Automotive site Drive has announced plans to expand Drive TV in addition to a raft of AI, tech and data features as it seeks “to create the future of automotive”
The Drive Upfront saw Nine announce it has continued to help Drive support its broadcast TV expansion, with five new formats available to cater for the range of car topics consumers engage with – from deeper reviews, awards and new car launches, to aspirational escapes and lifestyle themes.
The Drive TV announcements include:
• Drive TV’s first prime audience slots across both Nine and Nine Rush (Q1 2024)
• Drive FAST Channel: 24/7 automotive video on demand channel (H2 2024)
• Drive TV and Getaway: An integrated Drive segment within travel program, Getaway (Q1 2024)
• A new Drive TV series dedicated to editorial reviews (Q1 2024)
• A 2024 Drive Car of the Year Special featuring and promoting award winners at scale (Q1 2024)
• Drive TV will also complete its Electric documentary series and conclude with the buyer’s guide in Q1 and Q2 respectively.
Drive CEO Simon Halfhide said, “The Australian car market has seen unprecedented change in recent years with new brand entrants and electric vehicle sales growing each month. For most consumers, it’s been years since they last changed their car. Navigating the evolving market, the new technologies and brands can be daunting. Drive’s vision is to create the future of automotive in Australia and help consumers navigate what can at times seem like a challenging purchase.”
Further Drive 2024 Upfront announcements include:
• A new Drive Marketplace (H1 2024): A data-driven, integrated, and reimagined quality cars for sale marketplace.
• Nine Data Partnership (H2 2024): Nine and Drive will partner in 2024 to introduce a new Customer Data Platform across the Nine group. This partnership will look to provide Drive with greater capabilities and data solutions for advertisers looking to reach car buyers across the Nine family of brands.
• Drive Brand Studios Expansion: Automotive brand-funded content has seen growth in volume and engagement in 2023, with further growth on the horizon. Drive now has an upscaled video production team to create a range of video products to help brands tell their own story, regardless of the channel.
Growing the Brand Studios offer further, Drive has announced:
• Discover 360: A new car viewing platform from Drive brand studios (Q1 2024)
• Brand content landing pages: A collation of each brand’s content in one page (Q1 2024)
• Drive digital out of home: In Partnership with Vista, amplified automotive content available on a national scale (available now)
• Drive and Fabulate influence network partnership: Drive and Fabulate talent helps brands reach TikTok and Instagram audiences (Q1 2024)
• Drive Brand Studios Attention Engine: Data-driven content briefs developed by an A.I. Analytics and Insights department to support advertisers in reaching their audiences (H1 2024)