Anatomy of a Car Rental Marketing Promotion

In partnership with Montreal’s HEC Business University, Globe Car Rental, a car and truck rental company, reached 2,000 engagements at its grand-opening event within four hours.

The company’s marketing concept focused on engagement with targeted potential clients: millennial students.

“Millennials will engage with your brand if they see value and new innovative technologies,” said Husam Hatahet, Globe Car Rental’s co-founder and vice president of sales. “We took a multi-layered approach for this event to reach students by winning their loyalty through participation. While the majors are occupied with leveraging their marketing attention on countrywide campaigns, we concentrate on engaging our clientele at the local community level.”

How did Globe create a successful marketing campaign that targeted millennial student customers?

• Create a wow factor. A Mini Cooper, courtesy of Globe, was brought into the university’s cafeteria to attract students and create buzz.
• Build a collaborative plan. Both Globe representatives and HEC student associations teamed up to create a plan to engage with students and staff.
• Develop a challenge. With the cornhole challenge, each participant got three chances to win: 1 win earns a $15 gift card while two wins gets a student a $25 gift card.
• Create a social media contest. If a student took a selfie in front of the Mini Cooper and posted it on the university’s Facebook page with the #GlobeCar hashtag, the winner with the most likes received a three-day weekend trip.

With each sale at the HEC University’s bookstore, a coupon was given for students to enter into the drawing valued at $350 in rental credits. Two winners were announced.

“This event was a great opportunity to bring added value to the student life at the campus while data mining for Globe,” said Hatahet. “It’s a win-win situation that we capitalize on as we move forward into other markets.”

According to Hatahet, the grand-opening event has brought a higher awareness of Globe’s new onsite service to students, teachers, and employees.

“We have to differentiate ourselves in a very competitive local market,” said Hatahet. “What works in today’s environment is different from say three years ago. Smart and dedicated staff is needed to make it happen — that in itself is the game changer.”

Globe Car Rental recently opened a stand-alone kiosk location at the university. The Globe kiosk employs interactive video streaming technology in which a live agent walks the client through the car rental process. The kiosks are open seven days a week.