Sokal Adds Stellantis and Nissan to Its Certified Dealer Programs
Raleigh-based automotive ad agency Sokal has been certified for the dealer marketing programs of Stellantis and Nissan, taking it past ten manufacturer partnerships. It also says it is now the largest ad agency in the Triangle area, with more than 150 staff.
Sokal, an automotive advertising agency based in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been certified for the dealer marketing programs of Stellantis and Nissan. The two additions take the agency past ten manufacturer-certified partnerships: it already held certifications from Kia, Mazda, Subaru, Hyundai, Acura and INFINITI. In the same announcement the agency describes itself as a single supplier for dealers across 13 major manufacturer programs.
What certification means for dealers
Certified status lets dealerships that sell Nissan and the Stellantis brands buy Sokal's marketing services as manufacturer-approved products that follow each brand's digital standards. According to the agency, this shortens the time it takes to get campaigns running, makes co-op reimbursement easier to claim and keeps the message consistent all the way from the carmaker's own advertising to the local showroom. A dealer also no longer has to assemble a set of separate vendors in order to stay within the manufacturer's rules.
The work is carried out by in-house staff and falls into four areas. Digital advertising covers paid search, paid social, programmatic display, retargeting and connected TV. Dealer websites are sold under the Momentum Websites name and built with the agency's own Dealer Draft tool, with inventory integrations and layouts adapted for mobile devices. Search engine optimisation relies on proprietary tools, while a creative team with its own production studio handles video, digital content, print and radio. Emma Voice, Sokal's director of OEM partnerships, called the new certifications a milestone for her team. The goal, she said, is for dealers to hand the complexity of marketing over to the agency and put their energy into closing leads and selling cars.
Growth in the Triangle
Sokal also says it has become the largest advertising agency located in North Carolina's Triangle area, where more than 150 of its advertising professionals now work. The Triangle Business Journal recently listed it among the largest agencies in the Raleigh-Durham area. Founded in 2003, the agency serves car dealers across the United States from its Raleigh headquarters and operates in several other markets. Its services range from custom creative and website design to paid media and media buying.
Source: Sokal