Honda Launches Popular "Happy Honda Days" As Holiday Shopping Season Begins

Santa Monica, Calif., Nov. 21, 2006 — Honda's national "Happy Honda Days" integrated advertising campaign begins on Thanksgiving Day. The strategy developed by Honda's long-standing agency of record, RPA, is to help drive qualified dealership traffic to buy or lease a new Honda before year's end. Honda is poised to achieve its 11th consecutive record sales year.

Continuing with the popular theme for the third holiday season, the campaign includes all-new TV spots, in-dealership materials (point-of-purchase kits), print, radio and online.

"Greeting Cards" TV spots will begin Nov. 23 through Dec. 31:

• "Snowy Woods" — Features full line of Honda vehicles
• "Home" — Features Honda Accord
• "Barn" — Features Honda truck line
• "Covered Bridge" — Features Honda Pilot

The music in "Greeting Cards" TV was specially designed and played by guitarist Christopher Bruce. "His amazing talent and fresh approach to holiday music contributed to making the campaign upbeat and fun for the holidays," said Mark Patton, V.P., Associate Creative Director at RPA.

Targeting 25- to 54-year-old consumers, the campaign will air during five weeks of high-frequency television. Spots will run on network programming such as Ugly Betty, Six Degrees, Brothers & Sisters, Extreme Home Makeover, Shark, Ghost Whisperer, Num3ers, Amazing Race and Deal or No Deal. Additionally, the ads will air on the following cable networks: A&E, ABC Family, CMT, ESPN News, FX, FOX Sports Net, NFL Network, Sci Fi, Spike and TV Land.

Print will kick off in Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and Time with additional insertions in USA Today, People, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated and Us Weekly. Radio includes "'Twas the Days," to air from Nov. 23 through Dec. 25, and "George," to air from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31.

Happy Honda Days

A "Happy Honda Days" (www.happy.honda.com) Web page will go live on Nov. 23 through early January. Online banners will be placed on the following Web sites:

• In-page ad units on top auto shopping Web sites: AOL Autos, Autobytel, Automotive, AutoTrader, Bankrate, Car & Driver, Cars.com, CarsDirect, Consumer Guides, Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book, Motor Trend, MSN Autos, Nada Guides, Road & Track, Vehix and Yahoo! Autos
• Upper-funnel, high-traffic home page spotlights and category placements during December: AOL Autos, Autobytel, AutoTrader, Car & Driver, Cars.com, CarsDirect, Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book, MSN Autos, NADA Guides and Yahoo! Autos

Senior V.P., Creative Director: Jon Yarbrough V.P., Associate Creative Director: Mark Patton Associate Creative Director: Bill Halladay Executive Producer: Isadora Chesler Executive V.P., General Manager: Dennis Remsing Senior V.P., Account Director: Gregory J. Smith

About RPA RPA, headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., is the largest independent advertising agency based on the West Coast, with more than $1 billion in billings. RPA builds momentum for brands by offering its clients truly integrated campaigns that resonate throughout its disciplines, which include traditional advertising, interactive, and direct and event marketing. RPA also serves as a media planning and buying agency for clients such as MGM and Zatarain's. For more information, visit http://www.rpa.com.