AVIS, "We Try Harder"

When most of the industry was copying the minimalist style of the Volkswagen "Think Small" ads, Krone was itching for something different. In almost a revolt against the style and layout he had brought to fame, Helmut Krone shrunk the image and increased the font size to create these very different and interesting ads for Avis, the car rental company.

The story behind the company is similar to that of the Volkswagen "therapeutic boot". Avis was falling behind Hertz in car rentals. Needing the magic touch, they brought their campaign to Doyle Dane Bernbach where with the copy of Bill Bernbach and the visual style of Helmut Krone, a striking, money making campaign was launched.

Krone speaks of the style of a campaign as being very important. You should be able to see an ad from many feet away and know who the client is. The Volkswagen ads by his scale can be distinguished at a distance of 30 feet; the Avis ads can be distinguished at 40.