#83: Quo Vadis Green Shoot AdTech Interviews
With Fabian Beste, CEO/founder of 4Screen, the leading platform to interact and engage with drivers in real time.
Welcome back to Quo Vadis Green Shoot AdTech Interviews.
In this series, we’re stepping into the shoes of “AdTech Equalizers” — the green shoot companies changing how the advertising job gets done. We'll delve into their worldview and unveil new strategies, tools, and thinking that make advertisers better off.
Today, we have the great pleasure of speaking with Fabian Beste, Co-Founder & CEO of 4screen, the leader and pioneer of In-Car Marketing, helping businesses connect with their on-the-go customers directly through the car screen.
Q1: What is In-Car Marketing, and how does it benefit businesses?
A: Fabian
In-Car Marketing is a revolutionary marketing channel pioneered by 4screen, allowing businesses to engage directly with drivers through the car screen. This unique approach leverages untapped vehicle data to deliver timely, safe, contextually relevant messages and offers, making every drive an opportunity for meaningful interaction.
4screen is the global market leader in this space, having grown our audience by 300% in the last two years. Our platform connects businesses with millions of drivers across ten countries, tapping into a market set to reach over $300 billion worldwide by 2030 — with USD $80 billion attributable to in-car marketing.
Major brands like McDonald's and Shell are already capitalizing on this technology, driving an increase in location awareness and customer engagement.
Moreover, with the shutdown of Waze's advertising platform in 2023, 4screen is uniquely positioned to dominate this space, offering unparalleled access to millions of drivers across the US and Europe.
Q2: Can you describe the types of In-Car Marketing campaigns that businesses can launch with 4screen?
A: Fabian
Most advertisers use 4screen to increase awareness of their store locations, promote offers, and, more importantly, drive store visits. We are a key component of any local marketing strategy. Let me give you some examples:
Supermarkets can benefit from 4screen’s Branded Pin ad format, ensuring their store remains top of mind for on-the-go customers. By maintaining a constant presence on drivers' routes, Branded Pins help shift consumer habits, directing more drivers to choose their supermarket for their shopping needs by enhancing location awareness and accessibility.
For restaurants looking to capture the attention of hungry drivers, 4screen’s Sponsored In-Car Search places your closest branches at the top of search results. This targeted approach ensures that when drivers search for their next meal, your restaurant stands out, increasing both new visits and repeat business through timely and contextual promotions.
When a driver's fuel or battery level is low, service stations can use 4screen’s In-Car Recommendations to guide drivers directly to the nearest location. Not only does this ensure drivers find your station at their exact moment of need, but it also allows you to offer exclusive promotions, discounts, or extra loyalty points, making their visit even more rewarding.
Retailers can leverage 4screen’s Detail Screen to offer tailored promotions and discounts directly through the car screen. Whether you are incentivizing shoppers with bonus loyalty points or showcasing exclusive seasonal offers, the Detail Screen ensures your deals are seen by potential customers at just the right time, encouraging more in-store visits and purchases.
These interconnected strategies maximize engagement by aligning closely with drivers' immediate circumstances and needs, turning every drive into a potential business opportunity.
Q3: What are the primary opportunities that 4screen provides in the advertising industry, and how does it compare to current OOH advertising solutions?
A: Fabian
On average, drivers spend 50 minutes per day in their cars. Thanks to 4screen, businesses can now take advantage of this valuable opportunity for meaningful engagement, delivering timely, relevant communications at crucial decision-making moments. And because the 4screen platform is integrated into the vehicle’s digital interface, we ensure your communication maintains the highest safety and privacy standards.
Here are a few specific opportunities that the advertising industry can now leverage through this unique car screen technology:
Unique Targeting Capabilities: 4screen leverages billions of vehicle and location data points to deliver highly targeted messages. This ensures that drivers receive timely, relevant ads based on real-time conditions, guiding them to the nearest and most suitable business destinations when they need them most.
Meaningful Interaction: The car screen provides a large, engaging platform for dynamic, real-time messages. Unlike static billboards, 4screen's ad formats, such as In-Car Recommendations, offer interactive and contextually relevant content that captures attention and prompts immediate action.
Comprehensive Measurement: 4screen offers detailed metrics for every campaign, tracking impressions, reach, engagements, navigations, and clicks. This robust measurement capability allows businesses to accurately measure ROI and optimize campaigns for better results.
The combination of these capabilities creates a powerful marketing platform that traditional OOH or even radio cannot match. 4screen is a uniquely innovative platform that embraces the transformation of the automotive industry, including EVs and connected cars, to create new, impactful interactions.
Q4: Which verticals benefit most from In-Car Marketing?
A: Fabian
4screen provides significant value for brands and verticals looking to leverage physical points of sale to drive business results, specifically by increasing in-store traffic. We bridge the gap between drivers and your stores, creating seamless connections that turn drives into targeted business opportunities.
Here are some core verticals that benefit most from our platform:
Fuel Stations: Brands like Shell use 4screen to attract drivers to their stations. By offering timely promotions when fuel levels are low, they ensure drivers choose their stations for refueling needs.
Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs): McDonald's utilizes our platform to drive traffic to their locations. When drivers are searching for their next meal, McDonald's branches appear at the top of search results, increasing visits and repeat business.
Supermarkets & Retailers: Waitrose uses 4screen to stay top of mind for on-the-go customers. By maintaining a constant presence on drivers' routes, they enhance location awareness and direct more drivers to their supermarkets.
Parking Facilities: Parking services can leverage 4screen to guide drivers to available spots, offering convenience and reducing the hassle of finding parking in busy areas.
These strategic approaches allow brands to effectively intercept and engage potential customers during their travels, driving tangible business results through increased in-store traffic and customer engagement.
Q5: Looking towards the future, how do you see In-Car Marketing evolving, and what new opportunities do you anticipate for advertisers in this space?
A: Fabian
The future of In-Car Marketing is set to capitalize on deeper data integration, focusing on passenger count, shopping preferences, brand affiliations, and demographics to tailor experiences uniquely to each journey. As vehicles continue to evolve, they are becoming smarter and more connected, presenting new opportunities for precise, personalized advertising.
For example, CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brands will be able to target drivers on their way to grocery stores, delivering timely promotions and offers that influence shopping decisions right before they happen. Additionally, loyalty programs can be integrated to offer specific content and rewards to repeat customers, enhancing brand loyalty and encouraging frequent engagement.
We foresee targeting opportunities based on driving patterns, such as offering coffee shop promotions to drivers heading to work in the morning or gym discounts to those returning home in the evening. This level of hyper-personalization ensures that each interaction is relevant and valuable to the consumer. This creative canvas is very exciting across the board.
Advertisers should act early to test and harness these capabilities. Early adopters will benefit from current opportunities and seamlessly transition into more sophisticated, predictive advertising models. Proactive engagement ensures that brands remain relevant and preferred as in-car experiences become more integral to consumer decision-making. With this market set to reach over $300 billion in 6 years, brands should begin their campaigns now to capitalize on the rapid growth and profitability of this exciting new marketing channel.
Check out 4Screen to learn more or reach out to Fabian to connect for a chat at fabian.beste@4screen.com.
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Disclaimer: This post, and any other post from Quo Vadis, should not be considered investment advice. This content is for informational purposes only. You should not construe this information, or any other material from Quo Vadis, as investment, financial, or any other form of advice.
Lots of teams are excited about in‑car reach but get stuck linking those moments to store visits and real measurement. You could try Leads App to pipe those engagements into a simple CRM flow, tag by location, and see which prompts actually drive foot traffic. That way you can double down on routes and times that turn into real customers, not just impressions.