Owen Wilson Named EchoPark Spokesperson; Campaign Starts 8 November on NFL Broadcasts

On 6 November 2026, EchoPark Automotive, the used-car chain owned by Sonic Automotive, announced that actor and screenwriter Owen Wilson is its new spokesperson. The announcement was issued from Charlotte, North Carolina, and describes the campaign as the company’s largest single-brand marketing investment in its history.

The campaign launches on 8 November during Sunday NFL broadcasts in EchoPark markets. The company says it is built around the theme ‘Every Car, Happy Owner’. Sonic Automotive, the parent company, reported its full-year 2025 results on 18 February 2026.

A Spokesperson Deal Announced on 6 November

The release names Wilson as EchoPark’s new spokesperson for the campaign. David B. Smith, Sonic’s chairman and chief executive, says the brand delivers outstanding cars, exceptional value and an experience guests overwhelmingly recommend. He says more people need to learn what they are missing.

Jeff Dyke, Sonic’s president, says Wilson gives more people a reason to discover EchoPark. Dyke says the goal is for shoppers to leave glad they came, with a great car, a fair price and teammates who make buying easier.

Wilson says he has found car buying stressful in the past and that a good car at a fair price matters to him. He says he is excited to bring the campaign to life.

Sonic’s 2025 Results
Sonic Automotive reported full-year 2025 revenue of $15.2 billion, up 7 percent, and reported net income of $118.7 million, down 45 percent, in its release dated 18 February 2026.

The Storyline and the Pricing Claims in the Release

The campaign follows Wilson through the familiar frustrations of buying and selling a car before he discovers EchoPark’s approach of quality vehicles, compelling value and a happier experience. The release says new store ads show him celebrating grand openings with a confetti cannon.

The release describes several standards for EchoPark’s cars and sales. Each car gets a 190-point inspection, which the release says exceeds those of leading national competitors. Cars are typically priced up to $3,000 below competitors, and offers to purchase guests’ cars can be up to $2,000 higher than competing offers.

The release says 93 percent of EchoPark’s customer reviews are five-star, which it calls the highest share among national vehicle retailers. Each guest gets a dedicated Experience Guide, and the release describes clear vehicle pricing with no haggling.

Where and When the Campaign Runs

The campaign launches on 8 November, during Sunday NFL broadcasts in EchoPark markets. The release lists television, streaming, online video, social media, digital display, streaming audio and outdoor advertising as channels.

Named platforms include YouTube, Amazon streaming services, paid social and billboards in participating markets. Viewers can also watch on EchoPark’s YouTube and social channels, and shoppers can visit EchoPark.com for vehicles or trade-in offers.

The release says the campaign links shoppers to inventory, offers, the website, a new mobile app and local stores. The company describes it as its largest single-brand marketing investment in its history.

The release cites research with more than 2,000 in-market consumers. It says about 15 percent of shoppers know EchoPark, and that shoppers show a ’14X increase’ in consideration after learning about the brand. The research also responded positively to the message, the offer and Wilson as spokesperson.

The campaign’s cost and the length of Wilson’s agreement are not given. Any ownership role for Wilson in EchoPark or Sonic Automotive is not mentioned.

EchoPark’s Markets and New Mobile App

The release lists 14 current markets: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Colorado Springs, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Antonio and St. Louis. Denver, Houston and San Antonio each have two locations. EchoPark enters Orlando in December as its 15th market.

Wikipedia put EchoPark at more than 40 locations in 21 states as of September 2021.

The release also describes a new mobile app. Its Car Spotter feature is a visual search that finds similar vehicles from EchoPark’s inventory of more than 5,000 cars, based on a photo. The app also includes a service locator for nearby Sonic-owned dealerships and is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Wikipedia gives more history on the brand. The first EchoPark location opened in 2014 in the Thornton area of Denver, Colorado. In 2016, Sonic bought four AutoMatch USA used-car locations in Florida and Georgia, which were rebranded under EchoPark. In September 2017, EchoPark bought driversselect, a Dallas-area dealership.

The campaign launches on 8 November, during Sunday NFL broadcasts in EchoPark markets.

What Sonic Automotive Reported for 2025

Sonic Automotive is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its results release calls it a Fortune 500 company, while its campaign release calls it a Fortune 300 company. Wikipedia ranks it 300th on the 2022 list and calls it the fifth-largest U.S. automotive retailer by total revenue. The release says the company was founded in 1966 by Bruton Smith.

The footprint figures differ between sources. Wikipedia gives 24 states, more than 100 dealerships and over 25 brands. The campaign release gives 20 states, 146 locations in 90 cities, 174 franchises, and 24 automotive and 15 powersports brands.

Sonic’s full-year 2025 release, dated 18 February 2026, reports record annual revenue of $15.2 billion, up 7 percent. Reported net income was $118.7 million, down 45 percent. Adjusted net income was $229.2 million, up 17 percent. Wikipedia gives 2025 net income as about US$119 million.

The release records a $173.8 million pre-tax impairment charge, recorded as non-cash impairment charges in the second quarter. EchoPark’s segment revenue was $2.1 billion, down 3 percent. Its gross profit reached an all-time record of $233.9 million, up 13 percent.

EchoPark’s segment adjusted EBITDA was $49.2 million, up 78 percent from $27.6 million. Retail used unit sales were 67,636, down 2 percent.

Owen Wilson’s Career and Earlier Brand Work

Wilson made his film debut in 1994 in Wes Anderson’s short Bottle Rocket. It was later expanded into a feature in 1996, and Wilson co-wrote the screenplay with Anderson and acted opposite his brother Luke Wilson. He co-wrote Rushmore (1998) and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) with Anderson. The pair received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for The Royal Tenenbaums.

Wilson has voiced Lightning McQueen in Pixar’s Cars since 2006, returning for Cars 3 in 2017. He played Mobius M. Mobius in Disney+’s Loki (2021 to 2023), a main role across 11 episodes, and reprised the role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023.

He leads the Apple TV+ Stick as Pryce Cahill and is also an executive producer.

His earlier brand work includes the face of a new £20 million advertising campaign for the UK sofa retailer Sofology in November 2017, and a return to the brand for a second campaign in 2019. In 2023 he narrated a new trailer for the video game Teardown.