CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As a continuation of the Chicago Auto Show's long-standing partnership with the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and its annual Driving Engagement Award, show organizers have partnered with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) to evolve and rebrand the award as the Driving Influence Award. The ANA recently acquired WOMMA and is committed to honoring auto manufacturers that creatively and effectively harness the power of influencer marketing. The ANA will select three manufacturer finalists to attend a special awards ceremony during the Chicago Auto Show's Media Preview on Friday, Feb. 8, where one of those brands will be honored with the 2019 Driving Influence Award.
"Our goal with the Driving Influence Award is to recognize the power of influencer marketing to engage customers authentically and creatively, and to highlight examples of how top auto brands and their influencer partners are meaningfully engaging consumers," said ANA's Director of Influencer Marketing Leah Marshall.
For the past six years, the Chicago Auto Show's partnership with WOMMA has celebrated automakers' outstanding word-of-mouth campaigns, many of which leveraged the power of social media to engage current and prospective customers. Nissan was presented with the 2018 Driving Engagement Award last February. In its winning campaign, Nissan addressed the backlash and resistance to Saudi Arabia's lift of the country's long-standing ban on women drivers while also dispelling myths about Saudi women, fueling social change and showcasing the comedy intrinsic to learning how to drive. Past Driving Engagement Award recipients include Honda (Monsters Calling Home and April Fools' Fit Kit), Hyundai (Walking Dead Chop Shop), Mitsubishi (Kids Talk Safety) and Toyota (Family Trails).
"We're excited to build upon this established award and continue to evolve it with ANA's partnership," said 2019 Chicago Auto Show Chairman Ray Scarpelli Jr.
The Chicago Auto Show and ANA are now accepting campaign submissions: https://www.chicagoautoshow.com/media/2019-ana-award/. The ANA's judging criteria is found within the submission page. Manufacturers or their advertising/marking/public relations/social media agencies are eligible to submit a campaign for consideration.
For more information on the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, please visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com, or watch this promotional video. Media can visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com/media for more information or to register for media credentials.
About the Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America, spanning more than 1 million square feet of production, concept and exotic vehicle exhibit space. In addition to hosting multiple world and North American vehicle debuts, the Chicago Auto Show's First Look for Charity raises more than $2.5 million annually for 18 vital Chicago organizations in a single night. The 2019 public show is Feb. 9-18. For more information, visit www.ChicagoAutoShow.com or www.Facebook.com/ChicagoAutoShow.
About the Chicago Automobile Trade Association
Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is one of the nation's largest metropolitan dealer organizations. It is comprised of more than 420 franchised new-car dealers and an additional 150 allied members. The group's dealer members employ about 19,000 people in the metropolitan area. The association has produced the world-famous Chicago Auto Show since 1935. For more information please visit www.CATA.info.
About the Association of National Advertisers
The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) makes a difference for individuals, brands, and the industry by driving growth, advancing the interests of marketers, and promoting and protecting the well-being of the marketing community. Founded in 1910, the ANA provides leadership that advances marketing excellence and shapes the future of the industry. The ANA's membership includes more than 1,700 companies with 25,000 brands that engage almost 150,000 industry professionals and collectively spend or support more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually. The membership is comprised of more than 1,000 client-side marketers and more than 700 marketing solutions provider members, which include leading marketing data science and technology suppliers, ad agencies, law firms, consultants, and vendors. Further enriching the ecosystem is the work of the nonprofit ANA Educational Foundation (AEF), which has the mission of enhancing the understanding of advertising and marketing within the academic and marketing communities.
SOURCE Chicago Auto Show
