CarShare Vermont is a membership-based car-sharing service in Burlington, Vermont. Their cars and trucks are available to reserve from dedicated “pods” within Burlington and Winooski, two neighboring cities in Chittenden County that are closely connected by common values and a small bridge. Local residents are collectively known as free spirited and forward thinking, with progressive ideals that center a strong emphasis on preserving the environment.
In keeping with these local values, CarShare is redefining the idea of car ownership, giving users a community-based alternative alongside existing public transit, walking, and biking options. A strong foundation of community and desire to grow their impact laid the groundwork for a hyper local, intentional, and engaging campaign that reached across screens and thoughtfully intersected the day-to-day lives of community members.
Reigniting Momentum for a Community-Driven Mobility Model
Relying on grassroots outreach worked for CarShare as the organization was first getting up and running, but over time they reached an inflection point: The traditional way of doing things was hard to scale as the initiative grew, and it lacked efficient performance tracking. By 2025, CarShare was faced with membership stagnation. On top of stalled membership growth, certain external factors added to the complexities they faced: The local university, The University of Vermont, ended free student memberships, and shifts that followed from the peak COVID-19 pandemic years led to reduced business use for CarShare.
Despite alignment with the region’s values of environmental consciousness and inclusivity, they found it challenging to expand awareness, overcome confusion about their membership models, and engage vulnerable communities who needed affordable mobility solutions most.
Against this backdrop, CarShare sought KSV’s assistance in inspiring residents with their brand promise of freedom from the expenses and hassles of car ownership, while positioning themselves as a community-based model for flexible, multimodal transportation.
Redefining Freedom by Challenging Car Ownership Norms
At the core of the campaign was a simple insight: Residents of Burlington and Winooski want flexibility without the financial and environmental onus of owning another car. Many households juggle one vehicle and walk, bike, or take the bus to supplement additional travel needs, but still need a reliable backup for groceries, family scheduling, or weekend adventures.
Instead of positioning CarShare as a substitute for car ownership, the strategy reframed it as liberation. Freedom from the costs, maintenance, and stress of owning another vehicle, and freedom to choose how and when a car fits into your life.
The campaign’s ultimate message: CarShare is here when you need it, and when you don’t. This positioned CarShare as a seamless, values-aligned option that empowers residents to travel on their own terms, without being tied to the obligations of car ownership.
Retaining Relevance with Hyper Local Creative
The campaign came to life through a vibrant, illustrative creative system that contrasted “Your Car” with “Our Problem,” humorously spotlighting the hidden costs and hassles of ownership while positioning CarShare as the easier alternative.
In conjunction with the poppy creative concept, an integrated, multichannel media strategy was deployed from April 2025 through June 2025 to maximize reach and relevance. From bus placements to paid social media and influencer partnerships, the channel mix incorporated stylistic creative elements with a hand-drawn look and feel that represented CarShare’s approach to community-based work.
Reshaping the Future of Transportation
This project demonstrated the power of being the right answer to the right problem in the right place at the right time. For CarShare, that meant leaning in to hyper local channels and creative cues that spoke to the community about a practical alternative to the very real challenges associated with car ownership — or non-car ownership — at the exact moment when those challenges are happening. One such channel was Facebook Marketplace. As a community-led and environmentally friendly shopping hub, this placement was utilized to strategically reach users in high-context moments when they are actively buying items and often need a vehicle to pick them up. This placement helped to frame CarShare as an immediately relevant and practical solution to Vermonters in need of an accessible transportation option.
CarShare Vermont emerged from this campaign with a stronger membership pipeline, renewed relevance, and a clear role as the community-powered alternative to car ownership in Burlington and Winooski.
View the campaign case study to see the full creative suite and learn more about the work we did to help amplify CarShare’s mission and impact.