●       Awards recognise the most impactful and creative use of personalised video

●       The motor industry’s only dedicated digital communication awards was refreshed for 2021

●       New categories reflect changing consumer behaviours and trading challengers

●       Video viewed as the most important digital tool for dealership operations

CitNOW, the automotive retail industry’s leading communications specialist, has announced the latest winners of its annual Digital Spotlight Awards. The awards programme is the motor industry’s only awards dedicated to recognising creativity and best practice in digital customer communications.

The awards programme was revamped for 2021, introducing five new categories that recognise the increasingly important role of digital communications in the face of changing consumer behaviours and ongoing trading challenges. In a recent study carried out by the CitNOW Group, more than three quarters of car buyers (76%) said the most valuable part of the digital retail journey is receiving a video of the interior and exterior of the vehicle. 

“CitNOW strives to provide retailers with the digital tools they need to deliver the ultimate customer experience – so it’s important we celebrate those individuals who share our ambition and go the extra mile for their customers,” commented Carol Fairchild, Chief Customer Officer at CitNOW Group. “Our judging panel was inundated with over 600 fantastic examples of how retailers across the UK are using video and other digital assets to excite and delight their customers. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and to everyone who was shortlisted – we look forward to seeing what next year’s awards bring us!”

Jack Howard at Sycamore MINI in Peterborough received the Best Customer Delight Video accolade for going above and beyond by creating an engaging video in response to the customer asking for detailed images. The video combined a good walk around, full of transparency and information and included a test drive section that showed the vehicle out on the road. The video was viewed by the customer three times in the space of 35 minutes, who went on to buy the car.

When awarding Best Vehicle Showcase Video, the judges thought Jessica Richardson from Sytner BMW in Nottingham delivered the most complete package with her video, calling it friendly, informative, and engaging. They found it strikes the right balance of delivering a good level of detail to the customer while keeping them engaged and interested throughout - with a strong CTA that invites the customer to get in touch and take the next step with a test drive.

Miguel Edie at Mercedes-Benz in Leicester quickly responded to the boom in used car demand by sharing a prospecting video with existing customers to suggest selling or part exchanging their current vehicle. As a result, he picked up the Most Creative Video award, with judges praising Miguel’s friendly but proactive approach, and his use of light, accessible language to clearly explain the state of the marketplace, and help the customer understand the opportunity available to them.

In winning the Best VHC Video, Nick Giles at Specialists Cars BMW in Tring proved that video can be just as impactful in the workshop as it is on the forecourt. The judges thought that Nick gave a masterclass in how to share technical insight, explaining why he was recommending new tyres in a clear and credible way, with a friendly tone that would have created instant trust with the customer.

The winner of the Best Diagnostic Video, Tom Rush, is only in the second year of his apprenticeship at Listers BMW/MINI in Boston – a fact that made the judges even more impressed with his camera work and delivery. Tom uncovered a couple of issues with the car that the customer may not have been expecting and made sure that they had no reason to be alarmed by using a friendly manner and reassuring language to put them at ease.

To find out more about the winners and runners up in the CitNOW’s Digital Spotlight Awards visit digitalspotlight.citnow.com/winners/.