Buying a car is the second biggest purchase most of us will ever make.
And for many of us, that means we need a little financial support to get in the driver’s seat.
Around 8 in 10 new cars bought by private buyers in the UK are now taken on finance rather than paid for outright, and finance use on used cars is rising too.
So why is it that many people still find the options a little confusing?
For many years, hire purchase, known to most as HP, was the only option.
Then in the nineties, things became more sophisticated and consumer friendly, with products like PCP and PCH giving people more flexibility, smaller monthly payments and choices at the end of the agreement.
And then there was business finance, with a whole host of options depending on how your company wanted to fund its vehicles.
Brilliant solutions in theory, but in practice the sheer number of options often left customers wondering, “Which one is actually right for me?”
If you have never bought a car on finance it can feel bewildering and a bit scary.
Acronyms, terms and conditions, APRs, small print, different end of agreement options, and that nagging worry about making the wrong choice.
This is not financial advice, but it is about something just as important for brands in regulated spaces, clear, consistent and accessible communication.
Stellantis Financial Services asked us to help them explain a whole suite of finance products in a way that would work across all their UK marques including Vauxhall Motors Ltd, Peugeot UK, Citroen UK, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, DS Automobiles UK, Abarth & C. Spa, Jeep and Leapmotor UK, as well as hundreds of retailers and thousands of customer conversations.
Together we:
Ran collaborative workshop sessions focused on how real customers think about funding their next car
Built a simple, repeatable, evergreen content framework based on the questions people actually ask
Created digital product brochures that use plain English to explain suitability, what to expect and what happens at the end of the agreement
Brought it all to life with a full set of animated explainer videos for use online and in showroom across all brands
The result is a modular finance education system that helps customers feel informed and confident, and gives retailer teams clear tools to have better conversations locally, every day.
I am delighted our latest case study, 'Finance. Made Clear' which tells the full story and includes examples of the brochures and videos in action is available to view here.
Would love to hear what you think about how brands handle complex, regulated products like car finance. If you fancy chatting about how we could help you with something similar, just get in touch.