KEY POINTS:
Hitting the town in a trendy microcar could cost you only $40 a week - provided the vehicle is covered with ads.
Marketing firm Smart Move Media and partner Ambient Advertising have announced an innovative scheme that offers drivers a cut-price Smart car in exchange for promoting brands.
Under Smart Move Media's business plan, Smart cars - developed by Mercedes-Benz - are covered with advertisers' images and slogans.
They are leased to selected drivers for a fixed period for $40 per week, about a quarter of the normal lease price, the company says.
In return, the drivers are obliged to drive at least 15kms round city streets each day, exposing the brand and acting as "ambassadors" for advertisers.
Kiwibank used one of the cars painted in its distinctive green colouring for its television commercials, with cars turning up in locations such as London, New York and Sydney.
It expanded the idea to using all of Smart Move Media's 25 vehicles for a two-month campaign to promote its online mobile banking service.
"We liked the idea of the cheeky little cars, which fitted with the image we wanted of Kiwibank," said spokesman Bruce Thompson.
The idea was brought to New Zealand by businessman Edward Ludbrook and his wife, Vicky. He was a customer for a similar Smart car promotion while working in Sweden and says the promotions are common in Europe.
A similar scheme in Australia by a company called Smart Pilots with 100 cars started last year. Australian company Ambient Advertising was sales and marketing partner for Smart Pilots and has a similar role with Smart Move Media in this country.
Ambient New Zealand director Chris Monaghan said that in Australia selected drivers simply drove round their city in the advertising-covered cars.
Like some European Smart car campaigns, the New Zealand operation had a much bigger "word of mouth" component.
"Drivers act as ambassadors, talking to people they meet about brands and taking part in specific events," he said.
The Ludbrooks and Monaghan insist there is plenty of demand to take part in the scheme, which was aimed at people aged 25-54. They selected people who enjoyed being recognised and associated with the cars and whose jobs required them to travel round the city.
Ludbrook said there were strict rules to ensure that the drivers, who are engaged on a long-term basis and work on multiple ad campaigns, should behave in a way that was a good look for brands.
Clauses in contracts meant they could be removed if they did not.