When I was leading marketing at Advantage GPS, one thing became pretty clear: a lot of people in the auto finance world saw GPS as just another box — a basic tool to keep tabs on vehicles. But we knew we had more to offer than just a device.
The bigger value was in helping lenders actually protect their assets and manage risk — especially as regulations and market conditions kept shifting. So, I kicked off a thought leadership effort to reposition the brand as more than just a vendor — we wanted to be seen as a go-to expert for risk mitigation.
Starting with Partnerships, Not Promotions
I began by reaching out to organizations who already had the trust of our audience — like the American Recovery Association (ARA) and the National Automotive Finance Association (NAF). We weren’t looking to pitch products. We wanted to partner on education.
We had several planning meetings early on, and what came out of them was a real alignment on the need to help lenders:
Stay ahead of regulatory changes
Understand how economic shifts could impact repossessions
Know what to look for in a trusted provider
Turning Education Into a Brand Builder
From there, we got to work creating helpful, no-fluff content lenders could actually use — and we did it together with our partners.
We built:
Co-branded educational materials (articles, guides, promo assets)
Webinars focused on the current economic outlook, compliance challenges, and best practices
Social content and blog posts to extend the reach
Each webinar was designed to speak directly to what lenders were dealing with at the time — whether it was national trends or state-level changes. We made sure every piece had real value, not just branding.
Real Results, Not Just Good Vibes
What started as a content project turned into something bigger. Here’s what we saw:
- We were invited to speak on industry panels and lead 22+ breakout sessions at national and state events
- Several states asked us to help build continuing education programs
- Lenders started seeing us as a trusted voice, not just another vendor
- Old customers came back
- , and new leads opened up
- Our visibility grew so much, even competitors started trying to match our move
It wasn’t just a nice brand play — it helped move the business forward in a real, measurable way.
Why This Stuck With Me
This project stuck with me because it brought together so many things I genuinely enjoy — diving into research, working closely with smart, passionate industry partners, and creating content that actually made a difference. There was real satisfaction in knowing that the resources we developed helped our customers protect their assets and navigate some pretty tricky challenges.
Just as rewarding was building strong relationships with both national and state-level associations. These weren’t surface-level connections — they were real partnerships grounded in shared goals and mutual respect.
Looking back, this was one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on. It wasn’t about flashy campaigns — it was about relevance, trust, and showing up with something useful. It reminded me that when marketing is rooted in real value and collaboration, it has the power to shift not just brand perception, but entire conversations in an industry.
We didn’t just change how Advantage GPS was seen — we helped redefine what role GPS technology could play in risk management.