• by Tanya Gazdik , December 7, 2016

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is launching a digital travel magazine, which is the brand’s “largest content marketing to date,” according to Lee Broughton, vice president, Enterprise North American Brand Marketing.

The launch comes on the heels of the brand’s recent new digital strategy, summed up with the phrase “Moving You.” In addition to emphasizing its comprehensive transportation offerings beyond car rental, “Moving You” works to extend the branch experience online and connect with customers on a more emotional level.

The magazine, Pursuits with Enterprise, was created by 360i.  Enterprise will use a combination of search, paid social, email and digital advertising to build awareness and drive visits to Pursuits.  

“Our marketing team is innovating like never before,” Broughton tells Marketing Daily. “We’re focused on creating emotional connections with customers that go beyond the car rental category. Sure, we rent cars, but so do other companies. To stand out, and stay on top, we’re placing a big bet — make that investment — on storytelling. That’s how we’ll win today, and into the future.”

Stories featured in Pursuits with Enterprise aim to create meaningful connections with everyone the brand touches, he says. 

“Content in the digital magazine is designed to move you emotionally,” Broughton says. “It may make you laugh, it may make you cry, it may do both. But ultimately, you’ll form a connection with the people and places featured in our stories. You’ll learn about what moves them, what they’re passionate about. Brands can create truly moving content, and that’s exactly what we’re embarking upon at Enterprise.”

Stories will be added on a regular basis, typically four to five new articles or videos each month. The intent is for the stories togo beyond the “where” and “what” of travel. 

“That’s table-stakes content, and it’s been done before,” Broughton says. “Pursuits with Enterprise will get to the 'why' behind people’s journeys. We’ll be exploring what they hope to achieve and learn along the way, and how their travels help them dive deeper into things they care most about. We will also showcase how attainable meaningful weekend escapes and short jaunts of discovery can be.” 

Among the stories featured in the debut of the digital magazine is a video called “The Blind Hike.” It spotlights Charles and Bob, a father and son who fuel their passion for adventure by hiking through some of the most challenging landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. This is no ordinary hike, however; Charles lost his eyesight at the age of 12. But both he and his dad, exploring step-by-step together as one, show us how this loss of eyesight has led them to a new level of vision, forming an unbreakable bond that only grows stronger with each new adventure. 

"'The Blind Hike' is just one of many stories we plan to tell in the months ahead," said Broughton. “And these will be tales that go well beyond highlighting travel destinations. They will all reflect the rich layers of meaning in the name Pursuits; a pursuit can be a hobby, a chase, the act of striving for something — a pursuit of the mind, of the heart, or of the soul. We will explore and chronicle the entire travel experience, including not only interactions but also inner journeys that have the power to change our lives.”