Car sharing platform Car Next Door has launched a surprise social media campaign highlighting the problems with renting a car.
The social media ad features a shady balaclava-covered man who appears to be making off with the car with the simple tagline: “Why you shouldn’t rent out your car”.
Car Next Door’s digital marketing manager Keal Wilson, who runs the Facebook advertising campaigns, said the ad is actually the most effective campaign ever for Car Next Door.
“It’s specifically designed to address the common misconceptions and untruths around car sharing,” he said.
“It has also been extensively tested and is the most effective follow up pieces of content, believe it or not. It’s a risky one for sure, but part of its success is addressing the fears people might have sharing their car.
“If someone has doubts or concerns about renting out their car, they’re going to have a very high chance of clicking on that article and that gives us an opportunity to dispel some of the myths and concerns.
“The retargeting ad is designed to be served to people who started a vehicle application but never got around to finishing it.”
Peer to peer car sharer Melissa Black said it was this ad that made her decide to rent her car out to neighbours on Car Next Door in the first place.
“The ad is really clever, it made me click on it and then addressed all of the objections I had in my mind before I agreed to sign up,” she said.
Meanwhile, Sam Paxinos, another car sharer, complained that while he liked the organisation, the main takeaway from the ad for him personally was a negative one.
“I think the content is excellent but the way it’s presented assumes a high level of cognitive processing,” Paxinos.
