• by Tanya Gazdik , June 2, 2010

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

The car company is offering a sweepstakes and a "Search for the Next Great Road Song" contest.

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 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.

This promotion is a first for the company, 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," he adds.

Sweepstakes and contest details and Midas' tips for auto care and safe teen driving are available at www.midassummer2010.com.

Music fans can vote on their favorite classic road trip songs by visiting www.rockthehighway.com during June, July and August. Each month, entrants enter to win road trip-related prizes, such as navigation systems, Bridgestone or Firestone tires or satellite radio systems.

Midas and Spin are also searching for an original road song and have invited musicians to submit their work to the microsite by July 30. Midas will select the best songs for a fan vote running from Aug 3 to Sept. 3.

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.