Vertu Motors, Renault Retail Group and Pentagon Motor Holdings represented the franchised retail sector among the winners at the eighth annual Auto Trader Click Awards, recognising digital marketing excellence.

Vertu Motors won best retailer digital customer experience and Pentagon was franchise dealer of the year.

Digital forecourt of the year went to the Renault Retail Group, while used car supermarket Caralot won the best integrated marketing award for retailers. Fiat triumphed in the manufacturer category.

A special mention went to Peter Vardy. As well as being highly commended for best integrated marketing campaign, digital marketing manager Euan Cameron took the accolade of best digital marketing individual.

This was the first time such an award had been presented.

Depending on the category, awards were made on the basis of consumer research, data and self , nomination - with the oversight of a panel of cross-sector, independent judges.

This included Dan Daly, senior marketing manager at Amazon, Tim Faircliff, executive chairman at AOP, Ben Sutherland, chief performance officer at iProspect, Mike Buckley, digital commercial director at Telegraph Media Group and Marc McNeill, Auto Trader’s customer experience director.

The line-up was chosen to reflect the new face of retail across all sectors, driven by changes in consumer buying behaviour.

The awards were presented by rugby superstar Martin Bayfield, with support from Auto Trader’s editorial director Jon Quirk and sales director Sharon Randall. 

Randall said: “The Auto Trader Click Awards are a celebration of those at the cutting edge of this revolution in digital car retailing.

“Every winner should be proud of their achievement because it means they are reacting positively to changing consumer behaviour and blazing a trail in the sector. We congratulate all our winners today.”

 

Full list of Auto Trader Click Awards 2015 winners

 

Best Retailer Digital Customer Experience

Vertu Motors

Best Manufacturer Digital Customer Experience

Kia

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign – Retailers

Caralot (winner)

Peter Vardy (highly commended)

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign – Manufacturers

Fiat (winner)

Vauxhall (highly commended)

Digital Forecourt of the Year

Renault Retail Group

Best Digital Marketing Individual

Euan Cameron (Peter Vardy)

Franchise of the Year

Pentagon Motor Holdings

Supermarket of the Year

Imperial Cars

Manufacturer of the Year

Ford