McHenry, IL — June 21, 2010  - Over the past several years, we have all witnessed the continued growth of the Internet and introduction of social media into our everyday lives. People have come together to participate in online communities – to create, manage, and share information through open conversation.  Social media provides the opportunity to tell a story to an extended network of people with unlimited reach.  The question for manufacturers and marketers, however, has been how to effectively develop a social media outreach that is both relevant and welcome to its target audience. This is especially challenging when approaching an audience as knowledgeable and passionate as professional mechanics and automotive enthusiasts.

As part of its new national promotion for Raybestos® Brakes & Chassis parts, Affinia Global Brake & Chassis has answered the challenge, in developing a very progressive promotional microsite and social media campaign.  Its focus is driving awareness of, and dialogue about, the buildup and giveaway of a one-of-a-kind Raybestos ’32 Roadster Pickup – being undertaken by celebrity hot rod builder Troy Ladd, of Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, California.

“One of the most exciting elements of this ‘new media’ campaign is our new website: Talking Shop at RaybestosGarage.com,” says Josh Russell, Dir. Sales & Marketing at Affinia Global Brake and Chassis, manufacturer of Raybestos Brakes & Chassis. “The site is interconnected to new Raybestos brand presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.  This leap into social media established for our customers and fans a direct connection to the Raybestos brand, our builder partners, our racing partners, and fellow gearheads.”

With RaybestosGarage.com, the primary attraction of the promotional site is not merely the standard promotional offer or sweepstakes entry. Instead, the site engages fans in a behind-the-scenes, “shop floor” view of the hot rod build, which is chronicled in real time. The site will engage visitors with continuously updated video, photos, content and conversation.  The result should be an ongoing dialogue that is rich, informative, and entertaining -- whether the visitor is a professional tech, DIYer, hot rodder, or racefan.
 

“Technology is the enabler, but the conversation requires an essential human element. Connecting with our customers and fans through the excitement of the Raybestos Roadster Pickup build, and engaging Troy Ladd and our amazing build partners, gives us just that,” Russell continued.

The brand’s entry into social media was well thought out, and the strategy carefully considered with Chicago-based social media agency partner 426 Inc.  “We wanted to wait until we had a robust program that would be truly interesting to the multiple Raybestos Brake & Chassis customer groups, and were prepared to engage them in a long term dialogue,” Russell said.

Like the truck itself, the microsite will present featured contributions from a collaboration of industry leaders across the worlds of performance, racing, and hot rodding.  Those high profile partners include Ford Racing, Brookville Steel Bodies, Coker Tire, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Wilwood Engineering, Hot Rod Magazine, Wix Filters, and several others.
Supported by the microsite, social media outreach, point-of-sale, print media, PR, editorial features, event marketing, and national broadcast television coverage, the Raybestos project build and consumer promotion program promises to generate a lot of new excitement around the nearly 110 year old Raybestos brand. 
Follow the Raybestos Roadster Pickup build progress, photo galleries, and video updates from builder Troy Ladd at:  www.RaybestosGarage.com
For more information on the Raybestos Roadster Pickup, the correlating sweepstakes, or for questions on any Raybestos brand brake or chassis product, visit www.raybestos.com or call (800) 759-7640.

Raybestos® brand brake parts are produced by affiliated companies in Affinia’s Global Brake & Chassis Group, the leading manufacturer of braking systems in the transportation industry. Including everything from brake drums to rotors, pads, shoes and hydraulic parts, Raybestos brand brakes are the official brakes of NASCAR and the only brakes used by Joe Gibbs Racing in competition. In addition, the Raybestos brand is the preferred brake friction of the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights.  For more information about Raybestos brakes, visit Raybestos.com.

Affinia Group Inc. is an innovative global leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and marketing of industrial grade products and services, including extensive offerings of aftermarket parts for automotive and heavy-duty vehicles. With approximately $1.8 billion in annual revenue, Affinia has operations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and India. For more information, visit www.affiniagroup.com