Want A Free Car?
15 August 2000
FreeCar Media is Giving Away Vehicles to Targeted ConsumersLOS ANGELES - FreeCar Media, creator of the newest form of out-of-home advertising, is redefining the meaning of FREE by giving away cars wrapped in logos and branding messages to eligible drivers nationwide. Hard to believe? Drivers can simply go to http://www.FreeCar.com and register, answer a number of lifestyle-related questions and they could be tossed the keys to a brand new SUV or other vehicle for two years, maintenance-free. Their only car expenses are gas and insurance, according to Lawrence Butler, chairman and cofounder of FreeCar Media. "We know it seems too good to be true for drivers, but it actually makes a lot of sense for advertisers. FreeCar Media is giving away cars because advertisers are looking for better places to promote their products and brand. For example, you can get connected to the Internet for free because of sponsored advertising," said Butler. "We have taken sponsorship a step further. What better place to advertise than on cars driven by people that advertisers select based on driving patterns and lifestyle? Advertisers drive home their message to their customers and drivers get a new vehicle. It's a win-win proposition." Interested drivers who fill out an online questionnaire at http://www.FreeCar.com are selected by FreeCar advertisers based on their lifestyle and where they drive. For example, Gatorade might select avid-runners who frequent popular running spots; Charles Schwab, a young executive climbing the corporate ladder to success; and Disney, a family with three children ages five to nine. The more details a candidate offers, the more easily a match can be made. At the end of two years, the vehicle will be unwrapped and FreeCar will offer its driver the opportunity to purchase or lease their vehicle on very favorable terms. In addition to giving cars away, FreeCar Media also selects drivers who own their vehicle and pays them up to $400 per month to wrap their car with branding messages and logos for a specified time period. Each driver must have a good DMV driving record and maintain acceptable insurance coverage. Based in Los Angeles, FreeCar Media's wrapped vehicles are the newest innovation in alternative out-of-home advertising, providing advertisers an interactive and visual marketing tool with which to reach their audiences. The company offers advertisers the opportunity to wrap their name and logo around a vehicle model of their choice, driven by a driver of their choice. From dot coms and retail chains to major oil companies and brokerage houses, FreeCar has a vehicle and driver to match each advertiser's reach and target audience. Existing advertisers include Jamba Juice, Andersen Consulting, More-For-Less and Mobile Engines.