• by Tanya Gazdik , August 3, 2016

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is rolling out a campaign featuring actor/
comedian Joel McHale that shifts the focus away from solely car rentals.

This is the first time in the company’s history that multiple Enterprise brand offerings are highlighted together in a multimedia campaign. The new positioning highlights the company’s comprehensive transportation offerings -- from truck and luxury vehicle rental to car-sharing and car sales.

The campaign marks a fundamental brand positioning shift for Enterprise, says Lee Broughton, vice president, Enterprise North American brand marketing.

“[McHale] has a leading-man charm and a self-aware sense of humor that helps tell our story in a big, memorable way on one of the world’s biggest media stages,” Broughton tells Marketing Daily. “Joel offers relevancy to Enterprise and he’s approachable, which aligns perfectly with the brand.”

The campaign, which is from Cannonball in St. Louis, debuts on national TV during NBCUniversal Media’s coverage of the Rio Olympic Games, one of the world’s biggest media stages.  Called “One Giant Rollout,” the 30-second spot features McHale experiencing all of the ways that Enterprise meets customers’ transportation needs.

“These Olympic Games are being billed as the largest media event in U.S. television history,” Broughton says. “Airing during the Games will help ensure we reach a broad audience. We also know that many of our customers are passionate about sports, which makes the timing even more impactful for our brand.”  

Enterprise is in the process of implementing a new content marketing strategy that enables the brand to extend the branch experience online, and reach target customers on a more emotional level. Specifically, Enterprise will tap into the passions its customers are interested in, including sports, music and travel.

McHale is also featured prominently across all of the brand's social media, including in three different outfits at the top of the brand's Twitter page signifying how the company can help consumers "Rent" or "Buy" or "Share."