Midas Canada Awards Advertising Responsibilities to DDB Canada, Carat

MARKHAM, Ontario--Jan. 2, 20058, 2005--Midas Canada will establish new marketing partnerships with leading creative advertising agency DDB Canada and media planning and buying agency Carat beginning in April, according to Glenn Root, Midas' vice president for Canadian operations.

"These new agency relationships will enhance Midas' retail marketing strategies in Canada to continue our leadership in the brake and exhaust categories as we expand into tires, maintenance and commercial fleet services in our shops," Root said.

"Both DDB and Carat have extensive experience with Canadian and global brands," he said. "We also will be able to achieve synergies and efficiencies by partnering with DDB and Carat throughout North America."

Root acknowledged the support of Midas dealers who serve on the Canadian dealer advisory council for their input in the agency assignment process.

There are 215 franchised Midas shops located throughout Canada. The Toronto and Vancouver offices of DDB and the Toronto office of Carat will be responsible for the Midas relationships.

Root said the company will continue the "Trust the Midas Touch" marketing campaign which has proven to generate a positive response among customers since its introduction last March. The campaign positions Midas as the customers' most trusted service advisor for all service needs.

"Midas' comparable shop retail sales in North America continued to improve throughout 2004," Root said. "Partnering with DDB and Carat will enable Midas' marketing efforts in Canada to build on this momentum with high-impact advertising and effective media buying."

Root said that Midas will continue its relationship with Academie-Ogilvy for marketing strategies, creative and media in Quebec.

Midas is one of the world's largest providers of automotive service, offering brake, exhaust, maintenance, tires, steering and suspension services, at more than 2,600 franchised, licensed and company-owned Midas shops in 19 countries, including nearly 1,900 in the United States and Canada.

DDB recently was named "Global Agency of the Year" for the second consecutive year by AdWeek magazine. DDB Canada, ranked Number One creative agency in Canada by Strategy magazine for seven years, is agency for Johnson & Johnson, Dell Computers, the Canadian Tourism Commission, TELUS, Sun-Rype and the Clorox Company of Canada.

Carat Canada is a member of the world's largest fully independent media management company. With offices in Toronto and Montreal, Carat provides best-in-class media management in English and French Canada. Carat's service offering includes Carat Sponsorship, Carat Interactive, Carat Insight, Carat Academy and Carat Film. Agency clients include Scotiabank, Procter & Gamble, Adidas and RONA.

Academie-Ogilvy is a full-service, Montreal-based advertising agency founded in 1988. The agency is a private Canadian corporation owned 51 percent by its Montreal partners and 49 percent by Ogilvy & Mather. Academie-Ogilvy provides in-house, strategic planning, creative, media, direct marketing and production services. Clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cogeco, IBM, Nikon Optical, Standard Life, Unilever and VIA Rail Canada.