How auto franchises can unlock co‑op marketing success

Co‑op marketing: a missed opportunity in auto franchising

Auto franchises sit on billions in available co-op marketing funds — yet over 50% of these budgets go unused each year [Source: Localogy, 2024]. These funds are meant to empower local dealers to promote services, drive traffic, and grow their market — all while staying aligned with the core brand.

So why are so many dollars left on the table?

For most, the process is too fragmented and time-consuming. Dealers are busy. Corporate teams are cautious. The result is a system that fails to activate the campaigns it’s meant to fund — leading to lost revenue, wasted budget, and inconsistent brand execution.

Where co‑op marketing breaks down for auto dealers

Franchise marketing teams face a delicate balancing act. They need to protect OEM brand standards while supporting local agility across hundreds of locations. But this often leads to friction — and missed opportunities.

Here’s what commonly happens:

• Dealers go rogue. Without access to approved templates or assets, local teams create off-brand materials or hire agencies to fill the gap.
• Approvals take too long. Campaigns stall while waiting on corporate reviews or co-op reimbursement eligibility checks.
• Funds stay idle. Complex claim processes and lack of guidance stop many dealers from even trying.

The outcome? Generic messaging at best — or fragmented brand experiences at worst.

Digital‑first buyers expect more from dealer content

Today’s automotive customers don’t wait around. They expect personalized offers, seasonal campaigns, and location-specific messaging — all delivered in real time, on the channels they use most.

But most dealer networks aren’t set up for speed or flexibility.

Instead, they rely on manual production, disconnected workflows, and legacy systems. That means local campaigns either launch too late, or not at all — defeating the purpose of co-op marketing in the first place.

How Papirfly empowers co‑op marketing at scale

Modern brand management solutions like Papirfly remove the roadblocks that prevent auto franchises from fully utilizing their co-op funds.

Here’s how:

• Centralized brand control. Corporate teams upload assets, guidelines, and templates once — dealers access them instantly via brand portals.
• Templated content creation. Local teams can customize digital ads, flyers, emails, and social posts within brand-safe design templates.
• Governance built-in. Automated approvals and compliance checks make co-op reimbursement seamless and secure.
• Multi-channel readiness. Whether it’s Facebook ads or print materials, campaigns are ready to launch across every channel — no agency needed.

BMW’s story: Co‑op marketing done right

BMW Northern Europe faced a challenge familiar to many auto brands: how to support hundreds of dealerships across multiple countries — without sacrificing brand consistency.

By using Papirfly, they enabled:

• 100% brand consistency at every touchpoint
• 400+ employees to create local content for their dealerships
• 7 country-specific portals — each with localized templates and assets

“Working with multiple creative agencies, dealers and internal employees across seven countries makes Papirfly’s system a must-have for us… the seamless sharing of assets keeps our dealers on-brand in all the material they use.”

— Marie Dellbrant, Brand Director / CMO, BMW Northern Europe

Read the full BMW customer story

BMW is not alone. According to this dealer campaign case study, automotive brands are transforming weeks-long campaign deployment cycles into day-long rollouts — all while maintaining perfect brand compliance.

The bottom line: Stop wasting co‑op marketing funds

Franchise marketers have the budget. They have the brand. What they lack is a system that makes co-op marketing scalable, fast, and foolproof.

With the right tools, your dealer network can:

• Launch personalized campaigns in hours, not weeks
• Eliminate approval delays and brand inconsistencies
• Increase co-op fund usage — and prove ROI at every level

Co-op marketing shouldn’t be an administrative headache. It should be a growth engine.

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