Avis: Still Trying Harder!

The campaign had become an integral part of the corporate culture at Avis. By 2003, almost four decades later, Avis was still 'trying harder' to beat its rival in the US car rental market. In 2003, the company had a 25% market share as compared to Hertz's 30%. Hertz, the leader in the industry since its inception in 1918, not only had a larger market share it also was bigger than Avis in terms of company size (Refer Exhibit I for a note on Hertz). Hertz's reach and size and its significant investments in advertisements over the decades rendered it almost impossible for Avis to become the number one player (in 2001, Hertz spent $ 53 million on advertising while Avis spent only $ 9 million). However, in the European car rental market, Avis had managed to beat not only Hertz, but every other player.

The company's steadfast devotion to becoming the preferred car rental company was evident in its financial performance (Refer Exhibit II and III for financials). Avis' journey from being a small, number two player in the US to a global company operating from 4700 locations in 160 countries had not been an 'easy ride.' Commenting on its credibility, Robert Passikoff, President of Brand Keys,² said, "The Avis brand not only has a tremendous legacy, but its strength lies in its ability to follow evolving customer values. Avis management pays attention to what customers expect - from safety to affordability - and continues to move the brand toward those expectations. That leads to loyalty, which of course is the leading indicator of profitability."