New audience data confirms Drive.com.au as
Australia’s No.2 online automotive platform
- First public release of Ipsos iris online automotive category audience shows 45% YoY growth for Drive.com.au
- Result underpinned by heightened consumer demand for quality car content
SYDNEY NSW, THURSDAY 28 MARCH 2024 The inaugural release of independent audience measurement data for the automotive category from Ipsos iris today confirms Drive.com.au as Australia’s second-most-visited online automotive platform in February 2024, behind market leader Carsales.com.au.
Ipsos iris is the only audience measurement provider that has been endorsed by the Interactive Audience Bureau (IAB), the peak governance body for the Australian online advertising industry.
The data released today is the first online automotive platform audience data Ipsos has made publicly available since it commenced measuring monthly audiences for the category in early 2023.
According to the February 2024 data, Carsales reported a 27% share of available online audience and Drive 21%, with the brands together accounting for nearly half of the national audience for online automotive content.
Australia’s core automotive editorial and car classifieds platforms recorded the following monthly audience volumes and category shares:
|
Automotive Category Online Audience Ipsos iris Feb 24 |
Audience Feb 24 |
||
|
1 |
Carsales.com.au |
27% |
3,097,918 |
|
2 |
Drive.com.au |
21% |
2,461,158 |
|
3 |
Carsguide.com.au |
13% |
1,503,014 |
|
4 |
CarExpert.com.au |
9% |
995,975 |
|
5 |
Autotrader.com.au |
6% |
691,840 |
|
6 |
WhichCar.com.au |
3% |
402,699 |
|
Total Automotive Category Audience |
11,596,000 |
||
Drive CEO Simon Halfhide welcomed the public release of the Ipsos iris data, saying that after a lengthy period without automotive audience benchmarking data, Ipsos iris would now serve as the key independent and trusted reference point that media buyers, advertisers and auto brands needed.
“The IAB is pleased to see more ratings data for the automotive category available in market. The industry endorsed digital audience measurement currency, Ipsos iris, continues to be embedded across the publisher and agency ecosystem. A measurement system that provides comparable and inclusive market data on thousands of websites and apps every month with the same methodology underpinned by a media quality cross device panel is an incredible resource for the industry.” Said Gai Le Roy, CEO of the IAB Australia.
“Integrity and transparency are central to the Drive brand, and we’re delighted that there is now one, independently backed audience source now available for our industry,” said Mr Halfhide.
“To see a 45% YoY* increase in audience to Drive over the last year is a credit to our talented team of automotive experts and to the broader industry that has supported our journey over the last three years,” he said.
“Today’s Ipsos data sees Drive realise our vision to be the clear no.2 destination for Australian car buyers, over what has been a period of immense change in the automotive industry.”
“Our audience growth over the past 12 months has been underpinned by consumer hunger for knowledge and trusted car advice. Drive is an inclusive brand that connects with all types of Australians, through their channels of choice. More Australians are experiencing Drive online and via TV, BVOD, print and radio, and discovering our deep, authoritative editorial content, range of buying guides, annual Drive Car of the Year awards, weekly car lifestyle TV shows and our newly relaunched automotive marketplace that includes cars for sale and sell my car products.”
“We’re well on our way to reimagining the iconic brand equity Drive has created over the last 27 years. Drive is now a genuine automotive lifestyle network and high-quality car marketplace. We look forward to cementing our leadership position more deeply in 2024, including the launch of a new Customer Data Platform deeply integrated with the Nine Group,” he said.
*Source; Ipsos iris Online Audience Measurement Service February 2023 to February 2024 (Drive.com.au); February 2024. Age 14+, PC/laptop/smartphone/tablet, Text only, Brand Group, Note the following Brand Groups are not tagged and therefore do not include all off-platform audiences: Carsguide, Autotrader, Whichcar.com.au, Automotive Category, Audience (000s)
END
ABOUT DRIVE
As Australia’s most comprehensive automotive media network, Drive.com.au showcases the best of all things automotive. Drive’s expert editorial team provides trusted advice helping to simplify the Australian motoring landscape for all types of drivers. Over 2.46m** Australians visit our online network each month, where thousands of articles, including over 200 videos are published each year alongside thousands of high-quality new and used cars listed for sale within its marketplace.
With 15.5 million viewings across 351 episodes airing across Nine, NineHD and NineGem and a 46% female audience, Drive TV continues to reach more Australians and represents a greater portion of the new car buying market in Australia. Launched in 2022 on Nine, each episode is available on eight different platforms spanning TV, digital and social offering unrivalled automotive broadcast content with 256,000 streams to date.
Press contacts:
PR & Trade Communications Manager, Drive
Hayley O’Grady
Senior Communications Manager, Nine
Adrian Motte