CarMax "Wanna Drive?" Campaign: Key Findings
CarMax is doubling down on basketball, and its commitment to women's sports is taking center stage.
The used car retailer has partnered with WNBA star Paige Bueckers and NBA player Donovan Mitchell to expand its "Wanna Drive?" campaign, which first launched in August 2025.
Developed by creative agency 72andSunny Los Angeles, the campaign highlights the customer-first car buying experience, showing how the brand's digital tools make it easier for people to purchase used cars.
Featuring two dedicated spots, the multiplatform campaign will run across linear sports networks including ABC, CBS, and ESPN, as well as Amazon Prime, Peacock, YouTube, Meta, and TikTok.
Athletes Showcase Customer-Centric Advertising Through Technology
The campaign pairs the basketball stars with the CarMax House Band to demonstrate how a seamless car-buying journey should work.
Bueckers' spot highlights how the brand's AI assistant, Skye, helps customers shop for inventory and book appointments through the app without needing to visit a dealership.
The online car shopping experience shows Bueckers completing most of the process digitally, before culminating in CarMax's express pickup service for ultimate convenience.
Mitchell's spot showcases CarMax's at-home pickup service, where customers receive online offers and schedule on-demand car selling from the convenience of their home or office.
Both creatives highlight CarMax's customer experience by keeping buyers and sellers in control throughout the entire process.
Beyond the campaign, both athletes are set to participate in brand engagement deals through personal appearances and community activations.
Women's Sports Marketing Reaches New Commercial Heights
CarMax's WNBA partnerships show the brand betting on where sports marketing is trending.
Since 2020, the brand has been the Official Auto Retailer of both the NBA and WNBA.
Through the WNBA Changemakers, a program supporting league growth, CarMax has also scaled its women's sports commitment more than tenfold, positioning itself ahead of the current surge.
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According to ESPN, women's sports were estimated to earn $2.35 billion globally in 2025, a 25% increase from 2024.
The WNBA experienced a 322% increase in global online searches compared to its four-year average, jumping from 9th to 1st place among major sports properties.
WNBA games also averaged over one million viewers across 22 nationally televised broadcasts in 2024, with league attendance jumping by almost 50%.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Bueckers explains why the brand's commitment to women's sports adds strength to the campaign:
"I think they do a great job of representation of women's athletes. For the next generation, for them to see their representation and for little girls to be like, 'that can be on national television and commercials'."
CarMax's AI tools, like Skye, also reflect broader innovations across automotive retail.
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In 2024, 37% of dealerships using AI reported a 20-30% increase in revenue, and 81% planned to increase their AI budget in 2025.
Featuring the brand's custom AI assistant in these spots shows CarMax fully embracing the technology, rather than shying away from it.
What Brands Can Learn From CarMax's Strategy
CarMax's latest campaign offers clear takeaways for automotive brand marketing and sports culture in advertising:
- Embrace the women's sports trend: NBA marketing campaigns are everywhere, but WNBA brand partnerships offer differentiation as commercial momentum speeds up.
- Show technology in action: Demonstrating automotive AI assistant capabilities through actual use cases builds trust better than abstract innovation claims.
- Pair athletes with functionality: Athlete brand campaigns work best when they showcase real product benefits, rather than just mere endorsements.
These moves show that sports partnerships work best when they showcase real benefits, instead of just celebrity appeal.
Our Take: Is CarMax's WNBA Timing Actually Genius?
We think CarMax is on a good track with this campaign approach.
The brand invested in women's sports marketing before it blew up commercially, placing itself ahead of competitors who might now be looking to secure WNBA athlete partnerships.
Featuring Paige Bueckers prominently alongside Donovan Mitchell signals where CarMax sees sports marketing heading, not where it's been.
The AI angle works because it's also addressing how automotive retailers are increasingly offering it to make their services easier to use.
The question is whether WNBA interest will stick around after the buzz dissipates, but the numbers suggest this is a real shift rather than just hype around a few players.
In other news, Volkswagen’s new collab with J Balvin turns his first car into a platform for rising Latino artists, proving how legacy storytelling can promote real cultural impact.
CarMax's used cars aren't the only thing getting a tech upgrade. These top automotive advertising agencies help brands navigate digital transformation and cultural partnerships.
