Modernizing digital media to strengthen market leadership and drive efficient growth.
The brief
The client
AutoTrader.ca is Canada’s largest automotive marketplace, connecting millions of buyers and sellers nationwide. Facing intensifying competition and new entrants, AutoTrader partnered with Other. to modernize their in-house paid search and digital media program to protect leadership and accelerate growth.
The challenge
AutoTrader needed to increase leads and traffic in a category where annual media inflation runs 5–8%. Competitive pressures were rising, and the brand needed to demonstrate efficiency and impact from every paid media dollar. The challenge was to scale volume sustainably while countering rising costs and preserving market dominance.
The goal
- Increase lead volume and site traffic
- Improve efficiency in digital media investments
- Maintain dominant market share against new competitors
- Establish a sustainable, modernized digital foundation for long-term growth
What we discovered & implemented
01 | Foundation
We applied Ramp™ to redesign AutoTrader’s paid media investment framework. This established a fluid budget structure, ensuring all dollars moved dynamically toward the highest-performing opportunities rather than being locked in static, legacy allocations.
02 | Growth
Our work focused on modernization, innovation, and data-driven optimization to create a future-ready program:
- Modernization of Strategy: Transitioned from legacy tactics to modern best practices, unlocking new efficiency and growth pathways.
- Strategic & Tactical Innovation: Deployed advanced ad solutions like Performance Max and Automotive Inventory Ads to scale efficiently and expand reach.
- Data & Technology Optimization: Implemented enhanced feed management and data-driven processes to counter rising traffic costs and outperform competitors.
03 | Leadership
Ongoing alignment with AutoTrader’s product team ensured deeper integration between media strategy and platform priorities. This collaboration elevated both traffic quality and lead volume while building the foundation for long-term digital performance.
Results
- +29% increase in lead volume, driven by higher-intent traffic and improved alignment with AutoTrader’s product team
- +5% increase in traffic, enabled by continuous optimization of paid media investments
- 12% reduction in spend, delivering more results with fewer resources despite market inflation
Key drivers of success
- A modernized, best-practice digital strategy
- Adoption of advanced ad platform innovation
- Strong data integration and feed optimization
- Deep collaboration with AutoTrader’s product team
They are setting the new standard for agencies.
It truly does feel like they're part of my marketing department. That’s the best compliment I could pay an agency.
Other. operates as a true strategic partner to our team. They understand how to reach our niche audiences and pivot quickly as conditions change, translating strategy into scalable execution across our portfolio.
Other. has delivered the agility, rigour, and expertise that has allowed us to unlock the potential of our digital revenue channels and accelerate at an important time in our business. They have become a critical partner that we rely on.
I've always really valued that relationship. I think that they get our business. They always try to do it right. They're proactive.
Other. has played a critical role in accelerating our business, applying deep performance marketing expertise to maximize media efficiency and ROI. What truly sets them apart is their partnership mindset - they go above and beyond, operate as a true extension of our team, and focus on shared outcomes.
Let’s raise the bar together.
