Midas Signs Agreement With Moroch for Regional Marketing Responsibilities

    ITASCA, Ill.--Nov. 13, 2001--Midas, Inc., has hired Moroch Partners, based in Dallas, Texas, to handle day-to-day local and regional marketing responsibilities previously handled internally for Midas retail operations throughout the United States and Canada.
    "With the larger Moroch staff working on our business, Midas will be able to significantly enhance the level of marketing support to our 900 franchisees in North America," said Gary B. Vonk, Midas' executive vice president and chief operating officer. "Moroch has extensive experience in effectively integrating and regionalizing marketing efforts for numerous franchisors, including McDonald's, for which Moroch is one of the largest providers of local marketing services in the U.S."
    Midas' regional marketing managers will be consolidated with Moroch as part of the new agreement, which becomes effective Monday, Nov. 19. Moroch will add four full-time field account executives, two Dallas-based account coordinators and a senior-level account executive in Dallas to the Midas assignment.
    "This new regional marketing organization more than doubles the number of staff members working with Midas dealers to develop and execute local promotions and to oversee Midas' grassroots involvement in the dealers' communities," Vonk said. "Midas corporate will provide strategic and tactical initiatives for local marketing efforts."
    "Moroch will help maximize Midas' national sales efforts and extend the power of the Midas brand to regional and local markets throughout North America," said Pat Kempf, chief executive officer of Moroch.
    Moroch previously worked with Midas dealers from 1994 until 1997 as a regional advertising agency for the southwest.
    Cliff Freeman & Partners is Midas' creative agency in the United States and Carat USA has U.S. media planning and buying responsibilities. Ogilvy & Mather of Toronto is Midas' creative and media agency in Canada.

    Midas is one of the world's largest providers of automotive service, offering exhaust, brake, steering and suspension services, as well as batteries, climate control and maintenance services at 2,700 franchised, company-owned and licensed Midas shops in 20 countries, including nearly 2,000 in the United States and Canada.

    Moroch, established in 1981, is a full-service advertising agency based in Dallas with offices in 21 U. S. cities. Moroch's client list includes McDonald's, Walt Disney, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox and multiple Proctor & Gamble brands. Moroch is a member of Bcom3 Group, Inc.