Insurance company Budget Direct has acquired Australian automotive content platform Chasing Cars.
The Sydney-based site was founded by Tom Baker in 2013, and has a particular focus on video content. Videos on Chasing Cars YouTube channel, which feature long-form reviews and comparisons of new cars, reached more than one million views per.
“We are thrilled to bring Chasing Cars into the Budget Direct family, adding ‘car reviews solved’ to our outstanding customer experience,” says Jonathan Kerr, Budget Direct CMO and delivery officer at auto & general.
“Chasing Cars is an obvious fit for Budget Direct. It is such a great platform for us to help our customers find and learn about their next car purchase – while retaining and enhancing the editorial independence of this first-rate car review source.”
Baker will continue to lead the Sydney publication as editor and founder, while Budget Direct will fund the operations of Chasing Cars, rather than the publication adopting a monetisation model where outlets advertise for the same model they are reviewing, or generate revenue directly from car manufacturers.
“This transparent funding arrangement will make Chasing Cars the most independent automotive media platform in Australia, providing buyers with the confidence that they are not consuming content funded in whole or in part by revenue from car manufacturers,” Baker says.
“The contribution of Chasing Cars is to offer the highest-quality car reviews that offer truly insightful analysis, going well beyond a test drive or surface-level overview of a particular model.
“When I was approached by the team at Budget Direct, I was struck by their deep understanding of the Chasing Cars business. They presented a clear plan to retain our trademark quality and independence while growing the number of Australians who will be exposed to, and benefit from, Chasing Cars content.”
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