Zipcar Partners With Vermont Department of Tourism

Zipcar has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing to encourage Zipcar car-sharing members to take "Zip Trips" to Vermont.

The partnership comes on the heels of a social media marketing campaign that asked voters to determine "Who Taps it Best?" The options included Vermonters who tap their abundance of maple trees to create 100% pure Vermont Maple Syrup or Zipcar members who tap their Zipcards on over 10,000 vehicles around the world to begin a Zip Trip.

"We are thrilled to be working with Vermont's Department of Tourism and Marketing to encourage our Zipsters to visit the great 'untapped' tourism available to them in the state of Vermont," said Brian Harrington, Zipcar’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "We hope that by promoting travel with a Zipcar vehicle, Northeast urbanites and university students will escape city or campus life and take advantage of all the fantastic, four-season destinations available to them in the Green Mountain State."

In late 2014, Zipcar released three online and TV ads titled "I'd Tap That," which juxtaposed the colloquial meaning of the term against how one enters a Zipcar (by tapping one's Zipcard on the vehicle windshield sensor) in a fun manner, according to the company.

After the success of the ads, Zipcar and Vermont entered into a relationship kicked off by Michael Snyder, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, who feigned outrage over the ads in an effort to protect Vermont's "National Reputation" as the leading tappers — to create Vermont maple syrup. According to Zipcar, it playfully responded with its own video, both of which can be found on www.zipcar.com/whotapsitbest.

Zipcar and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing are working with a variety of Vermont-based brands to incentivize Zipsters through discounts, such as 10% off items at any Cabot store state-wide. Additionally, the “Who Taps it Best” Campaign was supported by Vermont's Ben & Jerry's, which provided 50 free pints of ice cream to encourage voting.

"Vermont is very pleased to work with Zipcar to promote Vermont as a compelling travel destination for Zipcar members,” said Steven Cook, deputy commissioner of Vermont tourism. “What makes this collaboration so unique is the playful method of delivering the message and the inclusion of other Vermont businesses such as the Woodstock Inn, Cabot Cheese and Ben & Jerry's in this promotion. We could not be more excited to host Zipcar members in the Green Mountain State."