As a member of the tiny "Americans without cars" demographic, I've been a huge Zipcar fan for years. Zipcar is a great rent-by-the-hour solution for when this city-dwelling, mass transit-riding mom suddenly needs to make a trip to IKEA or my son's Little League coach announces a practice in the far reaches of Brooklyn. I've always thought Zipcar does a great job of branding itself--the identity and language are distinctive and real, green literally and ethically without any pretention or preciousness. But now that I'm actually doing preliminary research to buy a car, it's proven to be a fantastic way to try before buying. I hope car brands (especially American hybrid entries to the market) will take full advantage of Zipcar as a way to spur trial--as a marketing tool. As a Zipster I've driven the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima Hybrid and Mini Cooper--all on my list--and I hope to see the Chevy Volt sometime soon (??).

Is there a lesson here for marketers outside automotive, too? Could the Zipcar try-before-you-buy model be something that inspires brands that make products people use regularly outside their homes, to reach consumers in new ways?