Co-op advertising is often treated as “found money.” That framing is attractive—and incomplete. For dealers, OEM-funded advertising can be one of the fastest ways to stretch a local budget, but only when the money is visible, the rules are understood and the campaign is built to move a real business metric.
Forbes reported that U.S. automotive advertising was expected to rise from approximately $12 billion in 2023 to $12.3 billion in 2024, citing the BIA Automotive Report. The article also cited a roughly 13% year-over-year increase in co-op spending, according to The Advertising Checking Bureau.[1]
The signal is clear: as production and inventory recover, OEMs have more reason to help dealers create local demand. The commercial question is whether your network can capture that support before it expires, gets trapped in paperwork or is spent without a clear return.
More Funds, More Pressure to Perform
Forbes describes a wide range of dealer dependence on co-op. In the examples cited, GM co-op represented about 95% of advertising budgets at two Les Stanford dealerships, while the broader range could start near 50% depending on the automaker and other factors.
That level of support can make an enormous difference. It can also create dependency without control. When the dealer budget is closely tied to sales volume, inventory and OEM relationships, every missed claim, rejected asset or delayed approval becomes a commercial leak.
Co-op is not just a reimbursement program. It is a growth channel with operating requirements.
The Digital Shift Is Already Built Into the Money
The Forbes article notes that some OEM programs require at least 40% of co-op accruals to be spent on digital media. That direction makes sense: shoppers research online, inventory changes quickly and digital campaigns can be targeted and measured.
But digital also multiplies the number of details that must be correct: approved vendors, current inventory, creative versions, disclaimers, landing pages, audience definitions, delivery records and reporting. More digital spend without stronger coordination can create more claims, more exceptions and more operational noise.
AIM-COM™ thesis: The most valuable co-op dollar is not the one with the highest reimbursement. It is the dollar that can be activated on time, approved cleanly and linked to a measurable dealer objective.
EV and Hybrid Funding Raises the Compliance Stakes
Forbes also points to special EV and hybrid funding, including model-specific branding and separate treatment for battery-electric and combustion vehicles. These programs can help dealers introduce new powertrains, but the creative and claim requirements may be stricter because the OEM is protecting a strategic product launch.
That means the campaign must be designed around compliance from the beginning. Logo placement, offer language, vehicle classification, approved vendors and proof of delivery are not final administrative details. They are part of the commercial plan.
Why Dealers Need a Simpler Operating Layer
More than 55% of dealers in the Brandmuscle study cited by Forbes said co-op programs had too many rules, restrictions and paperwork. Dealer feedback in the article asked for more vendor flexibility and less red tape, while still recognizing that the money is worth pursuing.
The answer is not to remove every control. Controls protect the OEM brand and the dealer's claim. The answer is to make the right action easier: show the current balance, explain the rule, route the approval, capture the proof and flag the exception before the deadline.
| Dealer challenge | Commercial consequence | Better operating response |
|---|---|---|
| Funds are hard to see | Money expires or remains unused. | Centralize balances, accruals, deadlines and ownership. |
| Rules are fragmented | Claims are delayed, rejected or escalated. | Map current OEM, channel, vendor and creative requirements before launch. |
| Digital activity is disconnected | Spend grows without a clear link to inventory or demand. | Connect campaign planning to audience, inventory and commercial objective. |
| Proof is assembled late | Teams spend time reconstructing what happened. | Capture approvals, assets, invoices and delivery evidence as the campaign runs. |
How AIM-COM™ Helps Dealers Capture More Value
AIM-COM™ is designed to turn co-op from a passive benefit into a managed growth engine. The value is practical: less time hunting for rules, fewer avoidable exceptions and a clearer path from available funds to market activity.
See the opportunity
Make available, claimed and expiring funds visible to the people who plan local marketing.
Activate with confidence
Match the fund to the right vehicle, audience, channel and offer before media goes live.
Control the details
Coordinate approvals, vendors, creative, disclosures and inventory checks in one operating flow.
Prove the outcome
Retain delivery evidence and connect media activity to qualified demand, inventory movement and sales signals.
For OEMs, this creates better visibility into how local funds are used. For dealer groups, it creates repeatable governance across stores. For local teams, it removes friction from the work that should be simple and highlights the exceptions that require judgment.
The Bottom Line
Forbes captures an important moment: co-op advertising was growing as automotive inventory and total ad spending recovered. That growth creates a window for dealers, but it does not eliminate the work required to use the money well.
The competitive advantage belongs to the network that can move from “we have funds” to “we have a compliant, measurable campaign” without losing weeks to uncertainty. AIM-COM™ helps build that bridge.
More co-op money is good news. More usable co-op money is the real opportunity.
Reference
- Forbes — “Auto Industry Co-Op Ad Spending Rises As Inventories Grow.”, February 12, 2024.
Stop leaving co-op value on the table.
AIM-COM™ helps dealer networks see the funds, simplify the workflow, reduce compliance friction and activate campaigns that support measurable growth.
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