Identity’s Nikki Stephan to Participate in Chevy Road Trip

BINGHAM FARMS, Mich., March 8, 2011—Bingham Farms, Mich.-based Identity Marketing & Public Relations, a fully integrated marketing and public relations firm, announced that Identity Social Media Strategist Nikki Stephan will participate in the Chevrolet South by Southwest (SXSW) road trip challenge, starting today.

Two Detroit teams will participate in the road trip this year. Stephan will represent Detroit’s Team Motown with teammates Jacki Halas, Brian Ambrozy and Kyle Stuef. The team will start the trip today and work to complete 11 challenges, revealed en route and to be scored by a panel judged on uniqueness and creativity, before arriving in Austin on Thursday evening to attend the annual SXSW Interactive Conference.

Prior to starting the road trip, Team Motown completed its first challenge: Raise at least $200 for Adopt-a-Classroom. Stephan and her team did this by hosting an Eat-a-Thon at Rosie O’ Grady’s in Ferndale on February 13. Raising a total of $400, the team donated the extra $200 raised to Duffield Elementary School in Detroit.

For the second year in a row, Chevrolet is a Super Sponsor of the interactive, film, and music festival SXSW in Austin March 11-20. Team Motown and the nine other SXSW road trip teams will use OnStar technologies as they drive to Austin. The teams, from different cities throughout the United States and Canada, will drive to Austin in Chevrolet vehicles, using OnStar to receive instructions for the trip, post updates through social media channels and download directions to their next destination.

The teams will also evaluate next-generation OnStar technologies, such as using the OnStar Voice Communications App for Android mobile phones, which enables drivers to send and receive text messages and Twitter updates using only their voices. Road trip teams will also test a pilot voice-recognition Turn-by-Turn app that allows customers to say their desired destination and automatically download directions to the vehicle through OnStar.

To follow Team Motown on their road trip, go to www.motownsxsw.com, www.facebook.com/teammotownsxsw or www.twitter.com/motownsxsw.

Identity is a fully integrated public relations agency leveraging creativity, talent, relationships and technology to drive strategic communications programs that leave a mark. Founded in 1998, the company provides strategy, counsel and execution in the areas of marketing, public relations, design and new media. Identity is headquartered in the Bingham Office Center in Bingham Farms, Mich. For more information, visit identitypr.com.