Southern California Honda Dealers Association Announces 1st Annual Honda Helpful Awards

Southern California Residents Encouraged to Nominate Deserving Individual Whose Life Would be Improved by a New Honda Vehicle

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 19 -- The Southern California Honda Dealers Association, the Honda Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue, today announced the first ever 2007-2008 Honda Helpful Awards, a celebration that honors Helpfulness among residents in Southern California. From today through November 1st, 2007, friends, family, peers and co-workers will have the opportunity to visit a participating Honda dealership or the Southern California Honda Dealers Association website, http://www.socalhonda.com/, to nominate a helpful member of the community whose life would be significantly improved by a new Honda. Each nomination must be accompanied by a written explanation outlining the reason(s) the nominee should be awarded with a car, how the car will help them continue to be helpful, and which Honda model would help them the most. Submissions are open to California residents only, and the cars will be gifted during an official awards presentation, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in January 2008.

The Southern California Honda Helpful campaign, conceived by Santa Monica-based creative agency Secret Weapon Marketing, is a multi-layered advertising and marketing program that launched in January of this year. The campaign brings the TV, radio and outdoor message to the streets and demonstrates -- firsthand -- the Southern California Honda Dealers' commitment to being Helpful. Throughout the year, the Honda Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue have been traveling all over Southern California, assisting people in fun and unexpected ways.

During the rainy season, they were armed with umbrellas to keep people dry; and when summer temperatures rose, they were at beaches, golf courses and parks distributing cold bottled water. They responded to rising fuel costs by visiting gas stations and treating Honda drivers to gas; purchased movie tickets for summer blockbusters for over 1000 people; have been spotted at hardware stores and supermarkets helping people carry bags and load their cars; and have recently been "Helping the Helpful" by visiting lifeguard posts and fire stations with lunch and coffee.

"The Honda Helpful Awards is much more than a corporate responsibility initiative," said Patrick Adams, managing director, Secret Weapon Marketing. "This is an opportunity to extend Honda's helpfulness beyond traditional media and the day-to-day activities of the Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue. The purpose of the Honda Helpful Awards is to recognize and salute individuals in Southern California who dedicate their lives to being helpful every day."

In addition to online and radio advertising, the 2007-2008 Honda Helpful Awards will be promoted by the Honda Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue via dealership programs. The Southern California Honda Dealers Association will also be working with a variety of local and national organizations to recognize Helpfulness in our communities.

The deadline for submissions is November 1st, 2007. Nominations can be presented for consideration online, through standard mail, or in dealership entry boxes.

  
  About The Southern California Honda Dealers Association

The Southern California Honda Dealers Association is made up of 57 dealers located in various cities spanning from Orange County and Los Angeles, to Bakersfield and San Louis Obispo. In January 2007, the Association launched a cohesive advertising and marketing program, Honda Helpful, to give the dealers a unified voice and increase awareness for individual dealer experiences.