CarMax Promotes Quality Cars — Avoid BeetleMax’s Scary Deals | Clapboard

BeetleMax | The Way It Shouldn’t Be

Description

In 2024, CarMax, in partnership with The Martin Agency, launched a bold and memorable film campaign titled BeetleMax | The Way It Shouldn’t Be, aimed at drawing a clear contrast between CarMax’s trusted car buying experience and the fictional, nightmarish alternative, BeetleMax. Set in the automotive industry and published in the United States, this campaign creatively uses humor and horror-themed storytelling to warn consumers against settling for bad deals and poor service. The campaign’s narrative mocks BeetleMax as a spooky used car dealer lurking “on both sides of the afterlife,” offering "terrifying" deals and eternal waits, positioning CarMax as the reliable, fast, and customer-friendly option. The clever play on the Beetlejuice motif, with a catchy and haunting refrain warning not to say BeetleMax three times, engages the audience with a mix of fright and fun, making the message both entertaining and unforgettable. By highlighting the frustrations car buyers may face elsewhere and contrasting them with CarMax’s hassle-free, efficient service, the campaign delivers a strong, memorable brand message: CarMax is the way car buying should be, while BeetleMax embodies the pitfalls consumers should avoid. This approach not only reinforces CarMax’s commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction but also leverages pop culture references to stay top of mind with a broad audience. Through a single compelling media asset, this campaign effectively captures attention, builds brand differentiation, and primes consumers to choose CarMax for their next vehicle purchase.

Credits

Client

CarMax

Agency

The Martin Agency

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Campaign Proposition

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