Based in New York, Meredith Guerriero works with a global team to sell and deliver strategic planning to automotive stakeholders seeking a new online presence.
Not only does Guerriero have a high level of automotive industry knowledge, but her previous work with Fortune 500 advertisers in the areas of search, video, mobile and display, means that she has a strong knowledge of just what brands need online.
Tell us about your role at Google Automotive – how did you become Global Head of the department?
My entire career has been focused on digital advertising, and for the past eight years at Google I’ve been working exclusively with the automotive industry on helping them understand, develop and execute digital marketing strategies. In my current role, I manage a team that is dedicated to our top auto clients across the globe. Prior to joining Google, I spent several years in various roles at an ad network and a digital agency.
What does the automotive team work on, and what are your aims?
Google works with brands and marketers across a broad spectrum of industries. My group works directly with the marketing teams and executives of global auto manufacturers across Google’s suite of advertising products and technologies. Our priority is to help our clients deliver against their marketing goals and objectives by working both globally and locally with our various teams and agency partners.
Does the team tend to work more with OEMs and suppliers or in the aftermarket?
While aftermarket is a huge part of OEMs’ business, my team works mainly with OEMs and their agencies. That said, many OEMs and dealers focus heavily on their aftermarket business so there are instances where we develop strategies and recommendations to assist with this.
Why does a search giant like Google want to work with the automotive industry?
Our digital marketing solutions helps millions of companies of all types and sizes grow their businesses, and we work with businesses across a whole range of industries to help them succeed online. Technology and digital advancement are having a transformative effect on the vehicle shopping and purchase experience, resulting in a highly informed and empowered buyer. We work closely with auto brands because we believe we can assist them in reaching consumers in today’s always connected world. They also happen to be some of the most savvy marketers out there, continually innovating and evolving their approach in response to the overall shift towards digital engagement.
Google Automotive is at ‘the intersection of automotive and digital’ – but what is the search giant trying to bring to the automotive industry?
Today, consumers are overwhelmingly online. In fact, eMarketer reported that last year, for the first time ever, consumers spent more time with digital media per day than any other medium, including television. This is actually great news for automotive brands. The shift towards digital has fundamentally changed how people shop for vehicles, with a greater percentage of time before purchase being devoted to research, primarily online. This provides brands with a greater opportunity to connect with and influence these potential buyers. We can help these brands leverage our platforms across search, display, mobile and video to engage, inform and inspire consumers throughout the purchase consideration process.
Do you think the automotive industry is a little behind the times when it comes to marketing online?
For most automotive brands, I would actually say that it’s quite the opposite. We see automotive marketers continue to evolve and innovate their approach to engaging with consumers online. It’s no secret that several brands now identify the digital platform as a core pillar to their marketing strategy. As an example, as part of a multi-country European launch of the Chevy Captiva, Chevrolet wanted a centralised online destination to promote the vehicle, and used high-profile YouTube celebrities to produce a collection of short films demonstrating the vehicle’s features. Using the full suite of Google’s advertising tools, they were able to drive consumer awareness and engagement.
How can Google complement OEMs’ strategies of marketing to different generations?
We work closely with the OEMs to understand their marketing objectives and help them reach the relevant audiences with the right messages. Marketers have the ability within their campaigns to customise the specific audiences they wish to reach across the web. YouTube, for example, reaches more 18-34 year olds than any cable network, according to Nielsen, and we see automotive advertisers leveraging the opportunities in online video to connect with the Gen C consumer.
Where do you see things headed for automotive brands in the digital environment?
The connected nature of today’s consumer has upped the ante for automotive brands, as consumers now expect seamless integration of messages and experiences as they navigate across screens, channels and platforms. You will continue to see brands innovate and take a holistic approach to engaging with consumers across all the available and emerging media.
We will also see brands taking greater advantage of the unconstrained canvas online to test and learn, something that isn’t possible through traditional media.
We’ve already seen many automotive brands try things online that wouldn’t be possible elsewhere. For example, as part of their 24 Casetas campaign, VW Mexico developed unique content that was released every day at 12pm for two weeks on YouTube. The content was available across devices, and users could influence the ending of the story via Twitter. At the end of the campaign, the series had over 15 million views.
Finally, we expect to see more global coordination and alignment with OEMs surrounding their dealer programmes and online presence. These efforts are designed to form a centralised and comprehensive brand strategy across digital platforms in order to maximise the marketing impact and bring a consistent consumer experience.
