Bandy Carroll Hellige Advertising Lands Big O Tires Account

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 28, 2005 -- Bandy Carroll Hellige Advertising announced today that it has been retained as agency of record for Big O Tires.

The advertising agency will be handle marketing and advertising assignments for the Louisville metro market and some contiguous secondary markets for the tire retailer.

Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH) will lead Big O Tires through brand development and implement advertising and marketing strategies to help Big O increase sales, drive traffic into the tire dealer's retail outlets and increase telephone inquiries.

"We'll be helping Big O identify and capitalize on its strengths," said BCH Partner Tim Hellige. "Specifically, we'll be promoting their vast selection of tires and their fast service."

The agency also will help Big O promote its other products and services including shocks, struts, tire balancing, alignments and brakes.

Big O encompasses over 600 dealer and company-owned stores in 20 Midwestern states and parts of Canada. Not sold in any other retail outlets, the Big O brand tires are competitively priced and built with the most contemporary tread designs and construction technologies by some of the world's best manufacturers. The company markets its own tires in the Passenger, Performance and Light Tuck categories, and has multiple lines in all three segments.

"We think BCH will bring a sense of enthusiasm and an infusion of new marketing ideas to the table and we're looking forward to working with them," said Big O Tires Area Business Manager Gary Skidmore. "We're very proud of our products and services and we know BCH will do a great job representing us."

All Big O branded tires feature a free replacement warranty. For several years, JD Power and Associates has rated Big O as one of the best replacement tire brands for customer satisfaction.

BCH was founded in 1998 by partners Susan Bandy, Mark Carroll and Tim Hellige, and offers a full range of marketing communication services including Advertising, New Product Introduction, PR, Internet Marketing, Media and Branding. BCH's 2003 annual billings totaled $38 million. Bandy Carroll Hellige is headquartered in Louisville, Ky., and has a total of 40 employees in Louisville and Indianapolis, Ind. Their other clients include McDonald's Restaurants, Bluegrass Cellular, Delta Dental Plan of Kentucky, The Louisville Zoo, CARITAS Health Services, The Frazier Historical Arms Museum and Four Roses Bourbon.