New automation tool turns dealer inventory into targeted video ads, connecting shopper behavior to market vehicle demand
On the dash:
- Cars.com launches AI VIN video advertising that automatically turns inventory into targeted social video campaigns.
- Initial results show significant performance improvements, including a 47% increase in sales for affected vehicles.
- Dealers can launch campaigns in about a week with fully automated VIN-level video production and targeting.
Cars.com is expanding its AI-powered video advertising platform that transforms dealer inventory into automated, VIN-specific video ads designed around the demands of active shoppers. The company says the initial campaign has already seen a measurable increase in traffic, engagement and sales.
This development follows a pilot announced at the 2026 NADA Show and the launch of a live campaign in March.
The company says it is the only platform that combines VIN-level AI video creation with real-time market consumer behavior data.
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“Cars.com is the only company in the industry that combines real-time market demand signals, premium media distribution, and AI-generated VIN-level video,” said Lisa Gosselin, Chief Commercial Officer, Cars.com. He added that early feedback shows the tool addresses dealer pain points through data and automation.
performance results
In the past 30 days, Cars.com has delivered approximately 10,000 unique AI-generated video assets to active car buyers based on their search behavior.
Early campaign results include:
- 35% increase in dealer website visitors
- Affected dealers saw a 45% increase in foot traffic
- 47% increase in affected vehicle sales
Product features
Cars.com’s system automatically generates video ads when a vehicle is entered into a dealer’s inventory feed using photos and vehicle data such as price, mileage, features, and specifications. The video will be created within minutes and automatically deleted once the vehicle is sold.
Platform:
- Use OEM-compliant templates for brand consistency
- Format ads for TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook
- Target in-market shoppers using your behavioral data
By connecting to your dealer inventory feed, your campaigns don’t require ongoing manual input. The agency says dealers can automate all ongoing video creation and updates and have them available to the public in about a week.
Dealers using the system say it provides greater visibility into shopper behavior and sales attribution.
“We know our videos are reaching shoppers who are lower in the funnel and ready to buy,” said Dawn Reidel, director of marketing for Heiser Automotive, according to a press release from the agency. She added, “Every month we can see how many people watched our videos and came into our stores.”
Clarity of operational market structure
Cars.com confirmed that inventory-driven video creation runs automatically once the feed is connected, so there is no need for continued involvement from dealers after setup.
The company also confirmed that the campaign was not market-specific. Multiple dealers within the same region can participate, but each campaign is limited to that dealer’s own inventory and does not include competing dealers within the same ad set.
