‘Ones to Watch’ is NDA’s new series where we provide young companies in the digital media industry the chance to pitch their business.
Here we meet Jean-Philippe Costa Mota, Head of Sales EMEA at in-car advertising platform 4screen…
Who are the key figures in the company?
4screen is the world’s first driver interaction platform that connects businesses with on-the-go customers, in real-time, directly through the car screen. 4screen is integrated into the top automotive brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Skoda, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota and more, providing businesses with unparalleled access to millions of drivers across twelve countries.
4screen originated from the founders’ (Fabian Beste, Simon Hecker, and Christoph Mahlert) shared insight. They realised that the automotive industry was looking for new digital business models and that the integration of third parties such as supermarkets, restaurants, or charging & petrol station providers offered huge potential.
Top brands such as McDonald’s, Shell, Waitrose are currently delivering exclusive offers and dynamic recommendations to their customers through their car screens, when they need it the most.
As for the background of the team operating in the UK, it’s actually an interesting story. I am the Head of Sales EMEA, and Fan Chi, I-lin and Rim are responsible of the UK market. We were all previously working at Waze (Google), which pioneered in-car digital marketing, and we all came together to 4screen, alongside other talented people, covering EMEA.
Having been part of the team that built the first in-car advertising solutions at Waze, we saw the immense opportunity to take this concept to the next level. 4screen’s technology and direct integration with automakers represented a significant leap forward, which is why we were drawn to join the company.
Tell us about your product and its key selling points.
The car – where we spend nearly an hour each day – has remained a surprisingly disconnected space. While over 100 million connected vehicles are on the road, the ability to interact directly with drivers through their car screens has been a major missing piece. 4screen changes that, unlocking the untapped potential of the connected car. This leads to significant benefits
- For Businesses (Advertisers): We offer a revolutionary new marketing channel – the connected car screen. This provides unparalleled access to a highly engaged, targeted audience of drivers, in real-time, using unique vehicle data. 4screen delivers brand messages directly to the car screen, maximizing impact and driving conversions in a way never before possible.
- For Drivers: Drivers receive relevant, timely information and exclusive offers that save them time and money, all delivered in a safe and privacy-compliant manner.
- For Car Manufacturers (OEMs): 4screen unlocks a completely new third-party revenue stream for automakers. Our white-label solution integrates seamlessly into existing and new vehicles, enhancing the driver experience with personalized recommendations and offers, all while allowing OEMs to maintain complete control of their brand and user interface.
How is it used by advertisers and what sort of results are they seeing?
Advertisers use 4screen as an in-car digital marketing solution. In essence, we answer the need for Visibility, Discoverability, Relevancy, and Incentivization. In practical terms, they can reach their audience via the following formats:
- Branded Pins: They replace those generic map markers with a business’s distinctive logo, ensuring prominent visibility and brand recognition as drivers navigate. This really helps a brand stand out. The key benefit is increased brand awareness and top-of-mind recall.
- Sponsored In-Car Search: This brings the power of search engine marketing directly into the vehicle. We place a business at the top of relevant in-car search results, leveraging real-time vehicle data and route analysis for maximum contextual relevance. The key benefit is enhanced discoverability and direct response at the point of need.
- In-Car Recommendations: These are timely, personalized suggestions and offers delivered to drivers based on contextual triggers – things like low fuel, arrival at a destination, or even signs of driver fatigue. It’s all about providing valuable assistance while driving conversions, in a non-intrusive way.
We’ve been fortunate to collaborate on several public case studies in the UK, thanks to our valued customers. Here is a testimonial from Waitrose.
How do you ensure drivers are not distracted?
We work hand-in-hand with car manufacturers to ensure everything we do is 100% safe and compliant. We adhere to all the strictest safety and privacy regulations, including GDPR. The system is designed to be completely seamless and non-distracting– it works in the background of the existing navigation system, so there’s no disruption to the driver’s experience.
We’re very conscious of driver distraction. We have intelligent speed restrictions in place. We go through extensive testing procedures with our OEM partners (following all their established safety protocols, like TISAX). Every piece of content is carefully reviewed multiple times before it’s ever seen by a driver.
What stage are you at in the UK and other markets? What are the growth plans?
Quite naturally, the UK was a priority market to launch after Germany (the birthplace of 4screen). We fully started operating there in September 2023, when we fully staffed the market with the people I introduced earlier.
For me, it’s always been a pleasure to work with the UK market. Very tech-savvy and early adopters. The curiosity was there from the get-go, and the adoption was quite fast, especially considering that there was a void left in the in-car digital marketing space and that we’re the only ones operating in the segment right now. We are expanding our presence in the UK, growing our audience alongside our OEM partners, and receiving great feedback from advertisers and agencies.
In parallel, 4screen has been deploying in other markets. The US was also launched in Q4 2023. In EMEA, we first concentrated on deploying in the traditionally larger ad markets (the DACH region at first, then France, the UK, and Italy). This was followed in 2024 by the launch in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden. That’s the beauty of the model – it can scale fast. Driven by strong partnerships with automakers, expanding into new markets is simply a matter of volume.
