Yoyodyne Announces 'EZWheels' Online Automobile Promotion; Volvo and Automobile Magazine Signed as Sponsors
13 January 1998
Yoyodyne Announces 'EZWheels' Online Automobile Promotion; Volvo and Automobile Magazine Signed as Sponsors
IRVINGTON, N.Y., Jan. 13 -- Yoyodyne
( http://www.yoyobiz.com ), the premier interactive direct marketing company,
today announced plans to launch EZWheels(TM) ( http://www.ezwheels.com ), a
new online promotion for automotive manufacturers, slated to begin in February
1998. Similar to an auto show, EZWheels will help online car shoppers obtain
pertinent information to aid them in their decision making process, and offer
them a chance, to win $20,000 toward the purchase or lease of one of the
sponsored automobiles.
Designed to initiate an ongoing e-mail dialogue with prospective
purchasers, generate qualified leads, and increase traffic to manufacturer Web
sites, EZWheels will run for nine consecutive weeks and is guaranteed to
attract at least 250,000 qualified participants. The promotion will feature
eight car categories: minivan, sport-utility vehicle, luxury car, family
wagon, compact car, motorcycle, sports car, and premium sedan.
Volvo Cars of North America Inc. has signed up for the family wagon
category to promote their all-wheel drive Cross Country wagon. Exclusive
category sponsorships include at least 25,000 self-selected participants who
will receive nine targeted e-mails during the promotion communicating various
messages from the single category sponsor. Additionally, participants will be
encouraged to make weekly visits to the sponsor's Web site. A different
automaker will be the sole sponsor of each category. Automobile Magazine is
the exclusive magazine sponsor of EZWheels, and will be offering subscription
specials to this targeted audience. Other ancillary sponsors for areas such
as auto care and parts, insurance, and service providers are being sought.
"Online car shopping has become one of the fastest growing e-commerce
categories," said Seth Godin, President of Yoyodyne. "By gaining permission
from participants to set up an ongoing dialogue about a product that is of
great value to them, we will be able to deliver to the automobile manufacturer
a qualified new car buyer for a little over two dollars per participant... a
very cost-effective communications tool."
"We especially like EZWheels because the nine-week duration and multiple
points of contact nicely mirror the complex information-gathering and
evaluation process of the real car buyer," said Jenny Genosa, Web site
manager, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. "It gives us a chance to tell the
many parts of the Volvo story."
The introduction of EZWheels comes on the heels of Yoyodyne's successful
launch of EZSpree(TM), the largest online shopping promotion in cyberspace.
The company has implemented more than 100 promotions, including custom games
and multi-sponsor sweepstakes, for a variety of corporate clients such as
American Express, America Online, AT&T, CBS Sportsline, Columbia House Online,
CompuServe, HarperCollins, Infoseek, KPMG, Lycos, Macromedia, Major League
Baseball, MCI, Microsoft, NBC, Netscape, Prodigy, Random House New Media,
Rolling Stone, S.C. Johnson, Sony Music Entertainment, Sprint, United Media,
and ZDNet, among others. Yoyodyne is privately owned with major investors
including Flatiron Partners, Chase Manhattan Corporation, and Softbank Venture
Partners.
SOURCE Yoyodyne