Subaru of America Wins Top Automotive Webby Award and Gold IAAA Award for 'Mediocrity' Campaign

CHERRY HILL, N.J., May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru of America, Inc. has won a 2011 Webby Award in the automotive category, plus the Gold 2010 International Automotive Advertising Award (IAAA), for the company's tongue-in-cheek "Mediocrity" campaign.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO)

Playing off of the abundance of bland mid-sized sedans in the marketplace, the campaign portrays a dull and unexceptional fictional vehicle: the 2011 Mediocrity, shown in monotone beige.   This uninspiring vehicle is then contrasted to the vibrant Subaru Legacy with its 2.5 litre Boxer engine and standard all-wheel drive, which combine to make it an engaging car to drive.

The Mediocrity campaign was developed in partnership with Subaru's advertising agency of record, Carmichael Lynch.  The campaign's digital focus included a fully interactive website, custom vehicle detail pages in car shopping sites, online banners and video, plus a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, a Twitter feed and a Flickr presence. National broadcast media also drove awareness of the 2011 Mediocrity.

"Consumers shouldn't have to settle on a vehicle that's just adequate," said Alan Bethke, director of marketing communication, Subaru of America, Inc. "The Mediocrity campaign was an engaging way to have some fun with this trend toward blandness while offering a better alternative, 2011 Subaru Legacy."

Highlighting the best of the Web, the Webby award winners are chosen by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. This year's 15th Annual Webby Awards is the biggest in their history, with winners chosen from nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 U.S. states and more than 60 countries worldwide.  The International Automotive Advertising Awards, established in 1995, celebrate and showcase the effort and excellence in automotive and automotive-related advertising and marketing across all medias.

Subaru of America also received the following accolades from the IAAA for its television work:

• Baby Driver / Gold "Passenger Cars Intermediate/Large; Television"
• Hockey Mom / Gold "Sport Utility; Television"
• Where Did We Park? / Gold "Sport Utility; Television"
• Honeymoon / Silver "Sport Utility; Television"
• Reunion / Bronze "Sport Utility; Television"

Both the Mediocrity campaign and the arresting television advertising have increased Subaru awareness and affinity with vehicle shoppers and have contributed to record sales for the brand in both 2010 and the first quarter of 2011.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States.  Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards.  All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

Contact:
Michael McHale
Subaru of America, Inc.
856-488-3326
[email protected]

Rachelle Damminger
Subaru of America, Inc.
856-488-5093
[email protected]

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.