Why the Frog?
Why the Frog?
The Preston Frog History
In 1984 Dave Wilson was looking for an idea to promote February Sales. After a brainstorming session with our local television station (WBOC), the frog was born. It was a leap year so the idea seemed to fit well. In our very first "frog" commercial, Dave Wilson lightheartedly tells his sales team, "Come on guys, Everybody would love to have a frog." ... Little did he know how true that was!
When the frog came off the air to make space for Preston's March promotions, we were surprised by the community's reaction! We were flooded with phone calls and letters to bring the frog back. Amazed at the loyal following "the frog" had developed, we quickly turned the frog into "The Frog". Dave knew a good thing when he saw one and needless to say, "The Frog" has been back ever since!
For the last three decades, the Frog has been an integral part of Preston Automotive Group family, representing us in our logo, in our commercials, and around the community. More than 30 years later, we still give away a frog with every purchase, he sits proudly on the dashboard of every Preston vehicle. Although his look has changed a little over the years, the Frog is still our guy and his message is still, "Cars Cost Less in Preston".
Frogs of Years Past
The Pink Preston Frog: Breast Cancer Awareness
For the first ever special edition frog, Preston Automotive Group introduced the pink frog to support the fight against breast cancer. For years, our very own Diana Vincent, led the charge in various breast cancer awareness events within Preston as both employees and family members have been affected by this disease. Every October we go pink in remembrance of Diana and the millions suffering from cancer around the world. We proudly provide pink frogs to our customers in October and help raise money and awareness to support an end to this disease.
The Yellow Preston Frog: Veterans Day
The military is always close to our hearts here at Preston Automotive Group. We do whatever we can to help those who have served our country. Not only do we always offer new vehicle discounts for current and former military members as well as their families, but we also partner with local organizations that assist veterans. If you are a member of any branch of the military then know that Preston Automotive Group is here for you and your family.
The Red Preston Frog: American Heart Association
Every February we support the American Heart Association by giving every customer who purchases a vehicle from us a red frog. The American Heart Association was near and dear to Ms. Pansy, Dave Sr’s mom. It was her idea to add this organization as the 3rd special edition frog. Anyone who had met Ms. Pansy knows how much she loved supporting the community so in remembrance of Ms. Pansy, we continue to support this organization in her honor.
The Tie Dye Preston Frog: Childhood Cancer Awareness
Preston Automotive Group is proactive in spreading awareness in the fight to cure childhood cancer. At Preston, we are proud to say that we partner with Nemours Alfred I duPont Hospital for Children, which is a nonprofit pediatric health system dedicated to life-saving medical care and research. Peg Wilson's mother, Marie, always believed in and supported this organization so in her honor, each year we continue to proudly support childhood cancer awareness.
The Purple Preston Frog: March of Dimes
In April 2017, we supported the March of Dimes to help raise money and awareness to support healthier babies. March of Dimes focuses on research and prevention of premature births while educating medical professionals and the public about best practices. We chose this organization as a couple of our own employees have directly benefitted from research and development funded by March of Dimes. We believe every baby deserves the best possible chance to live a healthy life and April is the month we dedicate to this hope.
The Gray Preston Frog: Brain Tumor Awareness
In 2018, one of our technicians at Preston Ford passed away suddenly from a brain tumor. Every May we honor Paul and his family during Brain Tumor Awareness month. Paul knew how to put a smile on anyone’s face and there is no better way to remember him by putting a gray frog in everyone’s dash during the month of May.
The White Preston Frog Wearing Purple: Preston Goes Purple
Substance abuse is an epidemic and Preston Automotive Group wants to do what we can to bring a stop to this issue. Preston is proud to go purple to stand against substance abuse and keep everyone aware of the dangers that come with addiction. Our goal is to encourage customers to live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle so they can enjoy a fruitful life with the ones that they love. Overdoses, hospitalizations, and death have been all too prominent in our small-town community. Preston Automotive Group is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to substance abuse, proudly going purple in support of those affected.
The Blue Preston Frog: Save the Bay
Preston Automotive Group is proud to go blue to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is about 200 miles long separating the Eastern Shore of Maryland from mainland USA. The Bay is one of the largest in the world and home to the infamous Maryland Crabs, Oysters, Rockfish, and much other marine wildlife. We go blue to support the many conservationist groups doing their part in protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
The Navy Blue Preston Frog: Technician Program Support
Preston Automotive Group's unwavering appreciation for advanced education is why we proudly dedicate the Navy Preston Frog to local automotive technician programs. Our goal is to give back to the community through our donations to the following schools: Delcastle Tech, Del Tech Owens, CCTC Caroline County Automotive Program, Parkside Career Tech Center, Carroll County Tech, and Queen Anne’s Tech. When service technicians enroll in these exceptional automotive programs to become certified, they have our full support every step of the way. We pridefully color our Preston Frog Navy to show our love and appreciation for continued learning, growth, and education.
The Pink & Blue Tie-Dye Frog: Childhood Loss & Disease Support
The Preston Frog is colored Pink & Blue in support of all of the families that have lost a child far too soon. Infant loss and diseases suffered by children are unbearable tragedies, and we strive to be there in the ways we can for those affected. Together, we raise awareness to honor the innocent lives lost and focus our efforts on giving the affected families all of the love, support, and resources they deserve. We have proudly donated to organizations working with these families and doing research to prevent these tragedies.
The Fireworks Frog: Supporting Local School-Children
Summertime may be a joyous season for most, but for some members of the community, it could mean not getting a hot school lunch every day or the proper resources that their schools provide. The Preston Frog features a Red, White, and Blue Fireworks design in support of local schools and families. We partnered with five proactive food pantries and backpack programs that supply meals to children in the community on the weekends and during the summer months. With the help of these organizations, we are able to give back to school-aged children and spread awareness regarding the food insecurity issue within our communities. It is our goal to provide the proper nourishment and resources to all families in need. We color the Frog in a vivid fireworks pattern to ensure no child goes hungry and that our community is taken care of!
