Vancouver’s original car sharing company got a tune up on Friday with a new name and brand personality.
Now called Modo, the co-op launched in 1997 as The Car Co-op. Bernice Paul, marketing director, said it now has 230 cars and has grown to more than 7,000 members, mainly through word of mouth.
Vancouver brand agency Cause + Affect are behind the new branding and website at Modo.Coop.
“We wanted a name that was short, memorable and easy to say,” said Paul. “The name refers to modality and mobility and sustainable transportation and that’s really how we think of ourselves.”
As part of the brand launch, the agency designed a series of postcards it sent to members. One postcard has pictures of a teen band in the family garage. The tag line is “take back your garage.” Paul said the intention is that it will be passed along to families and friends. There is also a strong social media component to the launch, she said.
Research by Toronto-based Environics found that the typical Modo user is a young, urban professional who walks, bikes or takes public transit to work. Most have at least a post secondary degree and almost half say they have sold their cars as a result of joining the co-op, said Paul.
