2020 changed the way people think about cars. Whether suddenly driving to avoid public transportation or hitting the highways for a road trip adventure, the pandemic forced people to look at cars in a new way. For some, it meant buying a car for the first time in their lives. For others, it meant being introduced to new models in totally new ways. Whatever their experience, people came to Twitter to talk about it, and their conversations offer a few key learnings for auto marketers looking to connect with in-market buyers.

Virtual reveals aren’t going anywhere just yet

The first lesson for automakers is that virtual reveals are here to stay. With auto shows off the table during lockdowns, automakers had to change how they unveiled new models and pivot to virtual events held on social media. In fact, 80% of automakers who advertise on Twitter hosted a virtual reveal on the platform in 2020.¹ As it turns out, consumers were fans too. GMC showcased its new all-electric HUMMER EV in a virtual event on Twitter. The event drew millions of viewers generating thousands of Tweets during the broadcast. GMC sold out pre-orders by the time the show ended.

We asked people on Twitter why they loved events like these, and the answer was simple: It made them feel more connected to other people watching with them.² What’s more, virtual events made it easier for more people to tune in. That meant automakers could expect to generate buzz not just from auto enthusiasts, industry analysts, and press but also make a big enough splash to become part of the cultural zeitgeist.

Cultural relevance for auto brands is increasingly important

Speaking of the zeitgeist, another lesson that emerged from 2020 is the crucial role that cultural participation plays in how people view auto brands. In fact, according to a 2019 study, cultural relevance — the perception that a brand is connecting to cultural events, social issues, and conversation trends — now accounts for an entire quarter of a consumer’s purchase decision, and more than half of in-market car shoppers on Twitter said they’re more likely to consider brands that actively support social issues and connect to relevant cultural trends.³

So in 2020, automakers upped their game in joining the conversations driving our culture.

For instance, noticing that more people were at home looking for entertainment, Honda expanded its investment in gaming and connected to a key moment in the gaming community by sponsoring the League of Legends Championship series.

And at the outset of the pandemic, some brands showed their commitment to the moment by highlighting their efforts to pivot production to face masks, ventilators, and other medical equipment.

By connecting to what’s happening in the cultural conversations, automakers like Honda and Ford are building relevance with an increasingly discerning consumer base, who are now expecting them to join the moments, issues, and trends that matter to them.

The EV conversation is revving up

One of the buzziest topics in the auto conversation on Twitter has been electrification — with over 6M Tweets about EVs in 2020 alone⁴ — and there are insights to be learned from that conversation. Today, more than a third of those surveyed on Twitter are reading and talking about electric vehicles, and nearly 75% of surveyed in-market Twitter users see EVs as the future of mobility.⁵ In fact, people surveyed on Twitter appear far more bullish about the prospects of buying an EV in the near term, being 90% more likely than non-Twitter users to say they’ll own one in just the next two years.⁶

With the conversation heating up, now is the time for auto brands to enter the fray and build brand association in the category, even if they don’t yet have an EV in-market! GM came to the conversation in a bold way this past February, and without even featuring a vehicle, generated a nearly 200% lift in the number of people talking about EVs on Twitter.⁷ 

When people on Twitter are surveyed about what they want to hear from EV makers, they say they’re interested in hearing more about everything from tech advancements to charging station infrastructure to environmental impact.⁸

Ultimately, the conversations that shape the automotive industry — from virtual reveals to electrification — are happening right in front of us. They give us a sense of where the industry is going, and what people are looking for when they think of cars and the road ahead. Smart automakers will listen and learn from those conversations so they can meet them at the right time with the right message.

Guy Schueller (@guyschueller) is a Detroit native and has spent his career at the intersection of the automotive and digital media industries. He came to Twitter from Google where, for more than six years, he co-led sales and operations within the US automotive vertical, focusing on GM, FCA, and Ford. Before that he spent more than a decade at advertising agencies, leading automotive-focused media and digital teams at both Publicis and McCann.