Cendant Marketing Exec Takes Avis Post

<B>Cendant Marketing Exec Takes Avis Post</B>

Now that its acquisition by Cendant is complete, Avis Rent A Car is moving to integrate its marketing efforts more closely to those of its parent company. What could be better proof than Avis' recent appointment of Scott Deaver, a seasoned marketing exec at Cendant, as its new executive vice president of marketing?

Most recently, Deaver served as chief marketing officer for Move.com, an online real estate and home services portal launched by Cendant in early 2000. Deaver's team was so successful in quickly creating brand awareness and building traffic levels for Move.com that when Cendant subsequently sold the portal, along with Welcome Wagon to Homestore.com, for $700 million in stock, it realized a tenfold return on investment. Prior to his tenure at Move.com, Deaver served as Cendant's senior vice president of corporate marketing, working with the company's entire portfolio of hotel brands, the nation's largest corporate relocation company, Cendant Mobility, and other travel, real estate and direct marketing brands.

In seeking to maximize the synergies between the car rental company and Cendant, Deaver said one initiative was working "with other Cendant entities so we are making sure we're using one another's contacts in mutually supportive ways." This means, for example, that Cendant Mobility staff might pitch Avis cars to the HR relocation departments with which it does business. Similarly, it could mean using Cendant hotels as possible sites for new Avis locations in suburban areas where Avis is seeking to expand its network.

Deaver brings a vision to the car rental firm that extends beyond long-discussed synergies with Cendant, however. "My recent experience with an Internet venture gives me a fresh perspective on the travel industry and how direct marketing can help to move revenue and market share for Avis," Deaver said. "We'll be putting more emphasis on Avis.com and promoting more business through the Internet. We'll also be looking at special online services for business travelers and corporate customers," including customized products tailored to the individual traveler or particular company.

Deaver is "sitting down with our biggest corporate customers to see if we can supply more effective online booking programs. We need to learn what they need and how we can customize service."

One of the most intriguing of his appointed tasks is "the marketing of any new rental car activities" at Cendant, according to a press release. Deaver couldn't comment beyond saying that with car rental, "we hope to grow Cendant's position beyond Avis," but the implication seemed clear: Cendant hopes to grow its car rental business through additional acquisitions. With the giant travel services and hotel conglomerate poised to possibly drive more consolidation, the coming year should be an interesting one indeed in the car rental industry.