January 9, 2008
By Rebecca Gladden
Over at NASCAR.com, there is a list of Official Sponsors that were involved in our sport last season.
NASCAR has taken a lot of flack through the years for its dependence on sponsor dollars, with cars and uniforms seen by critics as little more than colorful moving billboards.
It's understandable why onlookers might poke fun at the idea of some of the Official Sponsors on last year's list, given examples like these …
- Combos - The Official Cheese-Filled Snack of NASCAR
- Old Spice - The Official Body Wash of NASCAR
- Yardman - The Official Lawn Equipment of NASCAR
- Gillette - The Official Shaving Product of NASCAR
- Tissot - The Official Watch of NASCAR
- Nabisco - The Official Cookie of NASCAR
- Prilosec OTC - The Official Frequent Heartburn Remedy of NASCAR
The truth is, it takes many millions of dollars to participate in NASCAR, especially at the Cup level - money that comes from sponsors who appreciate the passion and loyalty of NASCAR fans.
In fact, driver Kyle Petty once described the very purpose of NASCAR as "moving product off the shelf."
And until the economy soured last year, there was no real shortage of companies clamoring for popular NASCAR personalities to become their product pitchmen.
But the economic downturn has forced companies to reevaluate their marketing plans, leaving a number of teams scrambling to find associate and even primary sponsors just weeks before the start of the 2009 season.
At the same time, many NASCAR fans are struggling not only to find ways to pay for tickets to the races they want to attend, but to make ends meet in the most basic areas of their lives.
Toward that end, I propose an easy solution to everyone's financial woes by simply adding new companies to the Official NASCAR Sponsors list - companies that would reflect these changing and challenging economic times.
The new sponsors would reap the rewards of bringing their products and services to a fresh audience, while the teams would receive a much-needed influx of cash for operational expenses.
Meanwhile, the fans would benefit from some creative marketing ideas geared towards surviving the current money crisis.
To get things rolling, here are ten suggestions for new NASCAR sponsors for the 2009 season. I would love for you to email me your additions to this list for inclusion in a future column.
Of course, all sponsorship deals would include a corresponding ad campaign to roll out the concept to fans:
- Goodwill - The Official Clothing Store of NASCAR
- Tap Water - The Official Beverage of NASCAR
- Dollar Tree - The Official Shopping Mall of NASCAR
- Go-Ped - The Official Transportation Mode of NASCAR
- Fast-Food Ketchup Packets - The Official Condiment of NASCAR
- Costco Sample Tables - The Official Fine-Dining Restaurant of NASCAR
- Office Staircase - The Official Gym Membership of NASCAR
- Re-Gifting - The Official Holiday Shopping Source of NASCAR
- Peanut Butter - The Official Sandwich Filling of NASCAR
--- And ---
- State Lottery - The Official Investment Plan of NASCAR
There's an old saying that the best way to make a small fortune in NASCAR is to start with a big fortune.
But for those companies willing to take a chance, I guarantee you won't find a more brand-loyal group anywhere.
So what about it, Ramen Noodles -- care to become the Official Gourmet Meal of NASCAR?
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