive brands have released or are introducing electric models to the market. And they have something for everyone — from electric family cars to SUVs.
Enterprise brands like General Motors and Ford are investing $35 billion and $30 billion, respectively, in the production of EVs. Similarly, there's an upward trajectory in the marketing and advertising of EVs. Since 2019, impressions for EV tv ads have grown from 4 billion to 17 billion (a 309% increase).
Undoubtedly, EVs are all set to capture more market share in the coming years. But today, they're still only a rising segment.
The point – there's room for more players to join the fray.
So, if you're looking for strategies that will carve a space for your brand in the EV market, we've got a ton of examples to whet your marketing appetite.
Let's dive in!
First, some key considerations for marketing electric cars
Marketing electric cars is relatively new. Here are some key considerations you must remember to lay down a more successful strategy.
1. Focus on EV benefits beyond climate impact
Anyone who's worked in the automotive industry or owns an EV knows their benefits go beyond the climate impact. EVs are better for the environment and produce zero emissions.But to appeal to the mass market, EV marketers need to highlight other benefits that matter to consumers.
It includes talking about benefits like:
- Remote climate control
- Faster acceleration and smoother rides
- Dog friendly features
- Lower cost of ownership
2. Bust myths
Change isn’t easily accepted. To make the transition from ICEs to EVs smoother, educate people about the change and address any myths or misconceptions they may have. More importantly, aim to remove any objections.
Do this by listening to your consumers’ concerns and addressing their issues in a clear and concise way.
Answer questions such as:
- Can I charge in the rain?
- Are there enough charging stations?
- How do I charge at home?
- Are EVs more expensive?
3. Bring customer stories to life
There's nothing more powerful than seeing other customers delighted with their EV purchase. It acts as proof of a positive experience, which can help convince potential customers to buy an EV, too.
To bring these authentic stories to life, you can work with everyday influencers and create user-generated content. Utilise this content strategically across a variety of channels for effective EV marketing!
4. Leverage the power of omnichannel
The awareness of EVs is currently less widespread than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Additionally, the marketing landscape has changed.
What's the best way to tackle that? Use multiple channels and leverage their respective strengths!
More channels equals more reach. Having an omnichannel marketing strategy for your electric cars creates broader awareness. And while you're at it, you'll also reach multiple customer segments (depending on your offerings).
If you want to succeed at omnichannel, you must maintain consistent messaging across channels. These channels may include:
- Brand website
- Newspaper
- TV ads
- Automobile review sites
- Customer review sites
- Press articles, and more.
- Digital and Social media ads
Bonus tip: Use native lead forms on most digital platforms (Pinterest, TikTok, Meta, Google, etc.) to capture leads.
By reaching people where they hang out and being consistent with your messaging, you will build stronger top-of-the-mind recall.
5. Play into the long-term mindset
Marketing electric cars is a long-term play specifically because awareness levels for the industry are low.
You may need to stoke buyer interest over multiple months and even years.
For instance, the younger generation may not be your immediate buyers, but they consider EVs the future of transport. Nearly two-thirds of millennial and GenZ buyers say EVs will have the most significant impact on the auto industry's future.
Capture intent early with interest, register lead generation and nurture leads with myth-busting content. Offer them ways to ask questions, educate themselves and improve their customer experience across various online and offline channels.
To make your brand more resilient to changes over the years, craft a story that shows the innovative nature of your brand.
6. Dig deep into consumer behaviour
Customers may want to shift to electric wheels due to several reasons. It could be climate change concerns, lower fuel and operating costs, government incentives and subsidies, rebates and charging infrastructure.
Plus, they’re seeing attractive benefits for choosing electric vehicles:
You can market your products better when you understand buyer behaviour better.
Start by crafting your buyer personas. Keep in mind that different brands have different personas. A Mercedes-Benz (luxury and niche) may market to a different audience than a Hyundai (priced mid-range).
Some buyer personas to look at are environmentalist (cares for the environment), technologist (accepting of and experimenting with new tech) or a reformed gas guzzler (was previously a gas-powered car customer).
Buyer personas give you more holistic perspectives on your customer's motivation, behaviour, interests, goals, locations, preferred channels and more for purchasing EVs.
Get inspired with 12 real electric car advert themes
We checked out multiple electric car companies' adverts, so you don't have to. Here are the 12 key themes that stood out.
- Features step into the limelight
- Design that stops people in their tracks
- The power of performance like no other
- Sustainability at the core
- Spotlight on the brand
- Emphasis on cutting-edge technology
- No-nonsense outlook to charging infrastructure
- The influence of influencers
- Indirect marketing through existing customers
- Partnerships with affiliates
- Using social proof unashamedly
- Accessible resources for customers
1. Features step into the limelight
Tesla
Tesla does a great job at letting their features do all the talking.
The above Instagram post shows their unique HEPA air filter's performance in real-time. Moreover, they also compare it to a lower-performing filter in another car.
It's easy to understand with a clean and striking visual demonstration. The video hits right at the problem, typically today, when pollution is at an all-time high.
In another instance, Tesla highlights another unique feature—Dog Mode—using a light but helpful tone.
Kia
Kia's EV6 has become a well-known offering globally. One contributor to its success is how Kia highlights the car's features.
The car's landing page on the website dives into its features quickly, listing its top three performance stats in the first section.
Then, it moves into other notable features, split into various sections until the end of the page. From seating space to safety, Kia's EV6 website landing page ensures customers know nearly all its features.
It is even better how the brand maintains this clear focus on highlighting features across regions. Just check out its US, UK and India landing pages below.
Source: Kia EV6, US
Source: Kia EV6, UK
Source: Kia EV6, India
Volvo
Volvo decided to go the social media route to showcase its range of features. It used a carousel ad inventory to reach a wider audience, keeping it catchy and interactive.
2. Design that stops people in their tracks
Porsche
Porsche has an entire section on its website dedicated to its cars' design and aesthetics.
Source: Porsche
The section solely focuses on the interior and exterior design of multiple models. Porsche appeals to design enthusiasts by including wheel design, sustainable materials used for the interiors, display set-up, and more.
3. The power of performance like no other
Jaguar
Jaguar has a lot going in its favour in terms of brand status and build quality. With its EV range, the brand emphasises its smooth and quiet ride (a unique quality EVs have).
Source: YouTube video
In the ad above, Jaguar uses the tagline' roar silently' as the driver takes out the I-Pace at 3 AM. The ad's message hits the sweet spot by showing the contrast between the car's silent ride and subtle noises (like people chatting, wind in the air and water sounds) otherwise heard clearly at that time of the night.
Mercedes-Benz
At first, the brand's 'Goodbye Noise' campaign ad looks like just another car ad—a Mercedes-Benz car in the desert revving the engine on its powerful ride.
But as you continue watching it, you'll realise the car doesn't make any noise. The car abruptly stops and gets the passenger to disembark.
Why? Because it was the passenger making those sounds, after all.
This humorous yet brilliant take on a noiseless driving experience will keep you glued to the ad from start to end.
4. Sustainability at the core
Hyundai
In its latest Ioniq model, Hyundai emphasised its use of recycled materials in the interior, even inventing a new word for it—trashion (a blend of trash and fashion).
Source: YouTube video
In addition to this video, the brand maintains a dedicated section on its website. It underlines Hyundai's focus on sustainability—one of the primary reasons customers move to electric.
Tesla
On the other hand, Tesla has been successful in the EV game for longer than other automakers. And what better way to show its veteran status than to publish a sustainability impact report?
The brand shared key highlights from the report on its social media accounts. These included GHG emissions, water used for manufacturing, production waste recycling and safety considerations.
Tesla's report showed how it prioritises consumers and the environment, solidifying a positive brand image.
5. Spotlight on the brand
Porsche
This may come as a surprise to many people, but Porsche built the first electric car over 100 years ago. And because few people knew this, the brand created a 'Not the beginning ad'.
Source: video
The tagline is an excellent play of words, and the video backed it up by underscoring Porsche's futuristic vision of building electric cars. And that today's EVs are just another step in their innovation journey.
General Motors
While Porsche went in an authoritative direction, General Motors used humour and famous faces. With a Super Bowl ad featuring Will Ferrell, Awkwafina and Kenan Thompson, the brand first talks about how Norway sells way more electric cars per capita than the US.
Source: YouTube video
It then cleverly reveals that GM is gearing up to tackle Norway's position with its wide range of electric cars. The ad highlights the brand's commitment to developing more EVs and puts itself and the US on the map for this goal.
6. Emphasis on cutting-edge technology
Renault
Renault's EVs focus mainly on the family and off-roading segments with a low to mid-range price tag. However, the brand brings its technology to the forefront by sharing sneak peeks into manufacturing.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz takes a more interactive route by setting up a section on its website. Visitors can click on each part to understand the platform on which the brand's electric cars are built.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
Audi
Audi made one of the biggest strides in electric vehicle development when it launched the RS Q e-tron—the world's first electric Dakar Rally car.
Source: YouTube video
The brand went all out with native and press videos about the car, including the one above on the Dakar Rally's handle. The video aptly sums up the extent to which this technology is innovative and how Audi's name is etched into history.
7. No-nonsense outlook to charging infrastructure
63% of owners want better public charging infrastructure, which makes it a solid theme to target. You can showcase your growing network of charging stations. And if you don't have your own stations, you can still share details about the availability and locations of charging equipment.
Tesla does this well. Since the brand already has a vast network of charging stations, it posts about new additions or updates across cities and countries.
Source: Inside EVs
But it's super important to remember that charging claims is a serious business, and you must have proof to back it up.
Today, information is readily available online, including official reports and news articles on charging infrastructure worldwide. The public can easily verify any claims you make.
Misleading claims about charging times and rapid-charging points can land you in hot water, ruining your brand reputation.
8. The influence of influencers
Influencers, particularly celebrities and famous reviewers, attract eyeballs to your brand and offerings.
Audi
Audi collaborated with Janelle Monae to push the RS e-tron GT with a video ad.
Source: YouTube video
The video received more than 6,000 airings, running through December 2021 and generated 6.9 million additional online searches.
Audi's EV creatives outperformed non-EV ones that year by as much as 90%. It just shows the influence a celebrity can have to put your name on the map.
BMW
BMW leveraged the massive reach of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek for a funny ad on Zeus and Hera retiring to Earth.
Source: YouTube video
Zeus, now living among ordinary men, uses his powers to recharge everyday things—from lawnmowers to golf carts. When he's frustrated with these mundane activities, Hera gifts him an all-electric BMW iX.
He's so fascinated with the car that he's immediately convinced the Earth is way better than he imagined. It's a nice play on how a BMW can pull you to its high-quality electric cars.
Vauxhall
On the other hand, Vauxhall went for a quick 60-second myth-busting video in association with 'carwow'.
Source: YouTube video
carwow is known for its straightforward reviews, new car marketplace and (then) the world's biggest automotive YouTube channel.
Owing to carwow's influence, the video garnered more than 1 million organic views with a 72% view rate and 1700 enquiries to Vauxhall.
So, what worked for Vauxhall?
As Elliot, Head of Customer Experience at Driftrock, says, "Having a personality to the ad is key, so rather than just a picture of the car, you show the reviewer and give it some character."
9. Indirect marketing through existing owners
If you have existing EV customers, leverage their connections to increase leads. Real-life experiences of satisfied electric vehicle owners are highly influential. That's the weight of social proof.
Take online communities as an example. Customers and prospects discuss automotives in popular online communities like Reddit and Quora. As many as 9500 different communities have EV-related conversations on Reddit alone.
Ford
Ford is a prime example of this theme. Female customers exchange like-minded ideas and unique stories in the Mustang MACH-E community.
The brand shares these stories on its social media, introducing more women to the community as well as to its electric version of the Mustang (an iconic car for decades).
By building a community around its brand, Ford uses word-of-mouth marketing and encourages members to attract more people.
10. Partnerships with affiliates
"Affiliates can be good as they help build credibility, and you can tap into their audiences." – Verushka Paul, Paid Media Account Manager, Driftrock
All major automakers serious about electric cars, are committed to building affiliate partnerships.
The way it works is that affiliates publish links to your brand or products in their content. If their content brings in leads for you, you both benefit financially from the partnership. Plus, you get to tap into their vast network.
Remember that these partnerships must be valuable to your brand and bottom line. Team up with affiliates who create content and market to audiences that fit your requirements.
Electrifying
The automotive review website recently promoted several electric vehicles, including the MG4, Mercedes-Benz EQE and BMW i5.
Their affiliate partnership is unique because their experts actually review the vehicles, videos of which are posted on their platforms. Electrifying picks the most relevant quotes from the videos and uses them in creatives to create attention-grabbing content.
Source: Electrifying.com
Not only do they use these creatives in sponsored electric car commercials but also within reviews on the website.
You can also explore similar partnerships with sites like The Car Expert and What Car?
Source: The Car Expert
11. Using social proof unashamedly
That's right!
Any accolades or awards you receive add to your portfolio of social proof. Don't be afraid to show them off everywhere for customers to see. Social proof gives your brand credibility in an otherwise extremely competitive industry.
Hyundai
Hyundai's latest EV offering, the IONIQ 6, swept three major awards at the World Car Awards 2023. The brand went all out, leaving no stone unturned to highlight its achievement.
Source: Hyundai
It updated the car's landing page, posted on social media and even released press articles, among other marketing materials.
MG
The all-electric MG4 won nine major car awards in 2022, including those held by Top Gear, Electrifying.com, DrivingElectric, carwow and Scottish Car of the Year.
Source: MG
MG made a splash, informing its customers and prospects about the wins through press articles and social media posts.
12. Accessible resources for customers
Spreading awareness must be a part of a solid advertising strategy, specifically when it comes to EVs.
A valuable way to do this is by promoting extensive resources for the buyer, including guides or video demos on how to use your vehicle's features.
Source: Renault
Providing easy access to resources shows your customers that you'll be there with them every step of their ownership journey.
The future is already here
Electric cars may not have been widely adopted yet, but they're well on their way to becoming the next big thing in automobiles.
If you haven't built a solid marketing strategy for your EV brand yet, now's the time to go full steam ahead. With a long-term mindset, use advertising to carve a singular brand reputation for yourself.
Get started with marketing and setting up your EV ads for the right audience with Driftrock. Our platform powers lead generation for 22 automotive brands and more than 500 dealerships including BMW, Mini, Honda and Land Rover, among others. Book a demo with us to learn more.
