Tavis Smiley and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Announce Exclusive Three Year...

Tavis Smiley and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Announce Exclusive Three Year Partnership

Includes 2008 Five-City Tour and 2009 State of the Black Union
Sponsorship
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(Business Wire)--
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (Nationwide) and the Tavis
Smiley Group (TSG) today announced an exclusive three-year
partnership.

Under terms of the new partnership, Smiley's exclusive affiliation
with Nationwide will include:

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-- Nationwide's exclusive sponsorship of Smiley's PBS television
program as a provider of property & casualty insurance products.
-- Nationwide's national sponsorship of the 2009 State of the Black
Union event to be held next February in Los Angeles.
-- Nationwide's sponsorship of an exclusive five-city tour in which
Smiley and Nationwide will join forces to promote economic
empowerment and financial literacy. 2008 tour stops will include:
-- Columbus, Ohio, May 17
-- Raleigh, North Carolina, May 31
-- Richmond, Virginia, June 14
-- Atlanta, Georgia, June 28
-- Dallas, Texas, November 8
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Nationwide is dedicated to helping customers protect their
investment and prepare for the future by offering a broad range of
insurance and financial service solutions.

"We're proud to partner with Tavis Smiley to further empower and
educate the American consumer regarding what is most important to
them" said James Lyski, chief marketing officer for Nationwide.
"Nationwide shares many of the same values that Tavis represents. We
believe there is a tremendous opportunity to reach the marketplace
through this unique partnership with one of the nation's most
recognized thought leaders."

Reaching an audience of millions every week, Smiley is the first
person in the history of public broadcasting to host a daily national
program on PBS and NPR. Smiley uses his media properties and influence
to engage audiences in a respectful dialogue addressing today's most
pressing issues.

"We are pleased to share the journey of empowerment alongside
Nationwide. The synergy of the partnership was founded on shared
principles of advocacy and service" says Smiley. "The work is
important. It's encouraging when corporations commit to demonstrating
involvement. Nationwide's interest in these efforts, that were derived
from The Covenant, help us to collaborate around issues such as
financial literacy, entrepeneurship, accessing jobs, wealth
development, and securing our families future."

About Tavis Smiley and the Tavis Smiley Group

Smiley, who started his career as an aide to the late Los Angeles
mayor Tom Bradley, also offers political commentary twice weekly on
the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show. In addition, he has
authored eleven books. Smiley made publishing history when the book he
edited, The Covenant with Black America reached #1 on the New York
Times bestseller list. His latest is What I Know For Sure: My Story of
Growing up in America (Doubleday). The Smiley Group, Inc. is a
communications corporation established in support of human rights and
related empowerment issues. TSG serves as the holding company for
various enterprises encompassing broadcast and print media, lectures,
symposiums and the Internet. For more information, visit
www.tavistalks.com.

About Nationwide

Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest
diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the
world, with more than $161 billion in assets under management.
Nationwide ranks #104 on the Fortune 500 list. The company provides a
full range of insurance and financial services, including auto,
motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, farm, commercial insurance,
administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions,
long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more
information, visit www.nationwide.com.

Nationwide, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are
federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance
Company.

Nationwide
Bob Cunningham, 614-249-3091
cunninb1@nationwide.com
or
The Smiley Group, Inc.
Jenny Park, 415-867-1166
jpark@fenton.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008