Digital automotive company Dealers United will be acquiring Seattle-based media and video production firm, What’s Next Media. The deal was agreed upon on July 20th for an undisclosed amount. 

What’s Next Media is designed for automotive dealers, and offers auto video content, including video consulting, as well as assets for Facebook and YouTube advertising. 

Dealers United will now integrate What’s Next Media offerings into their existing digital and social media campaigns through its dealer network. In fact, Dealers United has historically resold WMN videos, and now, its video campaigns will be incorporated into the Dealers United product suite. 

"I am so proud of what we have been able to build and do for our clients," said Andrew Myers, chief operating officer and co-founder of What's Next Media. "We reached a point where the opportunity was bigger than our ability to go after it on our own. Dealers United has been a partner of ours from the beginning – we've always had an aligned vision for putting our dealers first and building at scale. This move allows us to leapfrog our competition entirely, creating ads faster with our shared automation, access to data, powerful content, and knowledgeable teams. We couldn't be more excited for the future."

The two companies will operate together, according to the news release, and What’s Next Media’s main office will remain in Seattle, to be used as a “West Coast satellite office” to Dealers United's headquarters in Sarasota, Fla. 

Through the acquisition, Dealers United gains a team with a wide range of automotive experience; a team which still includes WMN’s co-founders. 

The companies shared their businesses have grown quickly over the past seven years — a direct result of the auto industry’s continued adoption of digital marketing trends. WNM’s video strategies work to help dealers identify and motivate customers’ actions, while Dealer’s United focuses on shopper targeting on channels like Facebook and Instagram.

Both What's Next Media and Dealers United have quickly grown over the past seven years in correlation with the auto industry's adoption of digital marketing trends. What's Next Media's unique video strategies have helped dealerships identify and motivate customers' actions, which complements Dealers United's car shopper targeting on channels like Facebook and Instagram. 

Through the acquisition, Dealers United members now have access to the following tools:

• A full suite of new, custom video content
• An expanded library of OEM and factory-approved campaigns
• Quicker turnaround time and in-house video production
• Advanced dealer customization specific to each dealership's needs
• A unique dealer-focused strategy geared around dynamic ad campaigns

"No one can deny video's role in this industry," said Pete Petersen, chief executive officer of Dealers United. "Video is engaging; it's personal. It brings the customer onto the dealer's lot and into their newest model, it introduces their team, it tells the story of why a shopper should choose their store instead of the dealer down the street. 

“With car shoppers on average visiting a single dealer before buying, dealers have to get their story out to buyers faster and online, and WNM has really nailed turning storytelling into results. We're incredibly excited by What's Next Media joining our team. What we have built together is so powerful – and we're just ramping up,” he concluded.