Mazda Co-Op Guidelines

Samantha Homan
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IMPORTANT: As of 2025, the following Fullpath products are eligible for Mazda co-op reimbursement: Digital Advertising, Audience Activation, Equity, VINS Acceleration, and Website Engagement/ChatGPT. These products are automatically submitted for co-op reimbursement for enrolled dealers through our monthly billing files.

The Mazda Co-op and Advertising Program (MCAP) is designed to support dealer advertising efforts in promoting the Mazda brand and product awareness. To ensure the customer's exploration and shopping experience with Mazda is always from an aligned, premium position, all advertising must act as an extension of the Mazda brand - and continuation and an expression of the Mazda premium experience.

Eligibility for Co-Op Funding

In order to be eligible to receive co-op funds, dealers must adhere to compliant advertising and guidelines. At a high level:

Sales Co-Op Eligibility

Dealers must be enrolled with one of Mazda's Digital Certified Provider website providers. This enhanced certified website program is comprised of several best-in-class website providers. To learn more, visit mazdadigitalcertified.com. Dealer websites must meet Website 2.0 requirements in order for co-op eligibility.

Co-op funds are accrued for each new vehicle wholesaled at 2.62% of base MSRP and tied to the month-end sales close period.

The fund are divided into two categories: Consumer-Facing Media and Marketing Hard Costs - 70% of the funds will be deposited into the Consumer-Facing Media account, and 30% of the funds will be deposited into the Marketing Hard Costs account. 

Dealers are required to submit claims for reimbursement for both categories. Retail Evolution enrolled dealers are currently auto-paid hard costs and do not need to submit claims for hard costs.

Service & Parts Co-Op Eligibility

To be eligible to receive Service & Parts Co-Op Funds, dealers must be enrolled in Retail Go-To-Market+ (RGTM+) and/or enrolled in Mazda Owner Connect (MOC). Once enrolled, dealers will be reimbursed 100% for the following advertising and marketing campaigns:

  • Mazda Wholesale Solutions (MWS)
  • Mazda Service Scheduler (MyKaarma, X-Time)
  • Digital Service Technologies (MyKaarma, TruVideo, Text2Drive, X-Time)
  • All other dealer-initiated service or parts related advertising

If a dealer is not enrolled in RGTM+ and/or MOC but is still using X-Time or Digital Service Technologies, they will be reimbursed at 100% for the following auto-claims:

  • Mazda Wholesale Solutions (MWS)
  • Mazda Service Scheduler (MyKaarma, X-Time)
  • Digital Service Technologies (MyKaarma, TruVideo, Text2Drive, X-Time)

Funds are generated as a percentage of a dealership's Scheduled Stock Order (SSO) parts purchases less returns.

Reimbursements

Reimbursements are issued monthly via EFT. To receive co-op payment for the following month, claim submissions and all required documentation must be submitted by the 20th of the month. All claims approved by the end of the month will be paid the following month. Processing a claim can take up to 5 business days. Depending on the media type, reimbursements are applied to various qualifying funds: Consumer-Facing Media Funds and Marketing Hard Costs Funds.

Mazda Co-Op and Advertising Program Headquarters applies the oldest available co-op funds to qualified advertising expenditures first. If a dealer depletes all eligible Consumer-Facing Media Funds for a claim, the oldest eligible Marketing Hard Cost Funds, if available, will be applied. Any funds not spent within the allotted 120-day period will expire and no longer be available for use.

Note: Hard Cost Funds can be applied to reimburse Consumer-Facing Media types; however, applying Consumer-Facing funds to reimburse Hard Cost media types is not permitted.

Sales Co-Op

Advertising standards (compliance guidelines) are divided into three criteria:

  • Category 1 - Includes Pricing & Brand Integrity
  • Category 2 - Includes Brand Identity, Keywords, Geography Requirement
    • If it is determined that a dealership is non-compliant with Category 1 or Category 2 of the MCAP Advertising Standards, the dealer will be ineligible to receive future co-op funds. A warning will be issued for the first two infractions. Three or more infractions will result in being ineligible to receive future co-op funds.
  • Predatory SEM - Dealers are not permitted to advertise content or copy such as Ad Headline, URL, or Ad Copy (organic and paid) that utilizes or displays another Mazda dealer's name or intellectual property. Dealers are not permitted to bid on other Mazda dealer's DBAs or dealer name variations. Dealers are required to have all other Mazda dealer DBAs and dealer name variations listed as negative keywords across all Match Types with exception to location DBAs.  Non-compliance with Predatory SEM guidelines of the MCAP standards will result in automatic ineligibility of co-op funds.

SEM Requirements:

  • Keywords:
    • Minimum 70% of required keywords must be enabled and active at all times. Required keyword list of low-funnel keywords only to be provided. The required keyword list included low-funnel, New Car Mazda Branded keywords. At minimum, 70% of all keywords are always required to be enabled and active within any Google or Bing paid search account. This 70% keyword threshold is intended to provide flexibility should any model or subset of keywords be demonstrating poor performance.
    • Dealers are required to have all other Mazda dealer DBAs listed as negative keywords across all match types. The only exceptions are dealer DBAs that include a city or town name that is in the dealer's area of responsibility. In this instance, the dealer is required to include the DBA as a negative keyword for exact match only. Failure to comply with this guideline will result in an automatic loss of co-op funds.
    • Negative keyword list is required to include the exact match for the term {Mazda} across all campaigns.
    • Bidding on the term Mazda is forbidden across all match types and all campaigns:
      • Broad match: MAZDA
      • Phrase match: "MAZDA"
      • Note: The above keywords are not intended to be added as a negative keyword. Dealers are simply not permitted to bid on them.
    • Bidding on upper-funnel keywords without achieving minimum lower-funnel performance is not recommended.
  • Geography:
    • 75-mile maximum radius permitted for non-metro and/or single-point markets
    • 45-mile maximum radius permitted for metro and/or multi-point markets
    • Pre-approval request must be submitted to the Regional Marketing Manager should a dealer wish to expand beyond maximum allowable radii.
  • Performance:
    • Minimum of 80% average impression share is recommended to be achieved for low-funnel keywords in aggregate. This should be achieved within a reasonable geographical radius.
  • Campaign setup:
    • Ad copy and ad extensions should be aligned with the intent of an ad and be relevant to the ad headline.
    • Ad extensions implemented at account level at minimum. Campaign/ad group level is not recommended - sitelink extensions, call extensions, location extensions, callout extensions. Ad extensions are proven to increase ad conversion, ad rank, and quality score.

Eligible Media Types for Sales Co-Op

  • Bundled AI Digital Package: Ex. Performance Max
  • Broadcast: Ex. TV spot, terrestrial radio spot, cinema
  • Search Engine Marketing: Ex. PPC
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Internet Advertising: Ex. Retargeting and banner ads
  • Paid Social: Ex. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat
  • Video Ads, Pre-Roll, OTT
  • Digital Radio: Ex. Pandora
  • Print Media: Ex. Magazine, newspaper, auto show handouts, shopper guides, and free standing inserts
  • Out-of-home: Ex. Billboards, bus boards, airports, subways, transit, building clings, digital boards, mall kiosks, and mall displays
  • Direct Marketing: Ex. Postcards, welcome packages, Valpak inserts, MCD, newsletters (printing and postage), and email blasts
  • Experiential Events and Sponsorships (Media): Relevant events with signage, flyers, broadcast or other media component advertising Mazda or dealership as primary focus and events with vehicle display/test drive advertising Mazda or dealership as primary focus
  • Inventory Listings: Ex. LotLinx, CarGurus, Cars.com, Edmunds, TrueCar, and Google VLAs
  • Certified Pre-Owned: Including broadcast, direct marketing, print media, out-of-home, SEM, SEO, internet advertising, paid social, video ads, and pre-roll
  • Data Mining (Omni-channel): Most common examples include DealerSocket Revenue Radar, Dominion Dealer Solutions, Outsell, Market Activator, and Team Velocity
  • Service & Parts (available only once the Service & Parts Funds are depleted): Including broadcast, direct marketing, print media, in-dealership POS, out-of-home, SEM, SEO, internet advertising, paid social, video ads, and pre-roll, as well as Genuine Mazda Premium Oil Program
  • Advertising Production Costs: Ex. photoshoot, printing, and studio time
  • Agency Commission
  • Auto Mall: Only Mazda-exclusive advertising of auto mall
  • Branded Merchandise: Including giveaways, apparel, and vehicle displays
  • Business Development Center software: Including marketing software tools, dynamic call tracking, website customer service chat
  • Charitable Contributions and Support: Including donations to charity event or organization with dealer and Mazda logo usage or mention
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software: Ex. VINSolutions, Reynolds, Dominion, and DealerSocket
  • Data Mining: AutoAlert, Clarivoy, Strategic Marketing
  • In-Dealership POS: Ex. dealership signage, handouts, and brochures
  • Inventory Management Tools: Ex. vAuto, DealerTrack, HomeNet
  • Lead buying: Lead buying services and fees, e.g. Costco, Autobytel, Mazda USA
  • Marketing-related employee costs: Dedicated Mazda marketing-related costs
  • Mazda Digital Certified: Including vendor management fees, website maintenance, and website development
  • Vehicle Display Enhancement Tools: Ex. SpinCar, PureCars, and MakeMyDeal

Ineligible Media Types for Sales Co-Op

  • Dealership meetings and travel expenses
  • Vehicle leases
  • Vehicle courtesy delivery costs, ex. cleaning, transportation fees, gas, insurance, registration and title fees, and damage costs
  • Sales tax
  • Used vehicle advertising, including CarFax
  • Mazda Collection Packages
  • Alcohol/alcoholic beverages
  • Gambling
  • Tobacco
  • Drugs/drug use

Service & Parts Co-Op

Eligible Media Types for Service & Parts Co-Op

  • Bundled AI Digital Package: Ex. Performance Max
  • Broadcast
  • Direct Marketing
  • Print Media
  • Out-of-home
  • Experiential Events and Sponsorships
  • Search Engine Marketing
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Internet Advertising
  • Paid Social
  • Video Ads, Pre-Roll, OTT
  • Digital Radio
  • Telephone marketing activities
  • Mazda Service Scheduler
  • Digital Service Tools
  • Wholesale vendor marketing (outside parts wholesale representative)
  • MWS
  • Mazda Collision Network

Ineligible Media Types for Service & Parts Co-Op

  • Agency fees
  • Dealer websites
  • Program fees, ex. software costs, phone administrative fees, internet administrative fees