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SRX in the City: My Adventure as part of the Driving Force
Special Feature from the Editor
 As an editor with Tampa Bay ParentGuide®, I get the occasional opportunity to preview a book or a new product. So it was an especially fun surprise to get an invitation to drive the new Cadillac SRX for six days and write about my experience.
This invitation was part of a social marketing promotion in the Tampa area to introduce Cadillac’s brand new crossover vehicle to the public. Starting October 1st, eight different women from the area would be driving, blogging and competing for hits to our individual blog page. The driver/blogger with the most hits at the end of the week would win $500 for her favorite charity. It was a smart and inventive promotion and so as a marketing person, I was intrigued by the game and inspired by the chance to give a little back to one of my favorite charities, Ronald McDonald House.
I was wowed by the car at first sight. The new exterior styling was classy and modern with four doors and a rear liftgate. I slipped inside to leather luxury and high-tech heaven. This was quite a departure from my typical momma minivan and so I felt a little like Cinderella going to the ball. That feeling lasted throughout the six days, even for trips to Walmart with no makeup on.
 The SRX turned heads and attracted attention everywhere we went. My three year-old son was enamored by this talking car with the touch screen that rises up out of the dashboard. The dual DVD screens, XM radio, OnStar Navigation, oversized sunroof, remote starting and automatic liftgate added to the romance. My husband and I couldn’t wait for date night just so we could valet park. On Sunday, some ParentGuide® fans got a sneak peak at Harbor Sounds in Safety Harbor and I received multiple offers to drive it away.
Speaking of driving, it drove as good as it looked and within the first 24 hours, I felt like “Sunny” had been my car forever. Day six was a sad day as we said farewell and returned to life on the road in our pumpkin, I mean minivan.
 That night at the focus group discussion with all the drivers, one thing was unanimous: the SRX is not your grandfather’s Cadillac. It’s updated and relevant for today’s families and it received a thumbs up from all the test drivers. I learned at that meeting that I received the most hits to my blog page and so I was extremely happy that Ronald McDonald House would be the recipient of a $500 donation.
The blog competition for hits was an interesting challenge and a real study in how to use Facebook and email for something good.
More on this at ParentTalk.
ParentGuide® readers and friends of Ronald McDonald House contributed to the victory and so I say thank you to everyone who went to my page. It was a great ride! Below is a excerpt from the blog page.
Blog Entry – October 03: It was hot today. Not hot like the car is hot., because this car is truly HOT. Just sweaty Florida hot. Darn it, I thought we were getting to fall. So because it was hot today, I learned my favorite feature of the SRX. REMOTE STARTING AND COOLING! As I approached the SRX in the hot Walmart parking lot, I pushed the button on the key fob and started the car. Then I pushed a button to open the rear hatch. Then I placed my bags in the really cool hidden compartment that keeps cans from rolling out of the bags. Yay. Then I got inside a cool car. Not cool like the car is cool, because this car is truly COOL. But the kind of cool that keeps your make up from running and bottom from burning. So instead of being miserable for five minutes, I was instantly and comfortably cool. For Florida, this is a must have feature as far as I'm concerned. We all know this because we all fight for the same three parking spots at the mall shaded by twigs they call trees no matter how far away they are.
Read all of the blog entries
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