There was no shortage of marketing issues that left their mark on the industry this year. Below are some of the people, campaigns and ideas that made headlines in ’16.
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| NASCAR says it spoke with more than 200 companies before deciding on Monster |
THE MONSTER MASH: With Sprint’s naming rights to NASCAR’s top series ending after the ’16 season, the racing circuit went with the Coca-Cola-owned Monster Energy, a brand familiar in motocross. NASCAR officials said that they spoke with more than 200 brands in pursuit of a new naming-rights partner. The hope is that a more youthful brand such as Monster will go hand-in-hand with NASCAR’s up-and-coming drivers as well as the circuit’s efforts to appeal to a younger audience. However, reports suggest Monster is paying significantly less than Sprint on its multiyear deal with NASCAR.
SO LONG, FAREWELL: Struggling to become a leading player in the space, Nike in August announced that it was getting out of the golf equipment business. Instead, it will focus on footwear and apparel, as golf represented the smallest sport category at Nike. The move left the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Michelle Wie to find new clubs. But just a month later, Nike signed top-ranked player Jason Day to a shoe and apparel deal worth more than $100M, making him the highest-paid golfer.
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