Budget Rent a Car Award-Winning Ad Campaign Picks Up Steam
4 April 2000
Budget Rent a Car Award-Winning Ad Campaign Picks Up Steam New Ranger Pickup TV Spot Now Airing
LISLE, Ill., April 4 Budget Rent a Car launched the latest
in a string of new TV spots highlighting the company's line-up of cool cars
and Fastbreak express service.
In its latest TV spot, "Art Film", Budget focuses on the fully-loaded
Ranger pickup, a four-door extended cab with a color-matched security locking
truck, which rents for just $19.99 every day only on Budget's Web site
http://www.budget.com. The spot mirrors the central comedic theme of Budget's multi-
media ad campaign -- this time with a steamy French fantasy.
Based on growing customer demand, Budget will be posting two TV spots and
three radio spots on http://www.budget.com in the next few weeks. The TV spots
include "Jet Propulsion", featuring Fastbreak express service, and
"Aromatherapy", showcasing Budget's $49 offer on the Mercury Grand Marquis.
Radio spots include "Perfect Drive", Budget's award-winning customer loyalty
program, as well as "Internet" and "Hot Deals", highlighting great rates.
Consumers who haven't had the opportunity to catch Budget's new advertising on
the airwaves are encouraged to visit http://www.budget.com, 24/7, for a quick taste
of the campaign.
"Budget made a strategic decision to break out of the clutter with a bold
and humorous advertising campaign, and the results so far have exceeded our
expectations," stated Mike Gavelek, vice president, Marketing for Budget Rent
a Car. "We've received significant public response to our advertising and as
a direct result we're seeing an upward trend in our reservations."
Advertising Awards
Since launching the campaign last October, Budget and its agency, NY-based
Cliff Freeman & Partners, who was named the 1999 Agency of the Year by
Creativity Magazine, have won a number of advertising awards. AdWeek recently
selected two of Budget's TV spots as 'Spots of the Month': "Jet Propulsion" in
September and "Aromatherapy" in October. In addition, "Aromatherapy" earned a
spot, one of only 50, in AdWeek's Creative Best Spots for 1999, chosen from
among thousands of commercials.
At the 1999 International ANDY Awards, which honors creative advertising
throughout the world, Budget's "Jet Propulsion" won a prestigious ANDY head,
one of only 37 given from among 9,600 entries. In addition, Awards of Merit
were given for Budget's "Aromatherapy" and the TV campaign trio of "Jet
Propulsion", "Climb" (rent an Explorer for the price of a Taurus) and "Ranger"
($19.99 a day).
Compelling Research
To determine the overall effectiveness of the company's new advertising
campaign, Budget recently conducted consumer research among three rental
groups: younger leisure, small business and general renters. After seeing
Budget's TV advertising, all segments were "more likely" to rent from Budget,
some by as much as 25 percent.
"The quantitative research, the qualitative awards and, most importantly,
the business results all indicate that the latest campaign is a tremendous
success," continued Gavelek.
Budget Rent a Car Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Budget Group,
Inc. , is one of the world's top three car and truck rental systems.
The Budget system, which operates under the same name worldwide, has more than
3,000 airport and local market locations in over 120 countries and
territories. Budget has more than 1,000 corporate-owned and franchised
locations in the United States. Budget's WorldClass Fleet is comprised of
more than 30 percent specialty vehicles, ranging from sport utility vehicles,
convertibles and luxury cars to minivans, pickups and environmentally friendly
vehicles. Visit the company's Web site at http://www.budget.com.
