MELBOURNE, Australia – When Australia’s leading electrical distributor and wholesaler, Lawrence & Hanson (L&H), held a national customer competition last year, the company chose a Ford Fiesta CL as the Grand Prize. 

"We chose the Fiesta as the car to give away due to its extremely high quality and the high value it offered as a prize. Our core customer base is SME electricians, whose businesses are often a 'family affair' in that both the husband and wife play an equally important role in running the business," said Martin Dench, group marketing manager, L&H Group. "Rather than giving away a commercial vehicle, we looked at the Fiesta as it offered the family something, not just the business."

The competition ran between October 1 and November 30, 2009. Customers were automatically entered into the draw when they spent AUD 500 (USD 460), excluding GST, on selected Clipsal products in L&H and Auslec branches. The winner was randomly drawn from the entries received.

The Grand Prize of the Ford Fiesta CL was handed over at City Ford in Melbourne on March 3. In attendance were Dave Smith, state manager, Clipsal, Cindy Rafanelli, regional general manager, L&H, Ash Robinson, branch manager, L&H, Paul Jacob, sales manager, Ford Fleet, Ford of Australia, Bob Lio, fleet sales manager, City Ford, and Simon Maccora, account manager, City Ford.

The winner, David Colasante, manager, Commercial Electrical, from Downer EDI Engineering Electrical, was thrilled with his new Fiesta.

"The Fiesta is a very stylish and impressive vehicle with excellent road handling. I am excited to have won this high quality product," said Colasante.

L&H's relationship with Ford for this promotion extends from its sponsorship of Ford Performance Racing (FPR).

"When we developed the promotion we wanted to leverage that relationship and use a brand and product that is trusted in the Australian Market as well as promote our FPR sponsorship," said Dench. "Fiesta was the ideal car for this type of promotion and the results we achieved have been well above expectations. We have given away a number of Ford and FPV vehicles over the past five years and will continue to do so due to how well they are received in our market."

Through its 172 branches Australia wide, L&H (a wholly owned subsidiary of France's Sonepar SA) has supplied products and services to electricians for 125 years. L&H has been a Ford fleet customer for six years.

Maccora (far left) and Lio (far right) congratulate Colasante on the Fiesta prize.	Colasante explores the innovative interior of his new Fiesta.

Winner Colasante shares his excitement with representatives from Clipsal and L&H.