Above All Marketing Selected to Spearhead Marketing and Advertising for Panasonic Automotive's ELS Surround and Rear-Seat Entertainment Systems

BIRMINGHAM, Mich., June 1 -- Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (PASA) has selected Above All, Inc. of Birmingham, Michigan, to continue supporting their new product launch of ELS Surround and ongoing efforts to promote their highly acclaimed Rear Seat Entertainment systems. This decision followed Above All's development and execution of a major branding campaign for ELS Surround Sound, the first true automotive surround sound system featuring DVD Audio. The system is the creation of five-time Grammy-winning producer Elliot Scheiner and Panasonic engineers, and recently received rave reviews at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as well as the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"Panasonic Automotive's innovative collaboration with a multiple Grammy- winning producer and the reigning mixmaster of DVD-Audio, Elliot Scheiner, has resulted in what is being hailed as the next generation of automotive sound," said Above All Managing Partner David Hofer. "ELS Surround represents a new era for auto enthusiasts who are passionate about their music, and we are excited to work with Panasonic Automotive in bringing that passion to life."

Above All has already created the system's graphic identity and standards for use in all forms of marketing communications, which includes the nomenclature on console of the 2004 Acura TL -- the first vehicle to include ELS Surround as its standard audio system.

Additionally, an integrated plan is being implemented featuring spot radio, automotive print, outdoor and auto show displays. Above All is also responsible for creating brand-building events and extensive PR coverage. To promote the dramatic superiority of ELS Surround, Above All orchestrated The ELS Surround Artists Symposium -- a "listen and drive" event in which world- class musical artists evaluated ELS Surround and compared them directly to other high-end automotive sound systems at an all-day event in March 2004 that included a press conference at Orchestra Hall in Detroit. The artists' validations will be used in a focused PR initiative as well as in subsequent marketing communications. And, on the consumer side of the equation, a direct mail initiative to Acura TL owners will be set in motion this June to solicit customer satisfaction feedback from owners of the 2004 Acura TL, all of which feature the ELS Surround as standard equipment.

"At Panasonic Automotive, we've been impressed with Above All's ability to provide the effective support needed to successfully create the initial buzz around ELS Surround," explained PASA Director of Marketing, David Bello. "With their proven strategic expertise and 'get it done' approach to marketing, we know we've chosen the right partner to champion the ELS Surround brand."

In addition to supporting Panasonic in their OEM and consumer marketing efforts for ELS Surround, Above All is also working on consumer research and other marketing initiatives for Panasonic's Rear Seat Entertainment systems. A Panasonic system was in all 12 of the top ranked vehicles named in J.D. Power and Associates' 2004 Rear-Seat Entertainment Usage and Satisfaction Study(SM) -- a study that measures the satisfaction of consumers who recently purchased or leased a vehicle with a factory-installed rear-seat entertainment system.

Based in Southfield, Michigan, Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America is a division of Secaucus, New Jersey-based Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. of Osaka, Japan -- one of the world's leading developers and producers of innovative digital and other electronic products for consumer, business and industrial use. Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America also acts as the North American operating company of Panasonic Automotive Systems Company, an internal division company of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., which coordinates global automotive industry systems and components operations. For more information on Panasonic and Matsushita Electric, visit http://www.panasonic.com/ .

Founded in 1998 by veteran strategy consultants and brand marketing professionals who have served some of the nation's top Fortune 500 companies, Above All maximizes companies' competitiveness by delivering actionable strategies combining forecasting, competitive intelligence, market research and a full palette of brand communications tools including: public relations, branding, advertising, direct marketing, graphic design, web development and more.

Visit Above All's web site at http://www.aboveallresults.com/ or for more information, please contact David Hofer at 1-877-QUANTIFY (877-782-6843).

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