Observed Signal · Jul 28, 2026 · Podcast Episode · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Market Research & Intelligence Market: Cox Automotive, iSpot Discuss Research-Led Auto Ads
Adweek's Adspeak podcast features iSpot's Jamie Warner and Cox Automotive's Trent Thacker discussing how automotive brands such as AutoTrader and Kelley Blue Book balance brand equity with innovation. Thacker describes Cox Automotive's research-first creative process that uses consumer tracking, competitive intelligence and multi-stage testing to reduce risk. He explains the industry's long purchase journey — consumers can spend up to 100 days researching vehicles — and details how Cox Automotive is applying AI (generating animatics and building AI-powered consumer personas) while retaining human oversight to protect brand equity.
Provides actionable insights on research-driven creative development and pragmatic AI use in automotive advertising; useful to marketers but not industry-changing.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Trent Thacker is senior director of market and customer research and senior director of industry intelligence at Cox Automotive.
- Cox Automotive leads research and market intelligence initiatives for consumer-facing brands including AutoTrader and Kelley Blue Book.
- Jamie Warner is enterprise account executive of brand partnerships at iSpot and hosted the Adspeak episode.
- Cox Automotive uses a research-first approach to campaign development, including consumer tracking, competitive intelligence, and multi-stage testing.
- Cox Automotive is using AI to generate animatics for rapid testing and to create AI-powered consumer personas while emphasizing human judgment to protect brand equity.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedAT&T
US telecom operator selling wireless, fibre and enterprise connectivity.
“With over a decade of experience at Cox Automotive and previous roles at Phillips and AT&T, Thacker has developed deep expertise in campaign...”
Cox Automotive
Automotive software, marketplaces, finance, logistics and dealer marketing platform.
“Trent Thacker is the senior director of market and customer research, as well as senior director of industry intelligence, at Cox Automotive...”
iSpot.tv
TV and streaming ad measurement and attribution software for enterprises.
“As enterprise account executive of brand partnerships at iSpot, Jamie brings extensive experience in business development, revenue generatio...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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