Call it a homecoming.
When Toyota introduced Lexus to the U.S. market in 1989, the Georgetown, Ky., plant – its first stand-alone vehicle manufacturing facility in America – was just in its second year of producing the Camry.
Fast forward 26 years and that same plant is celebrating the start of U.S. Lexus production. Today at a ceremony fit for a luxury brand king, the first-ever U.S.-produced ES 350 was unveiled before several thousand proud team members in Georgetown. And, just like a newborn foal at the nearby horse farms in Central Kentucky, the newcomer was brought into the world with plenty of TLC and hope for a bright future.
“This is really a proud moment for us and brings us full circle,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “To be the first wholly owned plant, building the number one best-selling car in America, the Camry, for 13 years in a row, and then to be selected to build the first Lexus is truly a tribute to our team members.”
For the past two and a half years, the Kentucky plant – Toyota’s largest in North America – has been gearing up to make the ES 350, Lexus’ best-selling sedan in the U.S. In all, $360 million was invested toward a new dedicated assembly line, adding 750 new jobs. Total capacity for the new line will be 50,000 vehicles.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655351-lexus-kentucky-plant-es-350/
Celebrate My Drive, powered by State Farm,® is proud to announce winners of the campaign designed to raise awareness and promote teen driver safety. One hundred high schools will share in a total of $3.28 million in grants connected to their participation in the program.
Over 3,200 high schools across North America participated, generating more than 6.1 million online safe driving commitments. Winning high schools generated the most commitments, while amplifying conversations around teen driver safety and addressing the leading cause of death for teens.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7271031-state-farm-celebrate-my-drive-2014/
Looking for a great idea for your next birthday party or group get-together? Experience indoor laser tag like you have never experienced before. This is NOT your dad's laser tag. Indoor War provides an unforgettable experience. Enjoy multiple urban-themed combat arenas, private party facilities including birthdays, bachelor & bachelorette parties, team-building activities and more. Raleigh residents, get excited, you can now enjoy an experience only Hard Knocks can provide! Learn more at http://www.indoorwar.com/location/raleigh-north-carolina/
To showcase its vision of a redefined mobility experience, Honda will unveil concepts on urban mobility, artificial intelligence, and robotics at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Honda will kick off its CES presence with an 11:00 am PST press conference on January 5, 2017 at LVCC, North Hall – 7312. To watch the livestream of the press conference, visit Honda.us/CESPressConference.
From reducing traffic congestion to creating new modes of in-car connectivity, CES attendees will have an opportunity to explore and demo technologies with the potential to make people’s lives better.
To schedule an interview with Honda representatives at CES, contact Jaymie Robinson at jaymie_robinson@hna.honda.com or Rebecca Lee at rebecca@awapr.com. For more information, visit honda.us/CES2017.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7988331-honda-ces-cooperative-mobility-ecosystem/
Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath products and power systems, has developed a portable showering experience to assist volunteers following hurricanes and other disasters. The new 42-foot KOHLER Relief trailer, which is powered by a KOHLER mobile generator, has been deployed for the first time by Operation Blessing International (OBI) to New Bern, North Carolina, a community with severe flooding caused by Hurricane Florence. OBl is a global nonprofit humanitarian organization providing aid in 39 countries through disaster relief, health and medical care, hunger relief, and access to safe water.
“We’re pleased to work with Kohler to bring the Relief Trailer to our many dedicated volunteers who are in North Carolina helping those in need following the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence,” said Ronda Sherman, vice president of philanthropy for Operation Blessing International. “Our volunteers are often deployed for weeks or months at a time following these massive storms and having the opportunity to shower onsite will significantly enhance our team’s efforts throughout the cleanup and recovery process.”
Highlighting more than $100 million in renovations at its hotels across North America, Super 8®, the world’s largest economy hotel brand and trusted roadside companion, today rolled into the 2018 New York International Auto Show with ROADM8, the first-ever concept car inspired by a hotel brand’s guestroom redesign.
Pulling its style and amenities straight from Super 8’s newly refreshed and elevated rooms—think bedding turned upholstery, a nightstand turned dashboard accent—ROADM8 fully embodies the sleek, new, modern look and feel of Super 8 while bringing the best of the brand to the open road. Outside, the vehicle boasts the red and yellow of the iconic Super 8 sign while inside are innovative amenities like a built-in, on-demand coffee machine, custom center console mini-fridge, touch-screen entertainment, and more.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8289351-super-8-roadm8-new-york-international-auto-show/
Penfolds, Australia’s leading winemaker, is delighted to once again partner with GQ Magazine, the premier men’s magazine for style and culture, and launch the second annual joint search for the “Best Dressed Somm” of 2015. Until September 30, 2015, wine professionals employed in the U.S. and Canada as sommeliers, also referred to as “somms,” are encouraged to submit their most dapper photos on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #BestDressedSomm for a chance to win the coveted title of Penfolds and GQ’s Best Dressed Somm 2015.
“In top restaurants across North America, modern day sommeliers challenge traditional wine attitudes and rules and set new trends in wine and style,” said DLynn Proctor, Penfolds U.S. Winemaking Ambassador. “A somm’s personal style is about exploring and knowing how to choose, and as a fellow somm I’m excited to be part of Penfolds’ and GQ’s celebration of style as a component of the total wine experience.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7614451-penfolds-gq-best-dressed-somm/
While January 1 is the traditional day millions announce their New Year’s Resolutions, research shows only 8% of Americans achieve success. For the fifth year, Life Time, is aiming to help people rethink resolutions and instead make a true, internal commitment to themselves to living a healthy way of life by participating in the Commitment Day 5K Fun Run and Walk. Held at more than 40 Life Time destinations across the U.S. and Canada, Commitment Day empowers individuals, families and communities to start the year on the right foot by marking their pledge with action toward a year of better health. New for 2017, a Virtual 5K is available for anyone in North America to join in. All participants will receive a race bib and commemorative Commitment Day tee shirt. Registration, locations and pricing details are available at www.CommitmentDay.com.
Commitment Weekend kicks off on Friday, Dec. 30 and continues through Monday, Jan. 2, when Life Time will open its doors to everyone – whether a member or not. During each of the four days, Life Time’s 122 destinations will feature a variety of health and fitness experiences and activities for all ages. In addition to the 5K Fun Run and Walk on Jan. 1, people can take part in unique-to-Life Time group fitness, indoor cycle and yoga classes such as Strike, Amp Cycle and Warrior Sculpt, as well as Alpha Training. Life Time’s indoor aquatic centers, basketball courts, rock walls and tennis, racquetball and squash courts will all be open with club-specific programming to help men, women and kids make their commitment even easier by doing activities they love or trying new things that will inspire them in the coming year.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7991951-life-time-commitment-day-virtual-5k-fun-run-walk/
Olives are a fundamental element of the gastronomy of all Mediterranean countries. Thanks to olives’ great taste and versatility, they can also be part of other traditional dishes, such as ceviches, baos or makis.
The European Union and Interaceituna teach us to introduce all the flavor, aroma and color that table olives can bring to these cuisines. This can be seen as a new type of gastronomic fusion straight from the world leaders of production and quality, which becomes a differentiating element that allows North American foodies to prepare dishes from Japan, South America or China, with a marked Mediterranean twist.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8194251-e-u-olives-from-spain-redesign-gastronomy/
Hyundai launched its first plug–in hybrid vehicle today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug–in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is expected to travel up to 22 miles on electric power and can recharge in as little as two and a half hours with a Level 2 charger. Sonata Plug–in Hybrid will be built at the Asan, South Korea plant and will go on sale in select markets later this year.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7417751-hyundai-sonata-naias-2015/
Klarna, Europe’s leading payment solutions providers, today announced the official launch of commercial operations in the U.S. with Overstock.com as its first major retail partner. According to Overstock.com, this partnership will bring a simplified buying experience on mobile devices, enabling Overstock.com shoppers the ease of buying from their smartphone or tablet with just one tap.
“We’re incredibly excited to launch Klarna in the U.S. To do so together with a partner of such a massive scale as Overstock gives us a huge boost into the market”, said Brian Billingsley, CEO of Klarna North America. “U.S. consumers are looking for a simpler and safer way to buy and retailers are looking for better ways to engage their consumers and increase their checkout conversion. The early success we’ve had with Overstock show the massive opportunity to turn more browsers into buyers.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7600151-klarna-launches-overstock-u-s/
Last December, nearly one-third of all car crash fatalities involved a drunk driver, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Today, to help make our roads safer during the holiday season, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) launched the 13th annual “Project Roadblock” initiative, in which local broadcast TV stations donate airtime to support NHTSA and the Ad Council’s “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA (public service advertising) campaign.
To help the campaign’s message reach those who could benefit most, the Ad Council is conducting a special push to TV stations in the 10 states that accounted for 53% of all alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2015: Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Illinois, and South Carolina.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/8003951-nhtsa-ad-council-tvb-anti-drunk-driving-psa/