Debra Jackson of Los Angeles, a retired machine operator of 28 years, went deep and blasted one out of the park in Hankook’s baseball-themed Great Catch Chevrolet Camaro Giveaway contest.
As her friends and family looked on, company president Soo Il Lee recently presented Jackson with the keys to a gleaming silver 2010 Camaro at Southern California’s landmark Mel’s Drive-In on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood.
“Our Great Catch Giveaway program was definitely a success, but being able to present Ms. Jackson with a new Camaro is a home run for us,” says communications director Bill Bainbridge.
“The rebates and giveaway were an added incentive to entice buyers,” he notes. “We know that if you try Hankook, you’ll be satisfied and recommend Hankook to your friends. I’m sure Ms. Jackson will be recommending Hankook to those around her.”
Upon receiving the phone call from Bainbridge, Jackson thought it was a hoax. Jackson recalls asking repeatedly if the whole thing was a joke, but was reassured she had won. She calls winning the Camaro “a gift from God.”
“The Great Catch Giveaway program was designed to give back to those who purchased tires through the rebates, and give everyone a chance to win through the Camaro Giveaway,” says Lee. “No purchase was necessary for the drawing – it worked out as a great way to build awareness for Hankook and expose our brand to a larger audience.”
Jackson’s submission was chosen through a random drawing of more than 39,000 entries. Jackson, who enters contests and sweepstakes daily, reports that this is the biggest prize she’s ever won, citing a $250 gift card as her previous personal best. Having told her friends and family about her new found luck, they too found it hard to believe.
“I told her to bring her family and friends along when we present the car,” Bainbridge recounts. “They’ll have no choice but to believe her then.”
Jackson personally picked out the silver color for the car after visiting a local dealership for a closer look. Mel’s Drive-In – made famous by American Graffiti and appearances in countless television shows – was chosen as the event location because it fits in perfectly with California’s car culture and the roots of the Camaro.
Hankook purchased the car from Penske Chevrolet of Cerritos, Calif., part of the well known Penske Group. To outfit the Camaro, Hankook provided a new set of its Ventus V12 evo tires, “offering the ultimate driving experience” for Jackson, according to Bainbridge.
“The Ventus V12 evo has consistently earned high praise from some of the leading automotive enthusiast magazines in North America and around the world,” he says, “featuring an innovative MTR (Multiple Tread Radius) tread design and HPSR compound technology that provide precise control and responsiveness, representing a new power in sports driving.”
Hankook began the summer sweepstakes incentive program in April with a Camaro as the grand prize. The Great Catch Mail-in Rebate was available to consumers who purchased four select tires of any size between April 1 and June 30 from an authorized Hankook retailer. The tires included in the rebates were the Ventus V12 evo, the Ventus V4 ES and the Optimo H727.
For more information, visit www.hankooktireusa.com.
