B2C Research Case Study — Hertz Car Sales

Helping a global brand understand consumer perceptions for a direct-to-consumer offering

How it started

Hertz Car Sales is a fast-growing extension of the Hertz brand, but the majority of its fleet was being sold through third-party platforms like Carvana.

Hertz wanted to grow the far more lucrative direct-to-consumer sales motion, so the team needed to know: Are consumers aware the Hertz sells its cars? And would consumers in the market for a used car trust a car from a rental car brand like Hertz?

Program 11 was asked to help Hertz understand consumer perceptions of buying a used car from a rental agency, uncover key buyer mindsets, and identify messaging that could shift behavior toward direct consumer purchases.

What we did

Program 11 conducted a hypothesis workshop with Hertz stakeholders, then performed a competitive audit of messaging and features across key used-car brands. We then designed a custom survey incorporating sentiment analysis and conjoint analysis to assess consumer attitudes, uncover opportunity segments, and identify potential differentiators for Hertz.

To deepen our insights, we selected key buyer segments from our survey data for qualitative research. Focus groups were segmented by both demographics and experience with used car buying, allowing us to explore trust factors, objections, and messaging nuances within different audience types.

Our a-ha moment? The relationship opportunity segments for direct-to-consumer growth we identified included a cohort that had been previously unexplored – and were delightfully targetable in fresh ways. And no, we can’t share who they were (sorry, Enterprise Car Sales).

How it’s going

Our opportunity segments and messaging framework are now informing Hertz’s direct-to-consumer strategy. The campaign will emphasize Hertz’s competitive advantages, while dispelling myths about rental car conditions.

We’re confident that the relationship opportunity audiences uncovered in our research will guide better creative development and media targeting, driving higher consumer confidence and increasing direct sales.