• by Tanya Gazdik , June 2, 2010

Auto service provider Midas International Corp. is joining with Spin magazine to ask consumers to "Rock the Highway" this summer.

The Itasca, Ill.-based company is offering a sweepstakes and a "Search for the Next Great Road Song" contest. Sweepstakes and contest details and Midas' tips for car care and safe teen driving are available at www.midassummer2010.com.

Midas is using in-store bay banners, displays and window clings to inform customers about the promotion. The company is also running a full-page ad in the July issue of Spin and a second ad in the November issue to announce winners of the original song contest. Other marketing for the promotion includes digital banner ads on Spin.com and its affiliates, teasers in Midas CRM mailings and a social media outreach.

The company has never done anything like this promotion, says Mike Bevan, Midas' director of retail marketing. "This contest is designed to expose a younger audience (18-30) to Midas and to show a new 'spin' on Midas to current customers," Bevan tells Marketing Daily. "Also, it will help build our data base. And in the future, when motorists are preparing for road trips, we want them to think of Midas and our full range of automotive services."

Music fans can vote on their favorite classic road trip songs by visiting www.rockthehighway.com during June, July and August. Each month, entrants can enter to win road trip-related prizes such as navigation systems, Bridgestone or Firestone tires or satellite radio systems. There will also be one grand prize per month of VIP tickets to a music festival and a $1,000 cash card. Sweepstakes entrants can print a $39.99 coupon redeemable at the nearest "Rock the Highway" participating Midas shop for a Midas Road Trip Maintenance Package, which includes an oil change and filter, multi-point courtesy check including a visual brake check, and a set of standard front windshield washer blades.

Songs on the playlist include classics such as "Travelin' Band" by CCR and "On the Road Again" by Willie Nelson as well as newer songs like "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. After voting, consumers are invited to enter the sweepstakes and are asked if they would like to receive the weekly Spinsider newsletter to stay up to date on Spin.com coverage. They also asked to opt-in for offers and messages via email or text from Midas and its subsidiaries.

Midas and Spin also will add to the list of hits by searching for a new original road song. Musicians are invited to submit their original song to the microsite by July 30, from which Midas will select the best songs for a fan vote running from Aug. 3 to Sept. 3. Six musicians will win a share of $17,000 in cash prizes and appear in an advertisement in the magazine.

There are 2,400 franchised and company-owned Midas shops in 15 countries including nearly 1,600 in the United States and Canada. Midas also owns the SpeeDee Oil Change business with 175 auto service centers in the United States and Mexico.