With his success, Jeff Gordon "is not only driving
himself into a broader marketplace, but he is also taking
NASCAR with him," according to Steve Goldberg of TIME.
Long-time NASCAR sponsor PepsiCo has "redirected its race
against Coke by hitching its wagon to Gordon," while Close-
Up toothpaste officials say they have gained "record market
share" from new packaging featuring Gordon and his wife
Brooke. Close-Up Brand Manager Nancy Heller: "We thought it
was going to be a regional program, and to our surprise, we
were able to do this nationally" (TIME, 6/15 issue).
GOOD OLD BOYS: Burns Sports President Bob Williams, who
aligns athletes with companies, said his group is "getting
more requests" for NASCAR athletes "than we are for
baseball, hockey or football." Coca-Cola VP/Presence
Marketing Steve Koonin called NASCAR "the only sport that
not only appreciates sponsors, it rewards sponsors." TIME's
Goldberg adds that NASCAR "is about to test" the reach of
its influence in new TV and sponsor deals. NASCAR TV rights
currently cost broadcasters about $.35 per household,
compared with about $1.81 for the NFL and $.95 for the NBA.
NASCAR Senior VP/Marketing Brian France: "The real value
that is going up is the amount of media that companies are
willing to dedicate to NASCAR. Five years ago, they didn't
think the television reach was there" (TIME, 6/15 issue).
AUTO SHOP: AD AGE's Jeff Jensen reports that NASCAR
will look to sell sponsorships and promote "other
opportunities" to marketers, including team sponsorships,
which the sanctioning body doesn't sell, via its New York
office. The N.Y. office will try to create "more
cooperation" between NASCAR and its drivers, and build the
NASCAR brand "over the long term." Jensen reports that
future sponsorship deals will be packaged with programming
in NASCAR-controlled media, ranging from online to TV, and
will include, for the first time, "requirements to spend a
minimum level of marketing support" (AD AGE, 6/8 issue).
