ZeroSum, an industry leading provider of software, data and marketing automation services to the automotive industry, has launched Auto-Stream, a first-of-its-kind platform that utilizes real-time data to assist auto dealers and marketers with the transition from traditional TV to over-the-top (OTT) and connected TV (CTV) advertising to drive faster auto sales and lower advertising costs.

For many auto dealers looking to make the switch to OTT and CTV, barriers such as OEM brand standards, lengthy turnaround times and costly production make it difficult to do so efficiently. Auto-Stream, fueled by ZeroSum’s extensive inventory database, with a proprietary audience of active shoppers and vehicle identification number (VIN)-level attribution, eliminates these barriers, all with the push of a button.

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The platform allows users to activate new campaigns in less than 24 hours by integrating a dealer’s live vehicle inventory to create, target and deliver VIN-specific ads. The proprietary technology eliminates the high cost of production by using artificial intelligence (AI) to build individual commercials with integrated automaker brand standards for each VIN in inventory. Auto-Stream targets active car buyers who are in the market to purchase vehicles that are already on dealer lots.

“In the past year alone, there has been an 81% increase in TV streaming, with 76% of homes in the US having a connected TV according to Nielsen data,” said Andy Lobred, President, ZeroSum. “With millions of prospective car buyers using streaming services every month, marketers are eager to explore more targeted and efficient OTT and CTV advertising options. We created Auto-Stream to help them make that happen effectively by offering what no other platform can: VIN-level attribution for video.”

For auto dealers, Auto-Stream results in engagement with in-market shoppers while maximizing reach without the cost of traditional TV ad production. The platform helps dealers reduce and realign their budget spend based on current buyer shopping behavior in their specific market, allowing them to fill their sales funnel with qualified buyers more quickly and at a lower cost. Dealers will now be able to directly connect the media dollars with actual units moved, resulting in better traceability and utilization of marketing spend.

For agency and auto group partners, the platform is a high-gross profit product that provides real-time reporting while giving access to unique automotive audiences and premium OTT/CTV inventory without the need for ad operations, video production, or demand-side platform (DSP) minimum, as the technology can be run on any budget.

“We feel what Auto-Stream provides is truly a game changer,” said Nick Dionne, Vice President of Product and Marketing, ZeroSum. “The ability to have intelligent, customizable, inventory-fueled creative options, done quickly with none of the hassle, will allow our customers to modernize their marketing in ways never before possible.”

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“No other technology can dynamically and automatically adjust creative and spend distribution based on real-time data like ZeroSum’s can,” said Dionne. “Dealers using MarketAI are seeing inventory turns moving as much as 40% faster while acquisitions costs are reduced by 70%.”

The Auto-Stream debut follows ZeroSum’s launch of MarketAI, the industry’s first AI-driven marketing platform, earlier this year. Now used by thousands of dealers nationwide, the MarketAI platform houses an inventory of hundreds of millions of VINs and related data, allowing dealerships to leverage the cross-platform advertising system to specifically target active shoppers. The MarketAI platform can be paired with social media, digital display, search, and Auto-Stream to increase performance.