No birds? No idea!
A bit of an odd one here … When I was making my way around Aus, I kept noticing a car rental company whose logo appeared to consist of a key and the phrase ‘No Birds’. I never did get what it meant – I just assumed it was some Aussie reference that I hadn’t got. For some weird reason, I was thinking about it the other day and felt I had to find out the answer, so I emailed the all-knowing Kitta who, it has to be said, did a grand job asking all manner of people what they thought. Here’s her response:
I can’t remember what it means. So I asked around, and it turns out that no one seems to know for sure what it means either. Here are some of my friends thoughts on the slogan…
My boyfriend Matt Googled it and found out that bird in latin means Avis, and since Avis is a competitor car hire company it might mean they are trying to be smart buggers. My best friend Candy seems to think it means ‘no shit’ or ‘no hassles’, while the witty Sab seems to think it’s their way of asking birds nicely not to poo on their cars. Neko seems to think they use it as an excuse to display pictures of sexy ladies on their stationary and JD thinks it means that they don’t need pictures of sexy ladies in their advertisements (I was quick to point out that they do have one on their website at www.bayswatercarrental.com.au and in the yellow pages.) This then started a debate on the use of sex in advertising.
My personal thoughts are that the ‘no birds’ slogan means ‘no worries’ or possibly means ‘no chick cars’. Interestingly the domain www.nobirds.com.au goes to their main website. The mystery remains unsolved young Jedi.
So despite Kitta’s excellent research, I’m still no nearer to understanding what the hell they mean by ‘no birds’! And why is this not in their list of FAQs? Surely it’s one of the most asked questions about this company?! If you have any ideas/theories – or better still, if you actually know what it means – please do let me know.
Posted: November 27th, 2006 under Stuff.
Comments
Comment from Tim Huegdon
Time November 28, 2006 at 3:31 am
We hired a Toyota Corolla from them when we stayed in Perth about a year ago. I actually asked the guy behind the counter what the “No Birds” slogan was all about and he informed me that it meant “no worries”.
Of course, he was probably blagging it, but you never know…
Comment from Kay Smoljak
Time November 29, 2006 at 4:46 pm
Ha ha, Kitta and her friends are obviously far too young to remember the original TV ad campaign from the 80’s. They should have asked their parents.
The original went along the lines of “no delivery birds, no highly paid executives” and went on to list a whole stack of other expensive but unnecessary things that they didn’t have, implying that was why their cars were cheap. “Birds” meaning “attractive women” to those of British origin. It didn’t make a lot of sense when it first started either, I think it was more an excuse to use bimbos in their ads.
It’s a good thing that the original meaning has faded from public memory because it was a really stupid campaign. I guess as well as “no birds” they have “no real advertising budget” which is why they’re still flogging that old line.
Comment from Lloydi
Time November 30, 2006 at 4:31 am
Thanks Kay, that makes sense knowing the full context but as just the two words, and without the luxury of knowing the adverts from 20 years ago, it’s easy to see why it’s a bit cryptic. Mystery solved :-)
Comment from Craig
Time December 6, 2006 at 7:10 pm
I think you’ll find it’s because they only rent out Toyota’s. Possibly even just Corolla’s??? No Falcons, No Commodores, No “Birds”.
Comment from Mike Cherim
Time December 8, 2006 at 10:55 am
That is pretty cryptic. Avis is pretty big in the US, but it doesn’t really make sense. I like Scott G’s response. It may or may not be correct, but from the standpoint of effectiveness, there’s a lot of truth in his suggestion of the campaign’s meaning.
Comment from Dark Tranquility
Time December 28, 2006 at 10:04 am
I found this on http://radar.smh.com.au/archives/2005/03/my_world_9.html :
Naked news
For years Sydneysiders have engaged in furious alehouse debate about the meaning of the Bayswater Car Rentals “No birds” advertisements. We called the number on the ad and spoke to a rather curt supervisor named Michael.Radar: I was just hoping you could solve an age-old mystery by telling me what “no birds” means.
Michael: It’s an advertising slogan.
Radar: I’m aware of that, but what does it actually mean?
Michael: It means “no frills”.
Radar: But how does “no birds” mean “no frills”?
Michael: It means “no gimmicks”. Look it up in any dictionary.
Radar: Well, originally I thought it meant that you didn’t need girls in your advertising.
Michael: That’s exactly what it means.
Radar: OK. Then how come you’ve got a naked girl in your advert now?
Michael: [pause] Because sex sells.
Radar: So you’re into frills after all?
Michael: For the purposes of advertisements in newspapers, yes.
So may be? …
Comment from Greg Clegg
Time February 17, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Bayswater Car rental have been around a long time. Originally from Kings Cross Sydney (I think)
Years ago all the Big Car Rental Companies had cute chickie babes that would deliver the car or greet you at the airport. in those days there were only about 3 rental companies allowed at airports.
Bayswater was born and their motto from the start was NO BIRDS. Just cheap rentals.
So the motto has just stuck. And they have grown bigger & bigger.
Comment from no birds master
Time March 29, 2007 at 6:11 pm
I luv the comments,we like to keep you all guessing….it is a bit obscure and at the end of the day it also means enquiries which mean business….now to all the people that dont understand business and advertising and how effective it is …go back into your shells and dont come out again
Comment from Blip
Time April 4, 2007 at 11:14 am
Gregg,
I would have thought they started out from BAYSWATER,WA hence the name Bayswater Car Rentals.. rather than Kings Cross? They do have branch there afterall?
Comment from Ben
Time July 7, 2007 at 2:24 am
I’ve also seen the slogan “No Birds” and have been wondering what it was all about. I’m from Melbourne and no-one here has ever heard of it. It seems to be something specific to Sydney in particular…..
Comment from SR
Time July 19, 2007 at 6:29 am
Blip, I suspect you are right about Bayswater, WA, but coincidently (or perhaps not?) their Sydney office is just around the corner from Bayswater Road, Kings Cross.
Comment from Grant
Time November 18, 2007 at 8:40 pm
No Birds means no girls on the front desk in pretty uniforms – meaning a no frills service so cheaper deals. But it is pretty obscure.
And it’s Bayswater Car Rentals because it was on Bayswater Road a way back.
Comment from MACE
Time March 3, 2009 at 4:42 am
the building they started in, in Bayswater WA used to be a brothel… I guess they wanted to make it clear exactly what they were renting out…
http://theworstofperth.com/2007/10/06/the-knock-shop-of-broken-dreams/
Comment from scott g
Time November 27, 2006 at 8:16 pm
I figure it was playing on that style of advertising where they are intentionally out to confuse you… and it in fact means nothing. This way people discuss it and blog about it :-) creating the ultimate PR virus.
I cringe every time I see one of their cars though. I can’t stand ‘crafty’ marketing campaigns :-P