CARSTAR Seeks Canadians Who #LovetheJourney

New integrated campaign evokes Canadian car love by exploring priceless moments in life’s journey

Hamilton, ON – June 26, 2013 – With nearly 10 million square kilometres and close to one million kilometres of road to call home, Canadians are no strangers to the draw of the open road and to the significant role that a car can play in our lifelong journey. In a new campaign launched today, Canada’s largest collision & glass franchise network, CARSTAR, is aiming to celebrate the priceless moments in life’s journey that Canadians experience in – and with – their cars and to remind them that CARSTAR is there to help whenever they hit a bump in the road.

From a snails’ pace drive home with a newborn baby to an annual pilgrimage up to the cottage to a once in a lifetime cross-Canada road trip, cars play a pivotal role in special moments in the lives of Canadians. Through television, social media and contesting CARSTAR will explore many of these moments and express the underlying theme that the joy is often in the journey, and not just in the destination.

The television spot evokes many priceless moments in the personal journeys of Canadians and highlights CARSTAR’s commitment to reduce the stress and hassle following a collision; allowing Canadians to get back to their personal journeys. The television spot premiered Monday and will continue to air across the country throughout the year. Kicking off Canada Day long weekend, the TV spot will also run on every Cineplex movie screen in the country for a full week. Brian Melo, a Hamilton native and winner of the fifth season of Canadian Idol, wrote the score for the television campaign.

CARSTAR will integrate social media, asking Canadians to weigh in on the most memorable journeys in their lives. Starting this week, CARSTAR’s Facebook and Twitter pages will become destinations for Canadians to share moments from their life’s journey. Canadians are invited to share their stories on the brand’s Facebook page or on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #lovethejourney.

“A common comment we hear is that our customers often don’t recognize the emotional connection they have with their cars until they are damaged, or how important a role they play in our daily lives,” said Chris Moore, National Marketing Manager for CARSTAR Collision & Glass Centres, “We wanted to remind Canadians about this emotional connection with their cars and provide an avenue for Canadians to share the stories of their personal journeys.”

Beginning in August, CARSTAR will promote its #lovethejourney Facebook contest where Canadians will have the opportunity to win a dream journey of their choice, tailored to four unique personality types – The Adventure Seeker, The Romantic, The Arts Enthusiast and the Nature Lover. Each prize will feature a trip for two to a destination in Canada that will demonstrate the diverse nature of Canadian journeys. More information will be unveiled in the coming weeks on CARSTAR’s Facebook page.

With collision and glass repair centres located across the country, CARSTAR and its team of franchise partners are committed to providing quality collision repair and exceptional customer service.  The brand’s #lovethejourney campaign is the newest articulation of its ongoing mission to “make accidents unhappen” for drivers. One of the fundamental ways in which CARSTAR aims to improve the post-collision experience is by working with leading Canadian insurance partners to streamline the claims process and improve the customer experience. Over the years, CARSTAR has developed a variety of tools and resources to reduce stress for drivers involved in any collision situation, including a 1-800 emergency support line and a free ‘Unhappen My Accident’ iPhone app.  

CARSTAR #lovethejourney TV commercial 2013:

 

About CARSTAR Collision & Glass Centres

CARSTAR is the largest and fastest growing automotive repair franchise in North America, with over 400 locations. Founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 1995, CARSTAR Collision & Glass Centres has grown from eight to over 170 locations throughout 10 provinces. Within Canada, CARSTAR repairs approximately 100,000 vehicles per year, with exceptionally high customer experience ratings.  Through a variety of fundraising initiatives, CARSTAR, its franchisees, partners and employees have raised over $2 million for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. CARSTAR is recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. For more information, please visit: www.carstar.ca.