AdMall identifies co-op as an overlooked source of advertising revenue that can help local businesses stretch marketing dollars.
Key Takeaways
- Vendor-funded advertising can help local businesses stretch tight marketing budgets, but many dealers and channel partners don’t know the funds are available or how to access them.
- Co-op advertising is evolving beyond traditional media, with manufacturers increasingly supporting digital formats, including search, video, and other emerging channels — often with specific vendor requirements.
- Co-op budgets reset as of January 1, 2027. Media sellers can turn co-op intelligence into new business by helping advertisers identify available funds, understand program requirements, and build campaigns that qualify for reimbursement.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Sept. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Local businesses may have access to advertising dollars they aren’t currently using, and the opportunity could be particularly valuable as manufacturers reset budgets and funding programs at the beginning of a new calendar year. SalesFuel is encouraging media sellers to make co-op advertising, market development funds (MDF), and other vendor-funded marketing programs part of their new-business strategy.
This sponsor of Co-op Advertising Awareness Month is AdMall® by SalesFuel. As a market intelligence sales research tool, this platform provides marketing agencies and media sellers with co-op advertising intelligence covering thousands of brands, helping them identify funding opportunities and approach prospects with relevant information rather than simply asking whether they have an advertising budget.
“Many traditional co-op funds expire at the end of the year. Co-op funding can change the economics of an advertising campaign for a local business by expanding their marketing budget,” said C. Lee Smith, CEO of SalesFuel and creator of AdMall. “The challenge is that business owners may not know the funds exist, may not understand the requirements, or may assume the process is too complicated. That creates an opportunity for advertising agencies and media sellers to bring something more valuable to the conversation than an ad proposal—they can bring a way to help pay for it.”
Co-op advertising allows manufacturers and vendors to share the cost of local advertising with dealers, distributors, and channel partners. While these programs have traditionally supported conventional advertising, SalesFuel has seen manufacturers increasingly adapt their programs to accommodate digital marketing and other newer formats. In many cases, however, businesses must follow specific guidelines or obtain advance authorization to qualify for reimbursement. This is where advertising sales intelligence becomes essential: knowing which vendors offer funding and under what terms is often the difference between a missed opportunity and a closed deal.
The opportunity is particularly relevant in industries such as automotive, where manufacturers have increasingly shifted from traditional co-op structures toward marketing allowance programs and approved-vendor models. Other industries are also expanding support for digital advertising. According to SalesFuel, outdoor power equipment manufacturers have supported video pre-roll campaigns, while technology companies and other vendors may offer market development funds for specific programs or projects. The common thread is that vendors are sharing advertising costs with the businesses that sell their products while placing sharper emphasis on how those funds are deployed—a trend that underscores the growing value of strong digital marketing intelligence for anyone selling media today.
For media companies, understanding these programs creates a multiplier effect: helping an advertiser access vendor funding can makes larger campaigns possible while generating incremental revenue for the media seller.
“Instead of asking a prospect, ‘How much do you have to spend?’ a salesperson can ask, ‘What are your top-selling brands, and are you taking advantage of the advertising support they provide?'” Smith said. “That can open an entirely different conversation.”
AdMall encourages media sellers to incorporate co-op advertising intelligence into their annual planning and new business prospecting. As vendor programs change and new funding becomes available, the ability to identify the right program and help a local advertiser navigate its requirements can give media sellers a significant advantage in winning new business. Sales teams that build marketing intelligence and business intelligence into their prospecting process can spot these opportunities before competitors do.
To learn more about AdMall and access co-op advertising intelligence, visit SalesFuel.com to start a two-week free trial.
About AdMall: AdMall® is the premier advertising sales intelligence platform for digital media, social media, streaming, and emerging media sales professionals. Used by more than 15,000 agency account executives and local media and marketing professionals nationwide, AdMall delivers data-driven audience insights, exclusive advertising research, and hyper-local consumer behavior analytics that AI alone cannot provide. AudienceSCAN® data from SalesFuel® helps digital publishers, ad agencies, and media sales teams target high-intent buyers, optimize ad spend, and accelerate local advertising revenue growth.
About SalesFuel®: Founded in 1989, SalesFuel® has a proven track record of offering a SaaS-based portfolio of sales tools, training, and intelligence, providing thousands of sales and media sales teams nationwide with the power to Sell Smarter®. Our portfolio of sales solutions includes AdMall®, which provides tactical business intelligence for local marketing and media sales. More than 15,000 media sales and marketing professionals use AdMall. Other SalesFuel solutions include SalesCred®, our sales training programs that help salespeople build credibility, earn buyer trust, and strengthen executive influence, and TeamTrait™, a hiring, retention, and team optimization solution built for high-performing teams.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03e63664-86ed-4d93-ace0-15324267e2e8
CONTACT: Media Contact: Audrey Strong SalesFuel 1-614-318-3771 [email protected]
