SONIC® Announces Official Sun Sponsorship and Celebrates with Summer Campaign and Summertime Products

OKLAHOMA CITY, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SONIC® is no longer simply America's Drive-In®. In an unprecedented move by an earthly institution, the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants has designated itself the official sponsor of the sun. The new sponsorship was a no-brainer partnership according to SONIC's Chief Marketing Officer James O'Reilly.

"When we looked at summer sponsorship opportunities for the SONIC brand, the sun quickly emerged as the ideal fit because of its unrivaled reach and exposure and SONIC's long-standing association with the sun and summer. We believe summer tastes better at SONIC," said O'Reilly.

To celebrate and capitalize on the freshly-inked sponsorship, SONIC has announced a bevy of summer promotions and other exciting news:

SONIC Summer Solstice
Wednesday, June 20, is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. SONIC invites customers to celebrate the sun's big moment with half-price Real Ice Cream shakes all day at all SONIC drive-ins on June 20, representing an unprecedented promotion by SONIC of its Real Ice Cream shakes all across America.

The Consumer Queen will host a Twitter party from 7-8 p.m. Central Time, on Tuesday, June 19, to rally fans of the summer and sun around SONIC's Summer Solstice promotion. Fans can register for the party by visiting here. Registered attendees are eligible for a range of prizes including SONIC gift cards and SONIC summer gear.

New Limited Time Offers
Beginning in July for a limited time only, the SONIC menu will feature a trio of new items custom-made for the summer season:

• Wholly Guacamole® Dog – A grilled premium beef hot dog topped with Wholly Guacamole-brand guacamole, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos and onions and finished with zesty cheese sauce in a warm, poppy seed bun.
• Chili Cheese Fritos® Coney – A grilled premium all-beef hot dog topped with warm chili, chili cheese Fritos corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, onions and mustard in a warm bun.
• Island Breeze Slush – An icy, tropical blend of pina colada slush and real fruit. Available in your choice of strawberry or pineapple.

The July launch coincides with National Hot Dog month, a fitting debut for the new premium beef hot dog varieties and homage to the American culinary classic.

The Great Skeedaddle(SM)
With more than 3,500 locations nationwide, 398,929 potential drink combinations and a fun drive-in atmosphere, SONIC is the ideal summer road trip stop. SONIC's Two Guys are setting out on an epic road trip this summer – billed as The Great Skeedaddle – and are visiting drive-ins across the country. SONIC fans can head to the brand's Facebook page (facebook.com/sonicdrivein) to follow the Two Guys' journey in real time, visit their Facebook friends along a personalized road trip route and take a stab at winning great SONIC coupons and a chance to win $5,000 toward a road trip of their own.

Half-Price Shakes After 8 p.m.
SONIC will continue to bring the heat (in a cool, refreshing way, of course) after the sun sets each night. Guests can enjoy half-price shakes after 8 p.m. all summer long. When factoring this special with both new and classic SONIC menu items, it is clear that summer tastes better at SONIC.

About SONIC Drive-In
SONIC®, America's Drive-In® (NASDAQ/NM: SONC) started as a hamburger and root beer stand in 1953 in Shawnee, Okla., called Top Hat Drive-In, and then changed its name to SONIC in 1959. The first drive-in to adopt the SONIC name is still serving customers in Stillwater, Okla. As the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants, SONIC has more than 3,500 drive-ins in 43 states coast to coast. Approximately 3 million customers eat at SONIC every day; and with more drink combinations than any other quick-service restaurant –398,929 – SONIC is Your Ultimate Drink Stop®. For more information about Sonic Corp. and its subsidiaries, visit SONIC at SonicDriveIn.com. Through Limeades for Learning®, SONIC and its franchise partners have donated more than $2 million to public school classrooms in local communities across the country.

Contact:
Anita Strohm
816.423.6188
[email protected]

SOURCE SONIC Drive-In