National Press Release

DETROIT, Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Havoc TV, operator of the nation's most-highly viewed video-on-demand (VOD) channels, took its unique interactive platform to the Detroit Auto Show this week. Havoc, which also has a daily four-hour programming block on DIRECTV's 101 Network, used the delivery mechanism and the World Wide Web to invite media to participate in Volvo Car Corporation's press activities in Detroit. This marks the first time that an automobile company has creatively utilized the potential for generating immediate response communication between its executives and remote journalists.

While Havoc TV reaches millions of viewers and generates over two-billion ad impressions per year, its recent partnering with Volvo Car Corporation clearly demonstrates the company's technical flexibility, creativity and innovative approach to contemporary broadcast and web programming.

Havoc TV's CEO, Ryan Kresser said, "The idea of creating a live interactive broadcast and webcast for Volvo was the direct result of our action sports and live music coverage. Havoc TV has developed an interactive system that allows viewers to actually participate in the live events we cover by asking questions or making requests of those featured during the event. Together with Volvo we believed the Havoc/DIRECTV system could become a creative way of reaching out to journalists not physically present at major auto shows. Detroit was the inaugural test of this approach and from our perspective it was a complete success."

"Media attendance at major auto shows is critically important to Volvo for the launch of new vehicles and sharing of corporate news. We are always looking for new ways of reaching our core media base," said Peter Ganjbar, Manager Broadcast Media Relations at Volvo Cars. Volvo presented its newest crossover model the XC60 along with an innovative S60 concept car at the North American International Auto Show and announced the company's latest safety engineering application; a leading-edge technology geared to protecting pedestrians and drivers.

Volvo's press conference served as the centerpiece to Havoc's High Definition (HD) televison broadcast, which aired on DIRECTV's 101 Network, and a simultaneous interactive global webcast. Both programs were produced and distributed live from the Volvo display at the Detroit show. The combined programs also featured executive interviews, product explanations and other corporate information.

The Volvo/Havoc interactive webcast enabled viewing media -- around the world -- to watch the Volvo press conference and other program elements online and text their question from a computer or appropriate mobile device during the one-hour program to an on-site host in Detroit. Program hosts asked Volvo guests some of the submitted questions and their responses were seen and heard live on both the DIRECTV HD broadcast and via the World Wide Web.

"Instead of sports or music fans asking live questions we had automotive and business press pose their questions to those responsible for one of the world's most respected car companies," added Kresser. The overall goal was to provide media not present at Volvo's Detroit press conference with exactly the same information their colleagues saw and heard at the event. "Even if we helped only a handful of media -- unable to attend the Detroit show -- the effort was worthwhile. Volvo cannot permit a tough economy from preventing its access to the media," Ganjbar concluded.

SOURCE Volvo