What Did Jesus Drive?: Crisis PR in Cars, Computers and Christianity

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.