Is Danica Pushing The Edge With "Somewhat Salacious" Marketing?

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Driver Danica Patrick starred in each of the two Go Daddy ads that aired during CBS' coverage of Super Bowl XLIV last night, and some observers "question Patrick's somewhat salacious marketing tack," according to Liz Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST. Is Patrick an example of an "empowered athlete who is shrewdly in command of her image," or is she "being exploited, or exploiting herself, to stand out in an admittedly competitive market for limited sponsorship dollars?" Former driver Janet Guthrie, who was the first woman ever to race in the Indianapolis 500, said that Patrick's "approach is 'distasteful' -- particularly given her accomplishments behind the wheel." Guthrie said she finds Patrick's GoDaddy ads "moderately distasteful, but not nearly as distasteful as the still photos Danica did for the girlie magazine" FHM. Guthrie added, "But she made, what, $7[M] last year? And if she is okay with that, that's her choice to make." TNT NASCAR analyst and former driver Kyle Petty said, "Danica is in the unique position to be able to use that side of who she is -- her feminine side -- to attract sponsors and market herself."

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NOT THE FIRST OF HER KIND: Clarke wrote Patrick is "hardly alone among contemporary female athletes who are accentuating their looks to build their brand," following tennis player Maria Sharapova, U.S. skier Julia Mancuso and snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, among others. Octagon Managing Dir of Olympics & Action Sports Peter Carlisle: "It's primarily a personal choice each of these athletes makes -- whatever that choice is -- whether it's to take part in an FHM photo shoot or not. Sure, by doing it, you're going to turn some people on, and you're going to run some people off." IMG spokesperson Jim Gallagher, whose agency reps Patrick, insisted that Patrick is "fully in charge of her branding strategy, which includes deals with Mattel's Barbie and Hot Wheels and a Got Milk? campaign." Gallagher said in an e-mail, "She has great business and marketing savvy, and understands the brand vision she and IMG have crafted for the future, and she chooses partners that fit that vision." Meanwhile, Patrick Saturday made her stock car debut in the ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, and Clarke wrote it "remains to be seen how NASCAR fans will respond" to Patrick's marketing efforts, as they "tend to care more about a driver's personality than his skill." Former SMI President & CEO Humpy Wheeler: "When you're doing that kind of marketing, you are on a razor's edge with the NASCAR crowd. Men are men. But with NASCAR's heavily female crowd, you have to be really careful" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/6).

SPINNING THE WHEEL: Hot Wheels will sponsor JR Motorsports' No. 7 Chevy driven by Patrick in the Nationwide Series this season, including primary sponsor placement for the August 14 Carfax 250 at Michigan Int'l Speedway. Hot Wheels and Patrick also are working together on other promotional initiatives, including a special Hot Wheels vehicle designed by Patrick herself (Hot Wheels). In Orlando, Ganguli & Smith noted Hot Wheels will be a "secondary sponsor" of Patrick's car excluding the Carfax 250. When asked if she "played with Hot Wheels as a child, Patrick replied that she had Barbies." Patrick: "I'm a girl!" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/7).