NASCAR has signed a four-year deal making FL-based
Premier Cruise Lines a "promotional partner," according to
Andy Bernstein of the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, who reports
that the cruise line receives the rights to run NASCAR-
themed promos as well as use the NASCAR logo in its
marketing. Premier Cruise Lines will also sponsor a Winston
Cup or Busch Series team and is currently interviewing
drivers. NASCAR Managing Dir of Corporate Marketing Brett
Yormark said that the "all-cash deal came in at the high end
of the $450,000 to $850,000 range of annual rights fees"
paid by promotional partners (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/14).
GETTING UP FOR 2000: In Baltimore, Sandra McKee
profiles Pfizer's NASCAR effort around its Viagra brand and
reports that the company will unveil at Daytona Int'l
Speedway today its "specially equipped mobile unit and the
Men's Health Tune-Up for Life program," which will be at
every Winston Cup race this season. Pfizer has also
recruited Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Bobby Labonte as
spokespeople. A member of a Winston Cup team, on Viagra's
sponsorship: "I'm just waiting for them to pass out free
samples from their sponsor in the garage area" (SUN, 2/15).
LEVERAGING EFFORTS: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports
that Visa is "extending its fan-based thematic" to its
NASCAR campaign with the tag "Everywhere NASCAR fans want to
be." Visa Dir of Event & Sponsorship Marketing Jen Hemmer,
on the effort: "Obviously, it worked well with the NFL and
if we can make that link with NASCAR fans, ... we'll really
be doing our job as far as leveraging NASCAR."
Additionally, a new NASCAR-themed ad for Visa breaks in
early spring. Visa is also "implementing a preference
program for trackside sales" in an effort to "grab a larger
portion" of NASCAR-licensed sales (BRANDWEEK, 2/14 issue).
...While NASCAR drivers have "growing concerns" about fans
allowed access to the pit and garage areas of tracks, NASCAR
COO Mike Helton has "no security concerns about" Atlanta
Motor Speedway's "Fan First" promo offering fans pre-race
pit passes (see THE DAILY, 2/9) (ATL. CONSTITUTION, 2/15).
