Robert Stone, Former Hertz Exec., Dies at 87

FEBRUARY 2, 2009 TAGS: BUSINESS, ADVERTISING, CARS, SPORTS ADD A COMMENT

Robert Stone increased revenue at the Hertz rental car company almost 10-fold during his tenure as CEO and Chairman in the 1970s. Recruiting O.J. Simpson to be the company’s spokeperson proved to be a boon, and Stone’s acumen at mass communication further served him when he led Columbia Pictures starting in 1978.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle:

An avid sportsman himself, Mr. Stone wanted an athlete to represent Hertz, according to his wife.

"He was tired of watching commercials with actors who didn't do anything but talk," she said.

Simpson, she said, "was fabulous at that particular moment in time. He was a different O.J."

Under Mr. Stone's leadership at Hertz, the company's revenue increased from $21 million in 1972 to $200 million by 1978.

Here’s a spot from 1978...