Synopsis
What Did Jesus Drive, Is mostly about crises in the car industry, but then it's so much bigger! It's about being on the front-line of one crisis after another, offering incredible insight in what to do and not do when the "you know what" hits the fan. It's not theory; it's real. Vines' brutal frankness and lessons learned in the book are both shocking and refreshing, and often times hilarious. Vines' points out, if vaunted enterprises like Toyota and BP can get caught off guard, any organization can. What Did Jesus Drive? is a breathtaking wake-up call and a wild ride. Buckle up. This book is the first "tell-all" of its kind! "Jason's story telling is his honest account of time well spent in a career documenting numerous pivotal events we all want to hear about." Lee Iacocca "Get me Jason Vines! How I wish as the candidates I worked for screamed, screwed, or gaffed their way into crisis, I had called on Jason Vines. This is more than a corporate PR book - it's a masters' class, no holds barred, white knuckle ride of insights and wisdom for anyone whose job it is to communicate for a living. Jack Nicholson's character in "A Few Good Men" bellowed "you can't handle the truth" - Jason Vines in raw and real story telling of his own journey explains to every politician, celebrity, corporate communications professional and government agency that has ever faced trouble (yes I am talking about you NFL - read this one Goodell!) why we have such a hard time telling the truth, why that's the whole frickin' problem and what we can do about it." Joe Trippi, Democratic Campaign and Media Consultant. "Jason Vines lived The Hurt Locker, defusing one public relations I.E.D. after another. To think some of the largest corporations we can name have been this close to pure PR disaster, and yet were saved by the insight Jason earned from decades of corporate cage fights, is truly amazing." Dutch Mandel, AutoWeek Publisher "I always knew I could count on Jason for an unbiased and honest opinion." Dr. Ricardo Martinez, MD, FACEP and former NHTSA Administrator Jason Vines takes readers on a graphic, sometimes sad and often hilarious behind-the-scenes romp through some of the most publicized and studied crises in recent history. Vines cautions the reader up-front: "Relax, this is not a book about Jesus. However, he does appear in two chapters: first as a Hispanic grandfather from Waterford, Michigan, and later as the real Prince of Peace. No, this is a book about my life in the public relations blast furnace in the automotive industry; a quickly-derailed attempt to help a friend rebuild Detroit's tattered image, thwarted by the sex, lies and corruption of former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick; and, finally, trying to avoid another crisis with the number one selling book of all time. No, not Harry Potter; the Bible." The crises Vines helped navigate through made headlines the world over: Jeep vehicles accused of deadly sudden unintended acceleration, Nissan's near-death experience until it regained its MOJO, the Ford/Firestone tire mega-debacle, a jihad against SUVs by the "What Would Jesus Drive?" nuts, Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick's drive to prison and finally avoiding a boycott of the most popular Bible in the world by evangelical Christian leaders. In his epilogue, titled "Government Motors on Fire," Vines tackles the fake Chevy Volt fire crisis and General Motors' 2014 nightmare with its faulty ignition switches that led to at least 13 deaths and may lead to criminal indictments. Vines shares lessons learned and mistakes made. He notes that if he can impart anything in this book, it is the guiding principles he believes useful for any organization (not just the auto industry) or individual to avoid, mitigate or survive the inevitable crisis. As he puts it: "If you think you are immune to a crisis, you've already failed an overarching guiding principle."
About the Author
Jason Vines, 54, is an independent communications and government affairs consultant specializing in crisis management, reputation management, brand rehabilitation, product launch and automotive issues. Vines has counseled General Motors on issues surrounding the Chevy Volt, the U.S. Government divestiture of GM stock, the revival of GM's European operations and other corporate and product issues, including the recent recall conundrum regarding the ignition switch issue. In addition, Vines has been involved with public policy issues regarding the electrification of the nation's automobile fleet. He has also counseled a chemical client in reputational restoration, a major Native American tribe currently under attack by various agencies inside the federal U.S. Government and the U.S. auto dealers' national association.. Vines served as the top communications professional for three automakers - Nissan North America, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Group -- between 1998 and 2008. He was named "Top PR Professional" in the automotive industry in 1999, 2005 and 2006 by Automotive News, the industry's lead trade publication. He is credited with leading some of the most memorable product launches in the automotive industry including the Chrysler 300, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Viper, Dodge Ram and the reborn Nissan 350Z. At Chrysler, Vines successfully led the company against allegations of sudden acceleration with the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle was exonerated by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). Then, in 1997, amid some regulators and media predicting huge injury and fatality numbers among children coming in contact with deployed air bags, Vines help conceive and institute "The Back is Where It's At," a nationwide elementary education program encouraging children 13 and under to ride safely in the back seat. The predicted crisis never materialized as 95 percent of all schools in the country used the curriculum. It is still considered one of the most impactful passenger safety programs in U.S. history. Vines joined Nissan in 1998 as the company was on the brink of bankruptcy and in short order helped restore their image, becoming the industry comeback story just two years later. His work resulted in his first honor from Automotive News as the best in the business. He was recruited by Ford Motor Company in early 2000 as head of global communications. Just weeks after his arrival, the Ford/Firestone tire crisis began to simmer before turning into the biggest automotive crisis in history, pitting two 100-year-old companies in a struggle for survival. Ford was eventually exonerated by NHTSA after spending more than $4B replacing Firestone tires on its customers' vehicles after Firestone refused to replace their defective tires. Vines is a Director-Emeritus of the Automotive Hall of Fame. Mr. Vines received a Master's Degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from Michigan State University in 1984 and a B.A. with a double major in Economics and Communications/Theater from Central College in Pella, Iowa in 1982. He has been married to his wife Betsy for more than 27 years and has three children: all college graduates without college loans thanks to their parents. Subsequently, both Betsy and Jason survive each evening on Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. And a shared small salad with salted water dressing; sometimes with a squirt of ketchup stolen from a local McDonald's added to break things up.
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