Obama Advocates American Carmakers' Participation In NASCAR

Obama Says Participation In NASCAR A Good
Advertising Campaign For Car Manufacturers

"NASCAR Now," ESPN2, 8/19

MOVING FORWARD: In Daytona Beach, Godwin Kelly notes following Brian Vickers' win Sunday at the Sprint Cup Carfax 400, Toyota "now boasts wins with its three primary race teams" -- Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull Racing (RBR). RBR "may have the deepest pockets" of all three teams since it is owned by Red Bull CEO Dietrich Mateschitz. Kelly notes as "high-profile race teams, such as Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, are scrambling to find corporate sponsors for the 2010 season, Mateschitz only needs to write a check from his company's account." Toyota Motorsports National Manager Les Unger said of RBR, "It's very gratifying to see that team and how far it's come since 2007." Meanwhile, Unger said that he "continues to talk with teams currently affiliated with other manufacturers about going into the Toyota camp next season." Unger said that Toyota "would like to increase the size of its footprint in the Cup garage, but hinted the company would not want to have more than a dozen full-time cars" (Daytona Beach NEWS-JOURNAL, 8/20).

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NASCAR Fans Embrace Patriotic Brand Loyalty
While the American auto industry is no doubt facing an uncertain future, the Big Three can look to NASCAR for some positive news. Not only are the top five drivers in the Sprint Cup Standings all driving American, but also NASCAR fans, long known for their brand loyalty, are staying patriotic when it comes to their vehicles.
According to data from Nielsen’s People Meter sample fused with the respondents of MRI’s Survey of the American Consumer, NASCAR race viewers in Q1?09 were more likely than the average consumer to drive American:
* Drivers of Chevrolet, sponsor of Tony Stewart and Hendrick Motorsports, had 70% higher ratings compared to the composite. * Drivers of Ford, who sponsors one of NASCAR’s brightest stars in Carl Edwards, had 64% higher ratings. * Drivers of Dodge, which is now partially owned by a Fiat, is still considered by many an American car, and had 59% higher ratings.
It should be no surprise that NASCAR’s racing teams work closely with the automakers not just under the hood, but also on ways to increase sponsorship visibility - including car signage, uniform apparel, and training the drivers to weave in audio mentions to their interviews - all in hopes of moving the needle when their fans head out to their local car dealership.
As the Big Three American automakers attempt to change public perception and get their cars back on the right track, NASCAR may be the best sponsorship vehicle.
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/nascar-fans-embrace-patriotic-brand-loyalty/

MATT FORAN / Nielsen Sports / August 20, 2009 / 3:47 PM

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