Catalyst IQ Earns FordDirect AdVantage Tier 3 Certification

We’re thrilled to announce our Tier 3 certification with FordDirect’s AdVantage digital advertising solution.

This certification gives individual Ford and Lincoln dealers direct access to the market intelligence and prescriptive approach we employ in Ford’s National and Regional marketing initiatives.

This approach combines FordDirect’s AdVantage proprietary Ford Motor Company data with our MarketAI® platform, delivering market intelligence and inventory insights. Dealers can now identify opportunities sooner, improve targeting, and connect advertising investments to measurable sales results.

The certification also builds on years of experience serving Ford dealers through Adpearance, Fox Dealer, Search Optics, and ZeroSum, the four companies that united as Catalyst IQ in January 2026.

Our 25th OEM Program Certification

“Ford and Lincoln mark Catalyst IQ’s 25th OEM program certification,” said Andy Lobred, our CEO. “More importantly, earning FordDirect certification means Catalyst IQ now supports marketing across national, regional, and dealer tiers. This cohesive approach gives dealers the intelligence and expert guidance to identify opportunities, make faster decisions, and invest advertising dollars where they can move vehicles more profitably.”

Rather than relying on only historical performance or static market assumptions, our Dealer Success Managers use MarketAI®, our proprietary real-time data platform, to identify emerging opportunities and shifts in demand as they occur. Those insights inform where advertising investment should be deployed, which vehicles and audiences should be prioritized, and how strategies can be nimble as local and national market dynamics continue to change.

“Catalyst IQ gives Ford and Lincoln dealers another proven way to turn advertising into vehicle sales. Its MarketAI® technology connects real-time market and inventory data to campaigns before a dollar is spent. Paired with AdVantage’s first-party Ford Motor Company data and sales and repair order attribution, dealers can identify the right shoppers with smarter targeting and proof of results,” said Tracy Fred, FordDirect COO.

What Ford and Lincoln Dealers Can Expect

Each Ford and Lincoln dealer works with a dedicated Dealer Success Manager and a team of automotive experts who turn MarketAI insights into recommendations on inventory, pricing, audience targeting, media investment, and campaign strategy.

We then activate those recommendations through paid search on Google and Bing, Google Vehicle Ads, Performance Max, paid social on Meta, Amazon advertising, retargeting display and streaming TV advertising (OTT/CTV). VIN-level campaigns adjust as inventory and market conditions change.

Ford and Lincoln dealers can learn more through the FordDirect Dealer Center or schedule a twenty-minute demonstration to see where opportunity exists in their inventory and local market in real time.

About FordDirect

FordDirect, headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., connects data, analytics, and technology to provide best-in-class digital marketing solutions exclusively for Ford and Lincoln Dealers. FordDirect is a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its franchised dealers. Learn more at www.FordDirect.com.

About Catalyst IQ

Catalyst IQ is an automotive marketing agency and data intelligence company that helps dealerships sell cars faster using real-time data, AI-powered insights, and expert human support. From digital advertising and websites to SEO/AEO and engagement, every solution drives growth.