TORRANCE, California, June 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Honda is launching a light-hearted new social media campaign starring Instagram cat sensation Pompous Albert, to remind customers of the importance of keeping their Honda vehicles in tip top condition with Honda Genuine Parts and Service: https://youtu.be/9TfkWjFctes.

Honda went in search of the biggest skeptic on the Internet to win over the social media masses in the new campaign. Enter Pompous Albert, an “Instafamous” (Instagram famous) cat with a hard stare that has generated memes across the Internet and social media.

“Pompous Albert’s many followers seem to share his skeptical sensibility, so we thought it would be fun to create a visually compelling storyline that was not only relatable, but raises awareness about the importance of regular maintenance with Genuine Honda Parts and Service,” said Nick Lee, Manager of Service Marketing at American Honda. “Summer is perfect for road trips, cruising with friends, and spending time with family and pets, which also makes it a critical time of year to keep vehicles running smoothly by visiting a local Honda dealership.”

The campaign features a 36-second version of the Pompous Albert video as well as additional cuts that will be featured on Honda social media channels including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and will be accompanied by a variety of gifs and memes. The campaign launches today and will run through June.

About Honda Genuine Parts
Honda Genuine Parts have been specifically designed and rigorously tested for quality and approved to meet the exact operating specifications of each Honda vehicle. With their flawless fit, Honda Genuine Parts help enhance the superior performance of Honda vehicles. Parts are engineered and tested to complement the innovative technology built into Honda vehicles. http://owners.honda.com/parts-accessories/parts

About Honda Service and Maintenance
With every visit to a Honda Dealer for service, customers can be confident they will be supported by Honda service advisors and Honda-trained technicians. Honda dealer service teams are committed to providing customers with convenient, competitive, worry-free service and help keep Honda vehicles running at peak performance with regularly scheduled maintenance. http://owners.honda.com/service-maintenance

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity Fuel Cell passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 34 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2016, more than 96 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/524446/American_Honda_Motor_Co_Inc_Pompous_Albert.jpg
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SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

IRVINE, California, June 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced that its 2017 Mazda CX-9 midsize, three-row crossover SUV has earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the nonprofit Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, the highest score the IIHS provides.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/521969/2017_Mazda_CX_9_Driveway_Side.jpg

On sale for just over a year, CX-9 has already earned a fair share of accolades, including being named as a Car and Driver 10Best Trucks and SUVs honoree and recently earning spots on Wards Automotive’s prestigious 10 Best Interiors list and 10 Best Engines list for 2017.

“The concepts of ‘self’ and ‘family,’ as well as ‘smart indulgence’ led the way for our engineers and designers to create their ideal midsize crossover SUV,” said Masashi Otsuka, VP of R&D and design, MNAO, who served as the CX-9’s program manager in his previous role with Mazda Motor Corporation in Hiroshima, Japan. “We wanted to create a vehicle that could delight couples or shuttle families with the same effortlessness. Now, we are proud to say that the IIHS has recognized CX-9 for its safety, highlighting the achievements of our engineering team.”

Mazda CX-9 excelled in collision and occupancy protection tests with the highest “Good” ratings and passed the IIHS’s stringent new headlight tests with its standard LED lighting.

Also tested was CX-9’s automatic emergency braking capabilities, of which the midsize crossover SUV again scored a “Good” rating. Available on CX-9 are both Smart City Brake Support for low-speed emergency braking and Smart Brake Support, which uses a radar-based system for highway speeds.

With a starting MSRP of $31,520², Mazda CX-9 provides a remarkable value, from its crafted details to its sleek KODO—Soul of Motion design. Available features build upon CX-9, elevating the experience to one of premium crossover SUV with bespoke touches like Nappa leather seating surfaces, rosewood interior accents made by premium guitar-maker Fujigen, aluminum details, a full-color head-up display, Mazda’s predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive and more.

For more information about the 2017 CX-9, visit: https://insidemazda.mazdausa.com/vehicle-page/2017-cx-9/.

For more information about the IIHS, visit: http://www.iihs.org/.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 600 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.

¹ IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation applies to 2017 models manufactured after December 1, 2016.
² MSRP does not include $940 for destination and handling ($985 in Alaska) or any additional taxes or fees. Dealers set actual sale prices.

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SOURCE Mazda North American Operations