Europcar unveils its communications campaign for the Tour de France 2012
Saint Quentin en Yvelines, June 20, 2012
The Tour de France 2012 is due to start in ten days. Europcar, Europe's leading car hire company, will be accompanying the 9 riders in Team Europcar and Tour organisers ASO along the roads of the Tour de France for the second year running. For this year's race, Europcar has decided to launch a major communications campaign in its eight main countries. Via social networks, public relations and commercial offers, staff, clients, fans and sports lovers will be able to follow every minute of the 2012 Tour with Europcar.
With 22 wins and numerous podiums, Team Europcar riders were among the main players in the peleton throughout the 2011 season. For its second year as the main sponsor of the Vendée team, Europcar is rolling out a large internal and external communications campaign at all audiences to communicate passion for the Tour and instant news of Team Europcar.
"After an exceptional season in our first year as main sponsor, we would like to consolidate the brand's visibility whilst enabling all our audiences to show their passion and love for Team Europcar. We have developed an ambitious communications program that offers this proximity and intimacy with Team Europcar. Customers, staff, fans, everyone will be able to live Team Europcar's adventure during the Tour de France to the full", says Marine Boulot, Europcar Group Communication Director.
Europcar Partners of the Tour de France
As the Tour de France's official car hire company, Europcar will provide cars for ASO, organisers of the world's most famous cycle race. Europcar Belgium will be at the pre-Tour in Liège, with a stand, and Europcar will then be at all the stages with the pavilion in the Village Départ.
Hospitality programmes
During the Tour de France, Europcar will be thanking its customers and would like to share with them a unique moment at the heart of the cycling team. A public relations program has therefore been put in place, from the start in Liège to the finish on the Champs-Elysées. More than 120 guests will support Team Europcar before, during and after the race.
Internal communication
The Europcar Group's 6,500 staff remain the Team's main supporters. In 2012, they will be even more aware of what's happening day-to-day in the team with a new dynamic programme of ambassadors in the Group's main countries. Around 10 members of staff have been selected to mobilise in house around Team Europcar
At the centre of the internal communications plan, a secure platform will be provided on teameuropcar.com. This will be entirely for staff and provide exclusive information on Team Europcar, a competition, a "geoquiz", bringing together international teams will be organised. The winning team will be invited to the finish of the race on 22 July.
Fans and online communities
The Teameuropcar.com will relay Team news every day with exclusive interviews with riders, photo reports and also videos and chats.
Commercial offers
Finally, Europcar is launching commercial offers for its customers during the Tour.
- In some Europcar Group countries, customers that rent a car between 1st and 30th June will get a discount on their next rental depending on how Team Europcar performs during the race. This offer applies to all car rentals between September 1 and December 1, 2012. The value of the discount (between 10 and 30% maximum) will vary depending on the number of stages won or days when the yellow jersey is worn by Team Europcar* If Team Europcar wins the race, the customer will have a discount equivalent to his or her previous rental.
- From June 30 to October 14, 2012, Europcar France allows its customers to participate to a big online contest available at https://webportal.europcar.com/,DanaInfo=www.europcar.com+, to win a car rental for a week at 29 euros TTC per day (for a car rental from September 1 to October 31, 2012). Customers can also participate to a big prize draw which will take place in October 2012 to win a car rental with a "Cabriolet Prestige".
This vast communication campaign aims at strengthening the feeling of belonging of Europcar employees, the relationship with business and leisure customers and more broadly with the general public and all of the Team Europcar fans.
About Europcar:
Europcar is the leader in car rental services in Europe. Present in 140 countries, the company provides customers with access to the world's largest vehicle rental network through its own operations, franchisees and partnerships. With 6,500 employees committed to delivering customer satisfaction and an average fleet of 190,000 vehicles, Europcar is conscious of its corporate citizenship responsibilities. Winner of the first World Travel Award recognizing the World's Leading Green Transport Solutions Company, Europcar also was honored with the Award in 2010 and 2011. Europcar is owned by Eurazeo.
Media contacts
Europcar International
Marine Boulot/Nathalie Poujol
+33 (0)1 30 44 98 82
