The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has restored the blue and green color boundaries within the federal lighting standard. The boundary language was inadvertently removed from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108 several years ago when the agency reorganized the standard. Although the NHTSA does not allow taillamps, headlamps and or side markers to be blue or green, it is possible to incorporate the color into a lens and still comply with the standard’s white, amber or red light restrictions. Therefore, the NHTSA is proposing to reinsert references to blue and green color boundaries within paragraphs of S14.4.2.2, which governs the haze testing process. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has restored the blue and green color boundaries within the federal lighting standard. The boundary language was inadvertently removed from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108 several years ago when the agency reorganized the standard. Although the NHTSA does not allow taillamps, headlamps and or side markers to be blue or green, it is possible to incorporate the color into a lens and still comply with the standard’s white, amber or red light restrictions. Therefore, the NHTSA is proposing to reinsert references to blue and green color boundaries within paragraphs of S14.4.2.2, which governs the haze testing process. 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

	While the advantages of digital and social media brand promotion are considerable, such as costs savings, control over the customer relationship and real-time feedback, there are challenges to confront, such as having time or personnel to monitor the communications and being prepared to address setbacks quickly.

Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Dan Kahn of Kahn Media provided tips on how to gain product exposure and PR outreach in the digital age through the SEMA Webinar "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." The informative session covered current PR trends; suggestions of what a modern new product press release should look like; tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz; and identifying and using potential outlets.

Today's PR and consumer outreach efforts differ from past in several aspects, according to Kahn. Companies can now deliver direct B2B or B2C communication without filtering the message through mainstream media, a common practice for automotive aftermarket companies for many years. The ability to contact audiences and potential customers directly has been supported and nurtured through the Internet and social media channels: digital newsletters; content posted to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.; company blogs and news pages; and search-engine optimized website content.

However, with these changes to the traditional forms of brand promotion and communication, a new set of challenges and opportunities has been revealed. While companies have advantages through direct communication, such as cost effectiveness, more control over the customer relationship with the brand, and real-time feedback to see if a message is resonating with the audience, there are plenty of new hurdles facing companies.

One of the main challenges with direct communication is that there is no filter between the company and the recipient. For example, Kahn points out, "If doing a promotion in-house, all content must be proofed, examined and approved by the parties involved." This can be an issue for companies that have a limited staff or for companies that only conduct any type of outreach when there is a new product to announce.

Kahn also advised companies that transparency and openness can be a double-edged sword. Companies that provide exceptional products or services will be rewarded, however, mistakes will be revealed in the "comments" section on social channels. Kahn emphasized that companies need to be prepared to handle setbacks quickly and decisively. 

One of the final challenges pointed out by Kahn was the fact that monitoring your digital outreach and brand promotion is time intensive and requires constant attention. Not only do considerations need to be made about the type of message to send and through which channels, but dedicating time to monitoring the effectiveness of your message via open rates and click-through rates help you gradually build a broader avenue of communication. 

"A big mistake that I see companies make is adding a few extra hours of digital PR responsibilities to an in-house salesperson's existing workload," explained Kahn.

A modern press release is more than a few sentences about your product and company and a photo. Kahn says that his company refers to the services that they provide as "content marketing," in that they provide everything a content producer needs to make a story. Description photos, links to the brand's website and social channels, videos, and search-engine optimized copy that is hyperbole-free, are all essential for modern PR success.

Here is a breakdown provided by Kahn of some of the elements that should be incorporated into a digital press release:

• Layout in HTML to maximize distribution and minimize messages sent to SPAM folders (custom HTML layouts that match the branding of your website are best, but templates are also available; popular services include MailChimp, Emma, Constant Contact)


• A catchy headline—tell the consumer or journalist what the release is about in a short, clever way. 


• The subhead should flesh out the details about why they should read the release and care.


• Always have at least one thumbnail image of your subject at the top. Having images or video screen caps with a link "above the fold" so it appears in the Outlook or Entourage preview window increases open rates by up to 15%.


• Bullet points—many editors and bloggers are too busy and receive too much e-mail to read every release they get. Include a few bullets that summarize the features and benefits as succinctly as possible. 


To learn about the additional essential elements of social media press release, listen to the entire presentation: "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." For additional information about SEMA Webinars, contact Jamie Ericksen at jamiee@sema.org.

	While the advantages of digital and social media brand promotion are considerable, such as costs savings, control over the customer relationship and real-time feedback, there are challenges to confront, such as having time or personnel to monitor the communications and being prepared to address setbacks quickly.

Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Dan Kahn of Kahn Media provided tips on how to gain product exposure and PR outreach in the digital age through the SEMA Webinar "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." The informative session covered current PR trends; suggestions of what a modern new product press release should look like; tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz; and identifying and using potential outlets.

Today's PR and consumer outreach efforts differ from past in several aspects, according to Kahn. Companies can now deliver direct B2B or B2C communication without filtering the message through mainstream media, a common practice for automotive aftermarket companies for many years. The ability to contact audiences and potential customers directly has been supported and nurtured through the Internet and social media channels: digital newsletters; content posted to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.; company blogs and news pages; and search-engine optimized website content.

However, with these changes to the traditional forms of brand promotion and communication, a new set of challenges and opportunities has been revealed. While companies have advantages through direct communication, such as cost effectiveness, more control over the customer relationship with the brand, and real-time feedback to see if a message is resonating with the audience, there are plenty of new hurdles facing companies.

One of the main challenges with direct communication is that there is no filter between the company and the recipient. For example, Kahn points out, "If doing a promotion in-house, all content must be proofed, examined and approved by the parties involved." This can be an issue for companies that have a limited staff or for companies that only conduct any type of outreach when there is a new product to announce.

Kahn also advised companies that transparency and openness can be a double-edged sword. Companies that provide exceptional products or services will be rewarded, however, mistakes will be revealed in the "comments" section on social channels. Kahn emphasized that companies need to be prepared to handle setbacks quickly and decisively. 

One of the final challenges pointed out by Kahn was the fact that monitoring your digital outreach and brand promotion is time intensive and requires constant attention. Not only do considerations need to be made about the type of message to send and through which channels, but dedicating time to monitoring the effectiveness of your message via open rates and click-through rates help you gradually build a broader avenue of communication. 

"A big mistake that I see companies make is adding a few extra hours of digital PR responsibilities to an in-house salesperson's existing workload," explained Kahn.

A modern press release is more than a few sentences about your product and company and a photo. Kahn says that his company refers to the services that they provide as "content marketing," in that they provide everything a content producer needs to make a story. Description photos, links to the brand's website and social channels, videos, and search-engine optimized copy that is hyperbole-free, are all essential for modern PR success.

Here is a breakdown provided by Kahn of some of the elements that should be incorporated into a digital press release:

• Layout in HTML to maximize distribution and minimize messages sent to SPAM folders (custom HTML layouts that match the branding of your website are best, but templates are also available; popular services include MailChimp, Emma, Constant Contact)


• A catchy headline—tell the consumer or journalist what the release is about in a short, clever way. 


• The subhead should flesh out the details about why they should read the release and care.


• Always have at least one thumbnail image of your subject at the top. Having images or video screen caps with a link "above the fold" so it appears in the Outlook or Entourage preview window increases open rates by up to 15%.


• Bullet points—many editors and bloggers are too busy and receive too much e-mail to read every release they get. Include a few bullets that summarize the features and benefits as succinctly as possible. 


To learn about the additional essential elements of social media press release, listen to the entire presentation: "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." For additional information about SEMA Webinars, contact Jamie Ericksen at jamiee@sema.org.

	While the advantages of digital and social media brand promotion are considerable, such as costs savings, control over the customer relationship and real-time feedback, there are challenges to confront, such as having time or personnel to monitor the communications and being prepared to address setbacks quickly.

Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Dan Kahn of Kahn Media provided tips on how to gain product exposure and PR outreach in the digital age through the SEMA Webinar "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." The informative session covered current PR trends; suggestions of what a modern new product press release should look like; tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz; and identifying and using potential outlets.

Today's PR and consumer outreach efforts differ from past in several aspects, according to Kahn. Companies can now deliver direct B2B or B2C communication without filtering the message through mainstream media, a common practice for automotive aftermarket companies for many years. The ability to contact audiences and potential customers directly has been supported and nurtured through the Internet and social media channels: digital newsletters; content posted to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.; company blogs and news pages; and search-engine optimized website content.

However, with these changes to the traditional forms of brand promotion and communication, a new set of challenges and opportunities has been revealed. While companies have advantages through direct communication, such as cost effectiveness, more control over the customer relationship with the brand, and real-time feedback to see if a message is resonating with the audience, there are plenty of new hurdles facing companies.

One of the main challenges with direct communication is that there is no filter between the company and the recipient. For example, Kahn points out, "If doing a promotion in-house, all content must be proofed, examined and approved by the parties involved." This can be an issue for companies that have a limited staff or for companies that only conduct any type of outreach when there is a new product to announce.

Kahn also advised companies that transparency and openness can be a double-edged sword. Companies that provide exceptional products or services will be rewarded, however, mistakes will be revealed in the "comments" section on social channels. Kahn emphasized that companies need to be prepared to handle setbacks quickly and decisively. 

One of the final challenges pointed out by Kahn was the fact that monitoring your digital outreach and brand promotion is time intensive and requires constant attention. Not only do considerations need to be made about the type of message to send and through which channels, but dedicating time to monitoring the effectiveness of your message via open rates and click-through rates help you gradually build a broader avenue of communication. 

"A big mistake that I see companies make is adding a few extra hours of digital PR responsibilities to an in-house salesperson's existing workload," explained Kahn.

A modern press release is more than a few sentences about your product and company and a photo. Kahn says that his company refers to the services that they provide as "content marketing," in that they provide everything a content producer needs to make a story. Description photos, links to the brand's website and social channels, videos, and search-engine optimized copy that is hyperbole-free, are all essential for modern PR success.

Here is a breakdown provided by Kahn of some of the elements that should be incorporated into a digital press release:

• Layout in HTML to maximize distribution and minimize messages sent to SPAM folders (custom HTML layouts that match the branding of your website are best, but templates are also available; popular services include MailChimp, Emma, Constant Contact)


• A catchy headline—tell the consumer or journalist what the release is about in a short, clever way. 


• The subhead should flesh out the details about why they should read the release and care.


• Always have at least one thumbnail image of your subject at the top. Having images or video screen caps with a link "above the fold" so it appears in the Outlook or Entourage preview window increases open rates by up to 15%.


• Bullet points—many editors and bloggers are too busy and receive too much e-mail to read every release they get. Include a few bullets that summarize the features and benefits as succinctly as possible. 


To learn about the additional essential elements of social media press release, listen to the entire presentation: "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." For additional information about SEMA Webinars, contact Jamie Ericksen at jamiee@sema.org.

	While the advantages of digital and social media brand promotion are considerable, such as costs savings, control over the customer relationship and real-time feedback, there are challenges to confront, such as having time or personnel to monitor the communications and being prepared to address setbacks quickly.

Are you relying on outdated techniques to generate publicity? Dan Kahn of Kahn Media provided tips on how to gain product exposure and PR outreach in the digital age through the SEMA Webinar "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." The informative session covered current PR trends; suggestions of what a modern new product press release should look like; tactics to maximize media and consumer buzz; and identifying and using potential outlets.

Today's PR and consumer outreach efforts differ from past in several aspects, according to Kahn. Companies can now deliver direct B2B or B2C communication without filtering the message through mainstream media, a common practice for automotive aftermarket companies for many years. The ability to contact audiences and potential customers directly has been supported and nurtured through the Internet and social media channels: digital newsletters; content posted to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.; company blogs and news pages; and search-engine optimized website content.

However, with these changes to the traditional forms of brand promotion and communication, a new set of challenges and opportunities has been revealed. While companies have advantages through direct communication, such as cost effectiveness, more control over the customer relationship with the brand, and real-time feedback to see if a message is resonating with the audience, there are plenty of new hurdles facing companies.

One of the main challenges with direct communication is that there is no filter between the company and the recipient. For example, Kahn points out, "If doing a promotion in-house, all content must be proofed, examined and approved by the parties involved." This can be an issue for companies that have a limited staff or for companies that only conduct any type of outreach when there is a new product to announce.

Kahn also advised companies that transparency and openness can be a double-edged sword. Companies that provide exceptional products or services will be rewarded, however, mistakes will be revealed in the "comments" section on social channels. Kahn emphasized that companies need to be prepared to handle setbacks quickly and decisively. 

One of the final challenges pointed out by Kahn was the fact that monitoring your digital outreach and brand promotion is time intensive and requires constant attention. Not only do considerations need to be made about the type of message to send and through which channels, but dedicating time to monitoring the effectiveness of your message via open rates and click-through rates help you gradually build a broader avenue of communication. 

"A big mistake that I see companies make is adding a few extra hours of digital PR responsibilities to an in-house salesperson's existing workload," explained Kahn.

A modern press release is more than a few sentences about your product and company and a photo. Kahn says that his company refers to the services that they provide as "content marketing," in that they provide everything a content producer needs to make a story. Description photos, links to the brand's website and social channels, videos, and search-engine optimized copy that is hyperbole-free, are all essential for modern PR success.

Here is a breakdown provided by Kahn of some of the elements that should be incorporated into a digital press release:

• Layout in HTML to maximize distribution and minimize messages sent to SPAM folders (custom HTML layouts that match the branding of your website are best, but templates are also available; popular services include MailChimp, Emma, Constant Contact)


• A catchy headline—tell the consumer or journalist what the release is about in a short, clever way. 


• The subhead should flesh out the details about why they should read the release and care.


• Always have at least one thumbnail image of your subject at the top. Having images or video screen caps with a link "above the fold" so it appears in the Outlook or Entourage preview window increases open rates by up to 15%.


• Bullet points—many editors and bloggers are too busy and receive too much e-mail to read every release they get. Include a few bullets that summarize the features and benefits as succinctly as possible. 


To learn about the additional essential elements of social media press release, listen to the entire presentation: "PR Primer: Promoting Your Brand in the Digital Age." For additional information about SEMA Webinars, contact Jamie Ericksen at jamiee@sema.org.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted into law in 2010 and is being slowly implemented over eight years. Several key provisions affecting small businesses and individuals take effect in 2013. 

Several taxes to help finance the law begin January 1. A 0.9% surtax will be added to the 1.45% Medicare payroll tax for individuals earning more than $200,000 and joint filers earning more than $250,000 per year. A new tax of 3.8% will be assessed on unearned income, such as capital gains, dividends, royalties and interest as well for individuals with gross income more than $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers). This tax is above the 5% capital gains tax increase and 24.6% dividend tax increase set to occur if President Obama and Congress do not address the “fiscal cliff” before the end of the year. 

The threshold for claiming an itemized deduction on medical expenses increases from 7.5% to 10% of gross income for individuals under the age of 65. (For those 65 or older, the original percentage remains in effect until 2016.) The maximum flexible spending account (FSA) contribution will be limited to $2,500 per year, down from $5,000. These two changes are estimated to raise more than $40 billion over the next 10 years.

A surtax will be imposed for three years on employer and individual health plans covering an estimated 190 million Americans to help create a $25 billion fund to cover the cost of people with pre-existing conditions. Beginning in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to the sick. The tax starts at $63 but declines each year. It will be assessed on all "major medical" insurance plans, including those provided by employers and those purchased individually by consumers. 

Health insurance exchanges are scheduled to be established in every state by 2014, if not sooner. Small businesses (less than 100 employees) and individuals will be offered a menu of private-sector health plans from which to select based on uniform rules regarding offerings and insurance pricing. Consumers will be provided with transparent information to help understand the options and differences between the plans (covered benefits, deductibles, premium costs, etc.). Every state is encouraged to set up an exchange. If they decline, the federal government will establish the state program and also offer a national exchange. Regional plans may also be established. The exchange has the ability to pool a large number of potential consumers and thereby help organize a more competitive marketplace, especially if cost is a primary issue.

A SEMA Members Guide to the Health Care Law is available, with time tables for implementation. 

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski, director of congressional affairs at dans@sema.org.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted into law in 2010 and is being slowly implemented over eight years. Several key provisions affecting small businesses and individuals take effect in 2013. 

Several taxes to help finance the law begin January 1. A 0.9% surtax will be added to the 1.45% Medicare payroll tax for individuals earning more than $200,000 and joint filers earning more than $250,000 per year. A new tax of 3.8% will be assessed on unearned income, such as capital gains, dividends, royalties and interest as well for individuals with gross income more than $200,000 ($250,000 for joint filers). This tax is above the 5% capital gains tax increase and 24.6% dividend tax increase set to occur if President Obama and Congress do not address the “fiscal cliff” before the end of the year. 

The threshold for claiming an itemized deduction on medical expenses increases from 7.5% to 10% of gross income for individuals under the age of 65. (For those 65 or older, the original percentage remains in effect until 2016.) The maximum flexible spending account (FSA) contribution will be limited to $2,500 per year, down from $5,000. These two changes are estimated to raise more than $40 billion over the next 10 years.

A surtax will be imposed for three years on employer and individual health plans covering an estimated 190 million Americans to help create a $25 billion fund to cover the cost of people with pre-existing conditions. Beginning in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to the sick. The tax starts at $63 but declines each year. It will be assessed on all "major medical" insurance plans, including those provided by employers and those purchased individually by consumers. 

Health insurance exchanges are scheduled to be established in every state by 2014, if not sooner. Small businesses (less than 100 employees) and individuals will be offered a menu of private-sector health plans from which to select based on uniform rules regarding offerings and insurance pricing. Consumers will be provided with transparent information to help understand the options and differences between the plans (covered benefits, deductibles, premium costs, etc.). Every state is encouraged to set up an exchange. If they decline, the federal government will establish the state program and also offer a national exchange. Regional plans may also be established. The exchange has the ability to pool a large number of potential consumers and thereby help organize a more competitive marketplace, especially if cost is a primary issue.

A SEMA Members Guide to the Health Care Law is available, with time tables for implementation. 

For more information, please contact Dan Sadowski, director of congressional affairs at dans@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing to mandate installation of event data recorders (black boxes) on all new light-duty automobiles as of September 2014. Black boxes are already voluntarily installed in more than 95% of model-year ’13 light-duty vehicles. They are subject to NHTSA’s “Part 563” regulation, which specifies uniform methods for collecting, storing and retrieving onboard motor-vehicle crash data. The collected data includes crash speed, brake, accelerator pedal, safety belt and airbag deployment information. 

The proposed rule does not directly address consumer privacy concerns since these issues are generally subject to state and federal law outside of NHTSA’s jurisdiction. Within the limits of its own authority, the NHTSA would only seek access to information with the owner’s permission. With respect to vehicle modifications made after the first retail sale, it would be illegal to market or install a product that would knowingly take the black boxes out of compliance (for example, altering the collected measurements). 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing to mandate installation of event data recorders (black boxes) on all new light-duty automobiles as of September 2014. Black boxes are already voluntarily installed in more than 95% of model-year ’13 light-duty vehicles. They are subject to NHTSA’s “Part 563” regulation, which specifies uniform methods for collecting, storing and retrieving onboard motor-vehicle crash data. The collected data includes crash speed, brake, accelerator pedal, safety belt and airbag deployment information. 

The proposed rule does not directly address consumer privacy concerns since these issues are generally subject to state and federal law outside of NHTSA’s jurisdiction. Within the limits of its own authority, the NHTSA would only seek access to information with the owner’s permission. With respect to vehicle modifications made after the first retail sale, it would be illegal to market or install a product that would knowingly take the black boxes out of compliance (for example, altering the collected measurements). 

For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.