The brands winning South Africa’s car buyers aren’t the ones you expect

Early insights from Rogerwilco’s upcoming 2026 South African Automotive Marketing Report, developed in collaboration with Martech leader YOUKNOW Technologies, show that while digital conversations around car brands are growing, fewer voices are doing more of the talking. This points to a more focused, deliberate audience whose opinions carry real weight when it comes to brand perception and what makes it onto a buyer’s shortlist.

The latest findings show that newer, more affordable brands are steadily gaining traction. What may have started as curiosity is now translating into genuine consideration, as these challenger brands build visibility and begin to earn the trust of increasingly value-conscious consumers.

Now in its second year, the report is becoming a trend tracker. Established brands continue to perform strongly, underpinned by long-standing trust, scale and confidence in resale value. The result is that the market is rebalancing, where both heritage and challenger brands compete for attention in new ways.

With the vast majority of consumers doing their research online before visiting a dealership, digital signals such as search behaviour, social conversation and peer validation are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping shortlists and final purchase decisions.

To unpack these insights, Rogerwilco will host a free live webinar on Tuesday, 15 April at 10am, bringing together leading voices from media, data and automotive marketing.

Webinar speakers include:

• Jason Woosey, digital journalist, IOL
  
• Sam Ghisleni, head of marketing, Weelee
  
• Shaun Pearson, social tech product owner and data analyst, YOUKNOW
  
• Shannon Gahagan, national brand and marketing manager, Omoda amd Jaecoo

The session will be facilitated by Mongezi Mtati, senior brand manager at Rogerwilco, and co-author of the report.

The panel will explore how attention is shifting in the automotive sector, what is driving changes in consumer trust and how brands can adapt their strategies to remain relevant in a more competitive, value-driven market.

Why attend?

This session is designed for marketers, brand leaders and automotive professionals looking to:

• Understand emerging trends influencing consumer consideration and purchase behaviour
  
• Identify how digital visibility and community engagement impact brand performance
  
• Gain practical insights to refine marketing strategies in a changing economic landscape

Registration for this free webinar: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7448001057584246784/