George P. Johnson Commemorates 100 Years of NAIAS With INNOVATIVE, Audience Engaging Experiences

Agency leverages creative storytelling for auto show's most stunning exhibits - today, the audience is part of the story

DETROIT, Jan. 4 -- George P. Johnson (GPJ), the worldwide leader in experience marketing, commemorates the centennial anniversary of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association's sponsorship of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) with exhibits and presentations that allow the audience to control their own experience.

Over the years visitors to the Detroit auto show have become a key element of the automakers' exhibits and presentations. As the show has evolved, the audience experience has shifted from "show me" to "engage me." GPJ was at the forefront of this transition, raising the bar in experience marketing through interactivity, innovative use of advanced technology, theatrical choreography, media content and visual elements for the world's preeminent automotive companies. This audience engagement is evident in the experiences GPJ has created for clients including DaimlerChrysler, GM, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Infiniti vehicles.

"Having been present at nearly every important moment in the history of the NAIAS, GPJ has had a firsthand opportunity to not only view the evolution of the auto show but to help drive it," said Robert Vallee Jr., CEO of George P. Johnson. "Most important, as a company we've played a role in moving the audience experience at the auto show from a passive experience, where consumers were simply witness to extravagant displays, toward more audience engagement and interactivity."

Audience Engagement and Interactivity in Action at 2007 NAIAS

Attendees at this year's show will have a unique opportunity to co-author their experiences with innovative exhibits, including:

The GM Show Within the Show: The 2007 NAIAS show will feature an all-new exhibit created to tell a cohesive, unified story about all eight GM brands. At over 100,000 square feet, this display will be one of the largest exhibits in the history of NAIAS. Within the exhibit visitors will experience:

-- OnStar Command Center replica with a "heads up" projection of OnStar's turn-by-turn navigation system on the windshield of a vehicle and audio directions through the stereo

-- Gaming stations within the Cadillac exhibit

-- "Aura Box" that projects inner workings of the car in the Saturn exhibit when attendees step into the space

-- "Build Your Own Car" interactive product kiosks

Acura's Visitors Choose Their Own Adventure: Employing a host of interactive elements showcasing Acura's technology leadership, this exhibit reinforces the brands promise of "Advance.":

-- Interactive "Oracles" or tabletops that allow attendees to "choose their own adventure" and witness how life is enabled through Acura

-- Interactive showroom with a virtual exploration of Acura vehicles

Nissan Allows the Audience to Control the Content: An energetic, media- rich environment that captures the sprit, passion and excitement of the Nissan brand leveraging engaging components that allow the audience to control the content.

-- Interactive sketchbook using plasma technology allows users to "flip" through content pages by affecting motion sensors built into display

-- Rotating interactive wheel stands that allow audiences to point the stand at the car of their choice to receive information specific to that vehicle

Toyota Gives Audiences Their 15 Seconds of Fame: For Press Days, Industry and the Charity Preview, Toyota has created an experience that allows attendees to create their own unique and personal bond with the products, passion and identity of the Toyota brand.

-- "Moving Forward Studios" -- Green screen technology that allows individuals to star in their own Toyota commercial and obtain a copy of the commercial on DVD, as well as via the web

Scion Gives Audiences a Multimedia Production: Scion has created a fully choreographed experience with video, music, lighting and moving projection screens. This will showcase product demos, lifestyle/owners events, modified vehicles and advertising that gives consumers a true representation of the Scion brand.

-- "Mix It Up Kiosk" -- Consumers mix their own color and choose their own accessories and graphics to render their own unique Scion vehicle, background and audio track. Consumer creations will be emailed to them to share with friends and family

GPJ has also created immersive, interactive experiences for Lexus, Saturn, Scion, and many other leading auto manufacturers, and has worked with the Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep brands for more than 60 years.

About George P. Johnson (www.gpjco.com)

Established in 1914, GPJ is one of the foremost experience marketing agencies in the world. Named one of Advertising Age's "Top 25 Marketing Agencies" it provides a full suite of relationship-building event, exhibit and live experience solutions through which it helps Fortune 500 and other premiere companies bring their brands, services and products to prospects and customers around the globe. GPJ provides integrated event marketing strategy, creative, data, and execution services through 19 offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, Stuttgart, Sydney, Boston, San Francisco, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul, Bangalore and others. GPJ made history in 1998 when IBM became the first Fortune 10 company to consolidate its global event marketing program into one agency, naming GPJ as their event marketing agency of record. As a result of its work with IBM, GPJ earned the first EX Award for "Best Global Business-to-Business Event Marketing" program.