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Budget Rent a Car Corp. Debuts New Spots in Acclaimed Advertising Campaign

Budget Rent a Car has begun airing the latest TV spots in its highly acclaimed advertising campaign. The two new commercials highlight the company's popular Perfect Drive customer loyalty progra...

by Staff
April 11, 2001
2 min to read


Budget Rent a Car has begun airing the latest TV spots in its highly acclaimed advertising campaign. The two new commercials highlight the company's popular Perfect Drive customer loyalty program and fleet deals. Developed by New York ad agency Cliff Freeman & Partners, the spots use cutting-edge humor to reinforce the car rental offers and programs.

Both spots return viewers to the Budget marketing team brainstorming session seen in previous Budget commercials in the series. Staff members offer up "over the top" concepts that are played out in fantasy sequence and subsequently scrapped. In the first of its two newest spots, "Personal Trainer," Budget focuses on communicating the breadth of the awards of its Perfect Drive customer loyalty points program. Perfect Drive members who rent four times can receive awards such as golf clubs, ski goggles or spa treatments. In the spot, set in a health club, a woman is approached by a personal trainer who offers his services by demonstrating a unique and thought-provoking talent.

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"Chain Letter" showcases the $39.99 per day Ford Explorer offer from Budget. The creative Budget team suggests the concept of a chain letter to spread the word of the deal. The fantasy scene that follows opens with a man who receives a chain letter and reads aloud its ominous warning against destroying it. Ignoring it, he crumples the letter and a surprising consequence ensues.

"This campaign has, without question, exceeded our expectations," said Mike Gavelek, vice president of marketing for Budget Rent a Car. "Because of the tremendous consumer and industry response, we decided to build on this creative theme and develop additional television and radio spots within its framework."

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