LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southern California Honda Dealers Association (http://www.socalhonda.com) have announced that the recipients have been selected for the 1st annual Honda Helpful Awards, a celebration honoring Helpfulness among residents in Southern California. From over 500 nominations, three individuals who dedicate their lives to helping others will be surprised with a brand new 2008 Honda vehicle at an invitation-only event, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 from 12:00pm-2:00pm at the Santa Monica Pier.

From September through November 2007, Southern Californians were invited to recognize helpful members of their community whose life would be significantly improved by a new Honda. Each nomination required a written explanation outlining the reason(s) the nominee should be awarded with a car, how the car would help them continue to be helpful, and which Honda model would help them the most. The efforts of the individuals chosen range from rescuing and sheltering animals in disasters and using animal therapy to help special needs children develop; to caring for and educating at-risk and autistic children from low-income families; to delivering meals and developing programs to improve the lifestyles of senior citizens.

"We were blown away by all of the nominees' stories and the passion of the people who took the time to submit a nomination," said Patrick Adams, managing director, Secret Weapon Marketing. "We are really proud to extend Honda's helpfulness beyond the media and day-to-day activities of the Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue. The winners' stories are truly inspiring -- we're excited to honor each of them at the 1st annual Honda Helpful Awards, and hope this event is the first of many to come in the future."

During the submission process, the Honda Helpful Awards were promoted through online and radio advertising, as well as by the Honda Helpful Guys and Girls in Blue via dealership programs and interaction with the public. Nominations were valid for California residents only and were accepted for consideration online, through standard mail, or in dealership entry boxes. In addition to hosting the awards presentation, the Southern California Honda Dealers Association is working with a variety of local and national organizations to recognize Helpfulness in our communities throughout the year.

The Southern California Honda Helpful campaign is a multi-layered advertising and marketing program that launched in January 2007. Extending beyond traditional TV, radio, and outdoor methods, the campaign demonstrates -- firsthand -- the Southern California Honda Dealers' commitment to being Helpful.

For more information, please visit http://www.SocalHonda.com.

About The Southern California Honda Dealers Association

The Southern California Honda Dealers Association is made up of 57 dealers located in various cities spanning from Orange County and Los Angeles, to Bakersfield and San Louis Obispo. In January 2007, the Association launched a cohesive advertising and marketing program, Honda Helpful, to give the dealers a unified voice and increase awareness for individual dealer experiences. For more information, please visit http://www.SocalHonda.com.

About Secret Weapon Marketing

Established in 1997, Secret Weapon Marketing is a full service creative agency known for developing unusually effective advertising and marketing campaigns. Committed to constructing unique and recognizable properties for its clients, Secret Weapon Marketing was awarded the Golden Lion and Golden Effie for its work on the Jack in the Box(R) campaign, and recently launched the Helpful campaign with the Southern California Honda Dealers Association. Located in Santa Monica, California, Secret Weapon Marketing was formed by Dick Sittig, creator of the Energizer Bunny(R) and the long-running Jack in the Box(R) campaign; and Managing Director, Patrick Adams. For more information, please visit http://www.secretweapon.net

Southern California Honda Dealers Association, The

Southern California Honda Dealers Association, The

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