Press Releases

Safelite Creates its Own Star in New TV Campaign

COLUMBUS, Ohio - October 2, 2009 -When Safelite AutoGlass® leaders decided to take the leap into a national television ad campaign, they knew what they didn't want: no flashy celebrities, no crazy mascots and no wacky gimmicks.

Across the U.S., the value of Safelite lies with the caliber of their vehicle glass repair and replacement technicians. So who better to tell the Safelite story than a real-life technician? Thus, Erik Schumacher, a Safelite technician from Des Moines, Iowa was selected from Safelite technicians across the United States to become the American "spokestech" for the company's national television advertising campaign. The ads begin airing on major networks October 4.

"We had a lot of great technicians to choose from," said Mark Placenti, Safelite senior vice president of marketing and brand development. "In Erik, we found a true sense of genuineness and sincerity that represented our company and our brand well."

Placenti said Safelite's ad campaign was truly a global effort. The strategy was developed in conjunction with its U.K.-based parent company, Belron®. The spot features Schumacher demonstrating how chips can turn into cracks, and walking the viewer through the benefits of vehicle glass repair. The U.S. spots were shot over three days in Columbus last summer.

"We worked very closely with Safelite and Belron to ensure the ad was on strategy and was a realistic depiction of what happens when a small chip is ignored," said commercial director Ron Foth, Jr. of Ron Foth Advertising, Safelite's U.S.-based advertising agency "We also looked for neighborhoods that could represent 'Anytown USA.' It could be California; it could be Vermont,"

The ads will be shown in very heavy rotation when it airs, a strategy Safelite leaders are confident will serve to dramatically increase brand awareness. It is estimated that some 75 percent of adults age 25 to 54 may potentially see the spot 12 times during its run.

"We are confident that the U.S. ads will make Safelite not only a trusted name, but a household name as well," said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Belron&Reg; US, parent company of Safelite.

Schumacher has been with the company for 10 years. Despite his new celebrity, he intends on continuing his role as a Safelite technician. He'll just be a much better known one. "This has been a great opportunity," he said. "It will be really interesting to see the ad when it comes out, because so much work went into it. I'll never watch TV the same again."

About Safelite AutoGlass®
Safelite AutoGlass®, founded in 1947, is the nation's leading provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services, providing mobile service to more than 90 percent of the U.S. population in all 50 states. A subsidiary of Columbus, Ohio-based Belron® US, Safelite AutoGlass® serves more than 3.7 million customers each year through its company-owned operations. For more information, visit safelite.com.

About Belron® US
Belron® US, a subsidiary of Belron SA, is a multi-faceted vehicle glass and claims management service organization based in Columbus, Ohio. The company, which has been in business since 1947, is comprised of four major business operations that include vehicle glass repair and replacement services, operating under the trade names Safelite AutoGlass®, Auto Glass Specialists®, Cindy Rowe Auto Glass^TM, Diamond Triumph Glass^TM, Elite Auto Glass^TM and the Auto Glass Center family of brands; Safelite® Solutions and Alliance Claims Solutions which offer fleet and insurance claims management services; Service AutoGlass®, a wholesale and distribution operation; and Safelite Glass Corp., a manufacturing and distribution business unit. The company employs more than 9,000 people throughout the United States.

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