How PureCars is Transforming Automotive Marketing with AI and Data-Driven Insights

At PureCars, evolution is part of the DNA. CEO Lauren Donalson recently reflected on her 10-year journey with the company, sharing how PureCars has grown from a small digital media agency to a full-service partner helping dealerships and manufacturers thrive in an increasingly complex automotive landscape.

During the 2026 NADA Show, PureCars CEO Lauren Donalson and President and CRO Jason Wiley spoke with CBT News about the shifting pressures dealerships face as marketing becomes more sophisticated and profit margins tighten. They highlighted how dealerships can gain clearer insights into performance, leverage accurate customer data, and integrate sales and service marketing into a seamless strategy that delivers measurable results throughout the entire ownership journey.

Today, service marketing is one of the most important growth levers for dealerships, but it is also one of the hardest to manage. Rising advertising costs, fragmented customer data, and inconsistent engagement make it increasingly difficult to drive service appointments and keep customers coming back. Too often, marketing teams are left guessing who to target, which channels will perform, and when to reach out, resulting in wasted spend and missed opportunities.

Atlanta, GA, February 11, 2026 – With 2026 underway, dealers are navigating an industry in transformation, where clean data and AI-driven decisions separate top performers from the rest. PureCars is helping dealers turn customer insights into campaigns that reach the right buyers at the right moment, boosting sales and service revenue. From paid media and website engagement to service retention, PureCars enables dealers to act with confidence across the customer lifecycle and capitalize on the trends that will define success this year.

NADA 2026 may have wrapped, but the ideas, insights, and strategies shared on the showroom floor will continue shaping the automotive industry well into 2026. This year, one theme was clear: while technology and AI are transforming marketing and sales, the service department can’t be left behind. Dealerships that connect service, sales, and marketing through a unified platform are the ones poised to thrive.

As automotive retailers face rising costs, fragmented data, and more complex customer journeys, PureCars will show how dealerships are leveraging first-party data and AI across the entire customer journey at NADA Show 2026 in Las Vegas. From February 3-6, PureCars will be at Booth #3551W, demonstrating how its unified customer data and marketing platform helps dealerships identify high-intent shoppers, automate engagement, and drive measurable sales and service outcomes.

NADA 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for the automotive industry, and PureCars will be at the center of the conversations driving meaningful change. From service revenue and AI-powered audience strategy to partnerships that accelerate innovation, PureCars sessions at this year’s show are designed to move beyond buzzwords and focus on what’s actually working for dealerships today. Across the week in Las Vegas, PureCars leaders and partners will share practical insights, real-world examples, and forward-looking strategies that dealerships can apply immediately.

As the automotive industry moves deeper into 2026, dealerships are navigating a familiar mix of pressure and opportunity. Inventory is tightening, monthly payments remain elevated, and competition for both customers and vehicles continues to intensify. At the same time, clean customer data and artificial intelligence are opening the door to smarter, more effective ways to drive growth—particularly in fixed operations. Recently, Lauren Donalson, CEO, and Jason Wiley, President & Chief Revenue Officer of PureCars, sat down with CBT News to discuss how dealerships can adapt to these realities, what PureCars is bringing to NADA 2026, and why clean data and AI are becoming essential to modern service marketing.

As the automotive industry gears up for NADA 2026, one thing is clear: PureCars is coming in with momentum, intention, and a lot of energy. In a recent Car Guy Coffee podcast episode, the Car Guy Coffee Podcast hosts sat down with Kate Colacelli, CMO of PureCars, and Hannah Lifson, Director at PureCars, to talk about what’s ahead for NADA, how the industry continues to evolve, and why relationships still sit at the center of everything they do.