Hertz's Slogans & Taglines

Hertz is an international car rental company that invented the industry in 1918 when 22-year-old Walter L. Jacobs began renting a dozen refurbished Ford Model Ts in Chicago. Within five years, annual revenues reached $1 million, prompting John D. Hertz to acquire the business in 1923 and rebrand it as the Hertz Drive-Ur-Self System. The company's iconic 1959 slogan, "Let Hertz put you in the driver's seat," became one of the most celebrated advertising campaigns of the 20th century, encapsulating a philosophy of empowerment and freedom. Hertz consistently pioneered convenience: opening the first airport rental facility at Chicago Midway in 1932, introducing the first rental charge card in 1926, and launching the first one-way rental plan in 1933. Though ownership shifted through General Motors, Ford, and private equity, the brand endured as a global mobility leader. Today, with thousands of locations across more than 160 countries, Hertz continues to evolve from a traditional car rental firm into a comprehensive mobility solutions provider, proving that a century of customer-first innovation keeps the journey moving forward.