2026 J.D. Power Auto Summit: John Fitzpatrick | Force Marketing

Welcome to this special on-location coverage of the 2026 J.D. Power Auto Summit. Today we’re joined by John Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of Force Marketing, to discuss the current automotive trends he is seeing, including dealer adoption of TikTok, evolving ad strategy, and the real-world impact of AI on marketing performance.

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Key Takeaways:

• While TikTok is a popular platform for consumers, the automotive retail sector is still underrepresented. Thanks to advancements in automation, hyperlocal targeting, and enhanced attribution models, dealers can effectively scale their campaigns. Early testing shows meaningful engagement at minimal spend, creating an opportunity for stores to establish authority in their markets before competitors fully commit.

• Fitzpatrick stressed that dealers should not be loyal to platforms but to performance. Whether dollars are deployed on Meta, Google, Amazon or TikTok, the determining factor must be ROI. The ability to attribute results and adjust spending quickly is essential in a market where profitability remains strong but competitive pressure is increasing.

• As AI dominates vendor messaging heading into NADA, dealers should ask how it is delivering results today. From SEO optimization and creative alignment to proposal generation and reporting, AI is already reducing turnaround time and accelerating insights. Speed and operational efficiency, not theoretical capability, are what will move the needle in 2026.