Avis Improves Preparation Processes to Get Drivers Back to Better

In its latest campaign from digital creative agency Collective, Avis gives a nod to its classic 1960s advertising campaign “we’re number 2 so we try harder” by concentrating its post-travel restriction focus on giving the consumer a better experience.  

During the pandemic, Avis has been rebuilding its offering to give consumers (now eager to travel after 18 months of staying at home) a vastly improved service. Not just better than its own previous offering, but better than the whole car hire industry’s offering. 

From digital check-in and returns, and a choice of ways to talk with Avis from voice callbacks, messenger chats via Whatsapp or online on mobiles before customers even get into the car, with the reassurance of safety and booking flexibility customers seek, the whole campaign is based around showing consumers that when they get back to hiring a car, they won’t just be getting back to normal, they will be getting ‘back to better’.   

The hero of the campaign is a 30-second youtube film that compares the detailed and meticulous preparation process of someone about to go away and hire a car with that of an Avis worker, making sure the car they will hire is the best it can be. 

From shots of the hirer packing their suitcase to a safety gloved Avis worker giving the bonnet a final scrub to them both picking up the keys to the car, the film ends with the line “Because back to normal is great, but back to better…..is better”. 

Other channels include display advertising and social content. As part of the strategy, the creative never actually shows a car directly, instead it all focuses on these new areas of customer service. 

Chris Shadrick, strategy partner at Collective said: “Our research shows that after a year of travel restrictions people are prepared to spend a little more money to get a lot more quality. So this campaign focuses on showing them how Avis has spent the last year making the whole car hire process much better than it was before. And it was brilliant to be able to give a little nod to Avis’ fantastic advertising heritage.” 

Louise Morgan, senior director of international marketing: "With our hunger to make car hire better, during the pandemic we continued to challenge ourselves to deliver new customer propositions that improve the rental experience and place vehicle hire on our customers own terms. From flexible cancellations, where customers can easily make changes and receive refunds (no vouchers) and our Safety Pledge, to our new digital check-in and returns technology which provides a faster, easier and safer rental experience, to our new customer engagement channels such as Whatsapp that allows customers to choice of how and when they talk with us.

We’re proud of what we’ve done – and are pleased to bring to life the changes we’ve made with an engaging, empathetic and resonant campaign. Collective's work helps to show customers how Avis is a great choice for them as they begin travelling again.”