US auto retailers lag on video across live listings

A Phyron survey of 250 U.S. auto retail marketing leaders found only 38% of live vehicle listings include video, even as dealerships face pressure to produce more content across websites, paid social, email and inventory feeds. Ken Garff reported stronger ad performance after using Phyron video, highlighting the operational gap between demand for video and the capacity to produce it manually.

Why it matters: - Auto retailers are under pressure to add video across more digital touchpoints, but most still cannot produce it at inventory scale. - The shortfall affects vehicle listings, paid social, dealer websites, email and customer follow-up. - Phyron frames AI video automation as a way to remove manual production bottlenecks without adding headcount.

What happened: - Phyron commissioned a nationwide survey of 250 Chief Marketing Officers and Digital Marketing Leads in U.S. auto retail. - Respondents said only 38% of live vehicle listings currently include a video asset. - The research was conducted by Opinion Matters between April 27 and May 6, 2026. - Phyron said the findings show a gap between content demand and production capacity.

The details: - Dealers need content that is accurate, brand-safe and updated as inventory changes. - Each vehicle can require different images, specifications, finance messages, branding rules and retailer offers. - Manual video production does not match the pace of retail inventory. - Larger dealer groups can face video production as a recurring operational burden. - Phyron works with more than 4,000 dealer customers across 35 countries. - Since January 2021, Phyron customer videos have generated more than 500 million views. - The company describes its software as a fully automated AI-enhanced video solution that combines still images, car facts, brand imagery and retailer services into videos. - More information is available in Phyron's announcement.

Between the lines: - The survey suggests auto retail marketing is shifting from a creative challenge to an operations problem. - AI appears most useful where teams need repetitive, high-volume content that changes with inventory. - The issue is less about proving video works and more about making video feasible for every vehicle. - Ken Garff's results point to a use case where automation can support both performance marketing and production speed.

What's next: - More dealers are likely to test automated video as paid social and inventory merchandising demand grows. - Phyron is positioning AI as a practical tool for scaling content rather than replacing marketing teams. - Dealer groups will likely focus on whether automation can cut production time while maintaining accuracy and branding.

The bottom line: - U.S. auto retailers know video matters. The main problem is producing enough of it fast enough to keep up with live inventory.