Less than a year after signing sponsorships with Michael Waltrip Racing and the NHRA, sales of Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil are up 5 percent to 7 percent, according to Old World Industries, which owns both brands.
The deals have boosted distribution and promotion at retail, said Bryan Emrich, Old World’s vice president of marketing. He credited the brand’s MWR deal, which includes three primary races on Clint Bowyer’s No. 15 car, with helping it add Napa Auto Parts as a customer. Napa is a full-season sponsor of MWR’s No. 56 car driven by Martin Truex Jr.
“Our involvement in MWR, and because of the scale behind NASCAR, has had an immediate impact for us,” Emrich said. “Motor oil is [a new product] for us, and this has allowed us to get distribution and an incremental increase for antifreeze.”
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Sales of Peak Antifreeze and Peak Motor Oil are up 5 percent to 7 percent in less than a year.
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The MWR sponsorship also made it possible for Peak to do a special “Duck Dynasty” promotion this fall. Bowyer, who has been a guest on the show, connected Emrich with A&E’s marketing team. Peak cut a deal with the show and Realtree Camo that allows it to issue special-edition, camouflaged, “Duck Dynasty”-branded packaging ahead of season four of the show, which debuts this fall. It also will field a Peak “Duck Dynasty”-branded MWR car at Watkins Glen on Aug. 8, and Willie Robinson, one of the stars of the show, will make appearances on Peak’s behalf at a national meeting of Dollar General managers.
Peak plans to run a “Duck Dynasty” sweepstakes that includes a Toyota truck giveaway and a chance to meet the Robinson family featured on “Duck Dynasty,” which drew 9.6 million viewers for its season finale last April.
“Every one of my customers is head over heels about it because the show gets great ratings,” Emrich said.
On the same weekend the co-branded Peak-“Duck Dynasty” car runs at Watkins Glen, Speed will air a one-hour special on Peak’s primary NASCAR marketing program. The company launched the “Peak Stock Car Dream Challenge” in March. The digital promotion allowed aspiring drivers to upload videos describing their talents and explaining why they deserved a chance to race. More than 300 people entered the contest, three times what Emrich expected, and 10 were selected to do a three-day racing competition judged by Waltrip, Bowyer, Truex and others. The competition was taped for the special.
Emrich said that promotion combined with the introductions to Napa by MWR played a big role in the 5 percent to 7 percent increase in Peak’s business this year. He added that the long-term goal is to boost business with do-it-yourself consumers who change their own oil, and he thinks that the NHRA sponsorship will drive that business.
“Establishing the credibility of the company among motorsports fans is important because a do-it-yourself guy is 50 percent more likely to be a fan of motorsports,” Emrich said.
Peak is working with Ketchum Sports (communications), Velvet Hammer (advertising), Borders Perrin Norrander (media buying) and Protential (sports marketing).
