Most-Seen Auto TV Ads from Kia, Infiniti Pique Notable Purchase Intent

While reach will always be an important metric, knowing if an ad is actually driving purchase intent is another critical ingredient of success. And two of the five auto ads on iSpot.tv’s ranking for Oct. 14-20 particularly stand out in that regard: Kia’s No.2 commercial and Infiniti’s fifth-place spot. 

Kia’s “Stares” takes a playful approach, showing a man backing away from his 2025 K4 with a loving look in his eyes, narrowly avoiding sidewalk obstacles because he can’t stop staring at the car. Additional shots highlight the model’s touchscreen while a final call-out emphasizes the $22,000 price tag. The ad inspired notable positive purchase intent, with 57% of iSpot’s Creative Assessment survey respondents saying they were “more” or “much more” likely to purchase after viewing the ad. While NFL games generated nearly 19% of the spot’s total 140.4 million national TV ad impressions, additional reach came from scripted dramas including FBI, 9-1-1, Blue Bloods and NCIS: Origins. 

Infiniti’s No.5 ad zeroes in on two features of the 2025 QX80 in 15 quick seconds: 3-row seating and audio zones, which allow phone calls to be isolated to the driver’s seat while music continues in the back. This focus prompted 33% of surveyed viewers to say the product itself was the “single best thing” about the spot, while 55% of respondents indicated above-average purchase intent. Infiniti aligned its music-filled creative by activating around the 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards, which generated 5% of its total 113.6 million national TV ad impressions. College football games delivered another 4%, followed by the NHL with 3%. 

Ram Trucks leaned heavily on sports to achieve reach with its first-place ad. Nearly 15% of its total 200 million national TV ad impressions came from the MLB playoffs, while NFL and college football games each generated just over 13%.  

Mercedes-Benz takes third place on the ranking with a spot that received 133.4 million national TV ad impressions. College football and the NFL led for reach (19% and 10% of impressions, respectively), with HGTV as the top network (31%) thanks to programming including House Hunters, House Hunters International and My Lottery Dream House.

College football games delivered nearly a quarter of the total 119.5 million impressions for Lexus’s No.4 spot, with the MLB playoffs accounting for 21%. TBS was the top network by reach (24% of impressions), fueled by MLB games and related programming, plus more budget-friendly placements during reruns of Friends, The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family. 

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1. Ram Trucks: The Calling: Blessed 

Impressions: 199,957,988  

Interruption Rate: 3.32%

Attention Index: 119

Est. National TV Ad Spend: $4,018,358

2. Kia: Stares

Impressions: 140,358,740  

Interruption Rate: 4.95%

Attention Index: 83

Est. National TV Ad Spend: $2,189,110

3. Mercedes-Benz: SUV for U

Impressions: 133,420,642  

Interruption Rate: 3.70%

Attention Index: 89

Est. National TV Ad Spend: $1,902,297

4. Lexus: Free

Impressions: 119,452,603  

Interruption Rate: 2.28%

Attention Index: 90

Est. National TV Ad Spend: $685,700

5. Infiniti: Audio Zones

Impressions: 113,557,639 

Interruption Rate: 1.92%

Attention Index: 74

Est. National TV Ad Spend: $501,882

Data provided by iSpot.tv, The New Standard for TV Ad Measurement

TV Impressions - Total TV ad impressions delivered for the brand or spot.

Interruption Rate - The percentage of devices that were present at the beginning of the ad but did not complete watching the ad. Actions that interrupt ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV. The Interruption Rate is measured on a scale of 0 to 100%.

Attention Index - A comparison of the ad’s interruption rate against its specific media placement. The Attention Index is measured on a scale of 0 to 200, where 100 is the average and means the ad is performing as expected.

Est. National TV Spend - Amount spent on TV airings for the brand’s spots.