Budget Tries Wrapped Car Ad Deals
BOCA RATON (CBS4) – A popular car rental company is trying something new to deal hungry vacationers who want a big discount of their rentals.
Boca Raton based Budget Rent A Car has launched a new promotion in Atlanta where they have turned some of their cars into rolling billboards. The 15 full-size sedans and 10 intermediate SUVs are outfitted with ads for Sheets Brand Energy Strips, a product launched earlier this summer.
When Nia Lewis was looking for a car to drive to Florida to visit her in-laws, she went to the Atlanta Budget Rent a Car website, searched the company the ads were promoting and filled out a questionnaire that asked what types of areas she might be visiting.
But the selling point was the price: Lewis saw that she could get an SUV that would usually cost closer to $300 for a four-day trip for about $88.
She was sold.
"The price definitely outweighed everything," said Lewis, who will be traveling with her husband and 2-year-old daughter at the end of August. "I think it's a neat idea. You're paying them to advertise their vehicle, but they're helping you because it's a much cheaper rate than I would've paid."
Renters who choose a sponsored vehicle will get the car at a significant discount or may be eligible for a free upgrade. The cars can be rented online or at one of Budget's Atlanta locations. The promotional rate will depend on the market rate and availability.
Heather Etzler, vice president and general manager for Budget's Atlanta branch, said the campaign is in keeping with the company's mission to provide the best value for customers. She said Budget expects renters will find the ads are exciting and in good taste.
"This will help us build a relationship with customers we don't have at this point," Etzler said. "We think the demand is going to be there. With a world that is so driven with coupons and discounts, we think it's going to be a great relationship."
Wrap Media Group President Ira Berke said his company's partnership with Budget is a win-win for consumers and the companies they're trying to reach.
"It's not just a blatant sell," Berke said.
It's a strategy that definitely stands out. The black-and-white Sheets logo, from the Wrap Media Group, covers three sides of the all-red vehicles, and the ads feature Sheets' slogan, website and links to the company's social media addresses. The ads also say the product has B vitamins, no calories and no sugar.
Wrap Media Vice President Matt Custage said the company is negotiating with other brands interested in similar campaigns. Part of the Sheets' promotion includes free samples of the product, which will be available in the vehicles for renters to try — or not.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
