ATLANTA, April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- With a chance to win $30,000 toward the purchase of a vehicle on AutoTrader.com and free movie tickets for consumers posting cars for sale on the site, AutoTrader.com is bringing additional excitement to the release of Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' high-octane family adventure Speed Racer. Beginning May 5, AutoTrader.com will offer two free movie tickets with the purchase of a deluxe "private seller" ad. This offer will be made public to consumers through national radio, including the Mike & Mike show on ESPN.
AutoTrader.com hopes to bring the excitement of Speed Racer closer to consumers through the free ticket promotion, the $30,000 sweepstakes and other Speed Racer-themed elements that build on the synergies between this highly anticipated summer movie and AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace.
In the "The Ultimate Speed Racer Giveaway" sweepstakes, which began April 14 and runs until May 30, consumers who register will have the chance to win $30,000 towards the purchase of a vehicle found through AutoTrader.com, CollectorCarTraderOnline.com or in print publications AutoTrader, Deals on Wheels, Old Car Trader or Specialty Car Marketplace. This sweepstakes is open to anyone and no purchase is required.
"AutoTrader.com aims to communicate to consumers that we offer the widest array of vehicles when they are shopping, in their preferred method of shopping, either online or in print," said AutoTrader.com Director of Promotions and Sponsorships Don Dixon. "Our association with Speed Racer is an interesting example of how AutoTrader.com is delivering this message. In addition, by offering free movie tickets to private sellers, those customers who place ads to sell their vehicles on AutoTrader.com will receive even more value for their advertisement purchase. We hope consumers see AutoTrader.com, not just as the most comprehensive automotive marketplace, but as a place to find their dream car, much like the Mach 5 is to Speed Racer."
In addition to offering a promotion and sweepstakes element, AutoTrader.com is bringing the experience of the movie to life by creating a Mach 5 vehicle description page, a mock-up with photos and video tabs as Speed Racer's car would appear on the AutoTrader.com site. Consumers will have a chance to research the Mach 5 as they would any of the over 3 million vehicles listed on AutoTrader.com.
Furthermore, a full-size replica of the Mach 5 used in the film will be on display with co-branded Speed Racer and AutoTrader.com banners at the following Major League Baseball games:
-- May 2: Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Anaheim, CA)
-- May 2-3: Turner Field (Atlanta, GA)
-- May 9-10: Wrigley Field (Chicago, IL)
Consumers can learn how to participate in the Speed Racer sweepstakes or take advantage of the promotion by visiting www.autotrader.com, or by picking up a current copy of AutoTrader, Specialty Car Marketplace, or Old Car Trader print publications.
About "Speed Racer" in theatres and IMAX on May 9
From the Wachowski brothers and producer Joel Silver, creators of the groundbreaking "The Matrix" trilogy, comes the live-action family adventure "Speed Racer" which follows the adventures of the young race car driver Speed (Emile Hirsch) in his quest for glory in his thunderous Mach 5. The Wachowski brothers directed "Speed Racer" from their own screenplay. Joel Silver, Grant Hill, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski are the producers, with David Lane Seltzer, Michael Lambert and Bruce Berman serving as executive producers. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Benno Furmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Asian pop superstar Rain, and Richard Roundtree. Based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, the live-action "Speed Racer" will showcase the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers' films. "Speed Racer" is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Anarchos Productions. This film is rated PG for "sequences of action, some violence and language." www.speedracerthemovie.com
About AutoTrader.com
AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location more than 3 million vehicle listings from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners, which provide the largest selection of vehicles attracting more than 13 million qualified buyers each month. Through innovative merchandising products such as multiple photos and comprehensive search functionality, AutoTrader.com unites buyer and seller online -- dramatically improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.
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