Pennzoil® Campaign Launch to Celebrate the Country's Love of Cars

HOUSTON, March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the passion drivers have for their automobiles, the makers of Pennzoil are launching the next phase of the brand's Long Love Cars campaign. For some drivers, cars equal freedom; for others, cars represent status; for many, their car stories are based on driving memories. Through car stories, Long Love Cars will come to life with sponsorships, activations and programs that offer meaningful ways for consumers to connect with the brand everywhere cars are adored.

The Long Love Cars campaign focuses on common themes associated with automotive passion, including music and freedom, as well as sharing the joy with others.  To celebrate those themes, Pennzoil has elected car enthusiast and "Artist of the Decade" Tim McGraw as its brand ambassador and will be sponsoring this summer's 2012 Brothers of the Sun Tour with McGraw.  Additionally, the makers of the brand will team up with the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) to support PVA's Mission:ABLE program to retro-fit vehicles for injured veterans so that these former drivers can reclaim their freedom and love of driving.

"People love cars; they name them, take pictures with them and form deep personal connections with them, and we want people to know they can trust Pennzoil to make exceptional motor oils because we love cars, too," said Bree Sandlin, Pennzoil Global Brand Manager.  "The Long Love Cars campaign is a celebration of drivers and their cars. Everything we are doing this year is geared to talking about that love in bigger ways than ever before."

Pennzoil realizes music and driving go hand-in-hand, so the brand will provide unique experiences through a new music platform that will resonate with the overall goal of the campaign.  Pennzoil will be offering fans exclusive Tim McGraw content, including behind-the-scenes videos from the road, and strategic online promotions. All of this content will be available only to "fans" of the brand on the Pennzoil Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

"Music has always been associated with cars for me," said Tim McGraw. "There's a bond that's formed between a guy and a car and it starts when you're young. It's always been the way I've listened to music; I would listen to demos in the car. My car represents freedom."

Freedom is another sentiment associated with driving an automobile. Yet this freedom can be taken away if one is physically disabled and unable to drive a standard factory-built vehicle. The Long Live Cars campaign will kick-off a two year commitment to PVA's Mission:ABLE program that will allow veterans with disabilities to reconnect with driving and regain their love of the car.  The makers of Pennzoil motor oil have agreed to donate $100,000 to PVA with the goal to retrofit vehicles for handicapped use and allow these heroes to revive their love of cars.  Retro-fitting typically includes removing seats, installing hand-controls or mounting ramps.

"We all know and love that sense of freedom you get behind the wheel of a car," said Bill Lawson, national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America and automobile enthusiast. "Multiply that feeling of freedom by a million, and that's what it feels like to be able to drive again after being paralyzed. It really does give you back your independence. We are deeply grateful to the Pennzoil brand for their support of Paralyzed Veterans of America's Mission:ABLE -- an all-out effort to help our vets get back their independence after their lives have been shattered by serious injury."

To connect one-on-one with consumers, a multi-faceted social media plan for the Pennzoil brand is also being launched using a variety of platforms to bring together consumers who share a love for cars. Automobile enthusiasts now have the ability to join and follow various groups created just for them including a Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/Pennzoil), a Twitter account (@Pennzoil) and a branded YouTube Channel (www.YouTube.com/Pennzoil).

"Social media will allow us the opportunity to give our fans a peek behind the curtain of our brand activities, including exclusive content from the Tim McGraw tour, our motorsports sponsorships in NASCAR and the IRL, and footage from our activities with the PVA--all content that we think will help motorists really connect around their shared love of cars," said Sandlin. 

The Long Love Cars campaign will connect drivers with their passion for cars throughout 2012. For more information on the Pennzoil Long Love Cars campaign, social media sites and upcoming Pennzoil road shows, visit www.Pennzoil.com.

About Pennzoil
At Pennzoil, we're car people.  We love cars and the role they play in our lives. Some of our most cherished memories are made possible by cars. That's why we tirelessly pursue the latest advances in oil technology - to provide car lovers just like us with state-of-the-art motor oils that can help keep engines running strong for a long, long time. At Pennzoil, motor oil is our passion, but cars are our way of life.  Long love cars. 

Pennzoil® is the most trusted motor oil brand in America.* Each Pennzoil motor oil is formulated with special Active Cleansing Agents™ that not only help prevent sludge, but also clean out existing sludge.  The full line of Pennzoil quality products includes Pennzoil Ultra™ motor oil with Hyper Cleansing Technology™, Pennzoil Platinum® Full Synthetic motor oil, Pennzoil® motor oil, Pennzoil Gold™ motor oil, Pennzoil® High Mileage Vehicle® motor oil, and Pennzoil Marine® engine oil. For more information about Pennzoil products, please visit www.pennzoil.com. 

* Based on a survey of licensed drivers conducted by a leading research firm January 2005 – December 2010.

About Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw has sold over 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 32 No. one singles. He's won three GRAMMY® Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 10 American Music Awards, three People's Choice Awards and numerous other honors. With 7.8 million spins at radio, McGraw was deemed "Artist of the Decade" (2000-2010) by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems.  McGraw's 11th studio album EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC debuted at No. one on the Billboard Country Chart, making it his 13th career No. one debut. His current single, "Better Than I Used To Be," continues to steadily climb the charts.  This June, McGraw will kick off what is anticipated to be the biggest stadium tour in country music history with old friend Kenny Chesney.  The 'Brothers of the Sun' Tour kicks off on June 2 in Tampa and will hit the nation's biggest stadiums through August.  McGraw is also an accomplished actor, having starred in films such as the Oscar-nominated blockbuster The Blind Side and the critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights.

About Paralyzed Veterans of America
The Paralyzed Veterans of America has launched Mission:ABLE a campaign to enlist all Americans – citizens, communities and corporations – to help our paralyzed heroes fully live the lives they deserve and to receive what they need most: care, benefits and jobs. And for more than 64 years, Paralyzed Veterans and our 34 chapters have been working to create an America where all veterans and people with disabilities, and their families, have everything they need to thrive. We represent thousands of veterans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. www.mission-able.com www.pva.org

About Shell Lubricants
The term 'Shell Lubricants' collectively refers to the companies of Royal Dutch Shell plc that are engaged in the lubricants business. Shell Lubricants companies lead the lubricants industry, supplying more than 13% of global lubricants volume.(a) The companies manufacture and blend products for use in consumer, heavy industrial and commercial transport applications. The Shell Lubricants portfolio of top-quality brands includes Pennzoil®, Quaker State®, FormulaShell®, Shell TELLUS®, Shell RIMULA®, Shell ROTELLA® T, Shell SPIRAX® and Jiffy Lube®.

(a)Kline & Company, "Global Lubricants Industry 2010: Market Analysis and Assessment."

SOURCE Pennzoil