CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Mudd Advertising has announced the launch of a new marketing program that will allow dealerships to use Motor Trend's Car of the Year, Truck of the Year and Sport Utility of the Year logos on direct mail pieces and POP displays. Mudd brokered the special licensing agreement to allow their dealer clients to leverage the Motor Trend brand to increase vehicle sales.

“Not only is Motor Trend one of the most respected voices in the automotive industry, their highly coveted awards receive a tremendous amount of media attention that helps drive sales of the winning vehicles,” said Chris Mudd, president of Mudd Advertising’s Direct Marketing division. “With this new program, dealers can benefit from the popularity of the magazine and its annual awards by incorporating the Motor Trend brand into their advertising.”

Motor Trend has chosen a Car of the Year nearly every year since 1949, when the then-new Cadillac Club Coupe took the first prize. The new agreement means that rights previously granted only to OEM award recipients can be shared among Mudd's 3,000 dealers across the U.S.

“Mudd Advertising was chosen to launch this program because of their excellent industry reputation and capabilities. Every aspect of their business is state of the art, from their in-house production facilities to their creative, integrated marketing strategies,” said Ira Gabriel, publisher of Motor Trend Magazine. “This partnership gives dealers a unique opportunity to showcase their award-winning vehicles and product lines using the power and credibility of the Motor Trend brand.”