ZUBI WINS A 2009 EFFIE AWARD FOR FORD SYNC CAMPAIGN

Ford SYNC® Integrated Campaign garners a Silver

Coral Gables, FL – June 3, 2009 – The Effies has announced that Zubi Advertising has won Silver (best in category) for its Ford SYNC Integrated Campaign in the Hispanic Category in the North American competition. The campaign, which features Grammy Award-winning Latin pop star Juanes, is Zubi’s latest non-traditional, below-the-line campaign with a strong focus on digital.

“Effies have always been the gold standard to judge the success of a program,” said COO Joe Zubi. “To win one during these challenging economic times makes it even more rewarding.”

Developed by Microsoft, SYNC is a voice-activated in-car communication and entertainment system for a user’s mobile phone and digital music player. Unlike other competitive voice-activated systems, SYNC’s ability to understand various Spanish accents is key for the US Hispanic Market, where consumers have various countries of origin, and varying degrees of acculturation and language proficiency.

“Juanes was the perfect fit to launch SYNC in the Hispanic Market,” said David Rodriguez, Ford multicultural marketing manager. “Staying connected to friends and music is part of everyday life for our tech-savvy Hispanic target, and SYNC brings this power to Ford drivers.”

As official sponsor of Juanes’ 2008 World Tour, Zubi developed a program with the Colombian singer-songwriter as the centerpiece to deliver the SYNC message to the marketplace, educate consumers about the product, and entice them to test-drive SYNC-equipped Ford vehicles at Ford dealerships. The program achieved a 30 percent conversion rate of qualified leads to test drives – 15 times the industry average.

The program included the following elements:

  • In-concert integration with “SYNC Zones” at every Juanes concert location
  • Destination website with exclusive video content and functionalities
  • Online sweepstakes with instant win trivia game and a VIP concert experience Grand Prize
  • A robust digital media plan including display banner ads, video-banners, paid search, and publisher-driven email blasts
  • Print advertising to support the in-concert and online activities
  • Spot radio in the high-Hispanic density tour stops
  • Talking billboards and text-messaging components

About Zubi Advertising

Zubi Advertising Services, Inc. is a full-service and independently owned Hispanic agency in the U.S. with a proven 36-year track record of award-winning U.S. Hispanic Market branding campaigns. Headquartered in Miami with offices in Detroit, Los Angeles and Dallas, Zubi Advertising has projected billings of $175 million in 2009. Zubi Advertising is proud to serve its extensive client list, which includes American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, JP Morgan Chase, Lincoln Mercury, Olive Garden, SC Johnson and Winn-Dixie among others. Zubi Advertising has grown organically to 122 employees who are dedicated to enhancing the image of the Hispanic culture and the advertising profession through their actions and work. For more