Edmunds launches Dodgers-themed social campaign

The campaign uses baseball's familiar concept of making the right call as a metaphor for informed car-buying decisions

Edmunds has launched The Challenge, a social media advertising campaign featuring Los Angeles Dodgers player Tommy Edman as part of its ongoing Back to Back brand platform for the 2026 baseball season.

Created, directed and produced by Edmunds' in-house creative team, the campaign is running across Meta platforms in Los Angeles and selected US markets through mid-September. It encourages car shoppers to use Edmunds' digital tools to compare vehicles, browse listings and obtain appraisals for their current cars.

In-house team targets sports fans

The campaign uses baseball's familiar concept of making the right call as a metaphor for informed car-buying decisions. In the adverts, Tommy Edman highlights challenges facing Los Angeles drivers, including heavy traffic, fuel costs and vehicle affordability, before demonstrating how Edmunds' tools can help shoppers evaluate their options.

The creative has been developed specifically for sports fans and is delivered in 30-, 15- and 6-second social video formats designed for short-form viewing.

Campaign builds on Dodgers partnership

The Challenge is the latest phase of Edmunds' partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tommy Edman, who returns as the face of the brand for a second consecutive season.

The campaign follows previous sports-focused initiatives including Name of the Game and Edman on the Street. According to Edmunds, last year's Dodgers campaign contributed to increased brand searches, ad recall and engagement among Los Angeles audiences.

Focus on today's car-buying market

Edmunds said the campaign also reflects current market conditions, with higher vehicle prices, financing costs and insurance premiums making purchasing decisions more complex for consumers.

Alison Steinlauf Anziska, senior vice president of marketing, Edmunds: "Much like baseball, car buying is a tough game even under the most ideal conditions. Edmunds is reminding shoppers that even in a challenging market, there's always an opportunity to make a better call. We're proud to continue our work with Tommy Edman, an athlete who always makes the right calls on the field."

Benny Gee, creative director, Edmunds: "In marketing, the ultimate trap is trying to please everyone and ending up delivering less value to the consumers you're actually trying to reach. With this campaign, we picked a specific audience and built a concept crafted entirely for them: the sports fan. By leaning into this niche world, we created something that speaks directly to them while positioning Edmunds as the ultimate consumer advocate that gives shoppers absolute confidence in the deal they're getting."

Tommy Edman: "Baseball fans know the importance of making the right call, and bringing that idea into the ad with Edmunds was a fun way to speak directly to them. This campaign is all about showing people that Edmunds can help them make the right calls when it's time to shop for a car, whether they need an unbiased vehicle review, a quick gut check on a price, or a clear look at what their current car is actually worth."

www.edmunds.com

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