CarMax’s “Wanna Drive” Campaign Focuses On Simplying Buying Used Cars

CarMax, the largest retailer of used cars in the United States, has kicked off a new ad campaign aimed at positioning the brand as offering flexibility and convenience in the buying and selling process while emphasizing the convenience of its online platform. The repositioning takes place at a time when CarMax and the used car industry as a whole face challenges related to stubbornly high interest rates, limited inventory, and relatively high prices. Thus, after the company’s dramatic growth in sales from just over $2 billion in 2010 to more than $25 billion by 2025, CarMax is looking to cater to the needs of today’s busy consumer to thrive in a competitive environment.

How the Campaign Repositions The Band– Buying Cars Made More Flexible and Convenient

CarMax achieved its success in part by recognizing that most consumers found used car buying experiences to be unpleasant and stressful. More than 20 years ago, the company developed its “The way car buying should be” tagline, reflecting its transparent, no-haggle pricing strategy. The company believes that the tagline served it well in building trust and a reputation for integrity among its buyers. Yet, the company recognizes that the brand, its customers, and the industry have evolved.

As a result, CarMax is introducing the “Wanna Drive” campaign as a more modern, customer-centric expression of what the brand stands for. The reposition emphasizes putting the customer in control and making the buying or selling process feel exciting, empowering, and easy. Essentially, the idea is that today’s busy customers prefer an omnichannel approach that caters to their lifestyle and allows them to either use CarMax’s digital platform, its physical facilities, or a combination of both depending upon an individual’s needs.

To learn more about the campaign and the brand’s repositioning, I spoke with Sarah Lane, Senior Vice President and CMO at CarMax. Lane emphasizes that CarMax is emphasizing an omnichannel approach that offers omnichannel integration that provides the flexibility to ability to research and go through all the necessary steps to purchase a vehicle (research, paperwork, test drives, etc.) online, in-store, or using a combination of both. Lane, who received her MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business states, “Today’s customers want flexibility, so we’re leaning into that, making sure every experience gives them clarity, confidence, and control. Our new “Wanna Drive?” positioning reflects this shift. It’s a modern, customer-first expression of who we are – still rooted in integrity, but now with even more customer empowerment built in.

The campaign includes separate spots focused on the buying (above) and the selling (below) process that employ light humor featuring music from the “CarMax House Band.”

Regarding the theme of the ads, Lane says, “We wanted to celebrate that feeling in a way that’s playful, human, and unmistakably CarMax. With omnichannel shopping, customers feel so confident and in control that it’s like they have their own personal hype squad. That is how the CarMax House Band was born. They became the perfect metaphor – they’re literally the soundtrack to your journey, celebrating every step. And we loved how smart it was to create a distinct asset that is extendable across channels.”

The Research Behind the Campaign

After conducting extensive research on its target customers and their wants and needs, Lane recalls that when CarMax’s new creative agency, 72andSunny Los Angeles, was briefed on the campaign, they were given the challenge of capturing a feeling of customer empowerment and control in a way that was joyful and not just functional. “‘Wanna Drive?’ emerged as a platform concept for the campaign. It is more than a tagline—it’s an invitation, a mindset, and a promise,” she says, “It speaks to the thrill of driving your new car, being in the driver’s seat of your shopping experience, and that confidence to do things your way. It is a great expression of customer empowerment.”

Lane notes that the reaction to copytests of the campaign was positive. “After landing on the concept, the band then tested incredibly well – people found them fun, memorable, and emotionally engaging. And it wasn’t just about the music; it was about the message: you’re in control and we’re here to help you own the process. The music was composed by Montreal-based artist and producer Lubalin and performed by real, working musicians, including the comedy trio Wolves of Glendale and standout artists Marta Tiesenga and Jay Hemphill. They bring energy, soul, and a ton of personality. We love how durable the concept is, and we are excited to explore more places for the band to show up!”

CarMax views the campaign as a long-term platform that will drive many successful creative executions to bring to life its offerings and connect with customers in culturally relevant ways. From its research, the company is aware that most customers don’t want to be forced to interact 100 percent in-store or 100 percent online.

A Customer-Centric Focus For Car Buying

Lane describes CarMax’s approach as customer-centric. “If a customer wants to buy a car fully online, they can do that. If they want to see and test drive the vehicle before they buy it, we empower them to do so,” she asserts, “Or they can confidently toggle back and forth between online and in-store throughout the experience. Every part of the process, from exploring financing options and getting pre-qualified to getting value for your trade, to exploring what car is best for you, can all be done on carmax.com or at our stores with our helpful associates or our AI agent Skye available every step of the way to support. All of this is intended to put the customer in the driver’s seat of where, when, and how they want to shop.

The Outlook for the Campaign

With CarMax reporting that its Net Promoter Score— a measure of how likely customers are to recommend a brand— has reached an all-time high since rolling out its new digital capabilities, the “Wanna Drive” campaign appears poised to be a hit. The campaign is well timed given the short term challenges facing the new car industry and clearly has a long term focus aimed at building the brand. It is refreshing to see new brand characters introduced into an ad campaign in a fun way that reinforces the brand’s benefits and adds a “fun” aspect to the campaign.