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[AntiSpeed]

The May 19 issue of Street&Smith's Sports Business Journal had an extended article on open-wheel unification. Amongst many other interesting bits, they make the point that when NASCAR sponsors run ads during the race, they not only help the sponsor, they help the sponsor's driver show his personality, shape his image and build his own brand. During the race at Milwaukee I noticed that Honda, Ethanol, Firestone, and DirecTV are all major IRL sponsors and all run commercials during IRL broadcasts (and I assume they run them during other ABC/ESPN broadcasts).

Wouldn't this be a great chance to give the male drivers some publicity? Why don't they put RHR in an Ethanol ad? Have Graham and Marco tell us why we should buy a Honda. Do something funny with DirecTV and Helio. Right now the only driver who is on during commercials is Danica. That's a good step but we have the opportunity here to put more drivers (sort of) in the spotlight. What is stopping them from using everyone else?

Didn't Target do some good stuff in the 90's with Vassar and Montoya? I guess they don't feel the value is there anymore but why don't the series's main players try something? At the very least it'd make the commercials more entertaining.

[thelurker]

The May 19 issue of Street&Smith's Sports Business Journal had an extended article on open-wheel unification. Amongst many other interesting bits, they make the point that when NASCAR sponsors run ads during the race, they not only help the sponsor, they help the sponsor's driver show his personality, shape his image and build his own brand. During the race at Milwaukee I noticed that Honda, Ethanol, Firestone, and DirecTV are all major IRL sponsors and all run commercials during IRL broadcasts (and I assume they run them during other ABC/ESPN broadcasts).

Wouldn't this be a great chance to give the male drivers some publicity? Why don't they put RHR in an Ethanol ad? Have Graham and Marco tell us why we should buy a Honda. Do something funny with DirecTV and Helio. Right now the only driver who is on during commercials is Danica. That's a good step but we have the opportunity here to put more drivers (sort of) in the spotlight. What is stopping them from using everyone else?

Didn't Target do some good stuff in the 90's with Vassar and Montoya? I guess they don't feel the value is there anymore but why don't the series's main players try something? At the very least it'd make the commercials more entertaining.

The IRL isn't the one that makes the commericals. And its ABC/ESPN that sells the ad time. A drivers sponsor has to decide they want to use their driver to sell their product and help promote the series. Danica's sponsors are really the only ones to do this, which is why you only see commercials with her. Parton used to run ads last year which mentioned Scott Sharp, but the other sponsors really haven't stepped up in this regard.

[AntiSpeed]

The IRL isn't the one that makes the commericals.

That's true, but that doesn't mean they have no involvement whatsoever. I'm sure they have contracts with their sponsors, if I were them I would ask them if they would mind putting a clause in the contract that insists using drivers in their ads.

There are benefits for the ones who make the ads too. Using the drivers, they have a personable face to associate themselves with, it would at least help build some interest in the drivers, the series, the sponsor. It gets a cycle going.


A drivers sponsor has to decide they want to use their driver to sell their product and help promote the series.

I'm not talking about drivers' sponsors, I'm talking about IRL series sponsors. Firestone has that new "Magic Rings" commercial. They could have easily used some drivers for that. Likewise with the Ethanol "we all fight through traffic...etc" commercial. Instead of showing a whole bunch of honda vehicles revving for 30 seconds, show a funny sketch with Marco and Graham in tricked out Civics. Or something. What team sponsors do is outside of the IRL's control, but they can have influence in their own sponsors. NASCAR does it, why can't we?


Danica's sponsors are really the only ones to do this, which is why you only see commercials with her. Parton used to run ads last year which mentioned Scott Sharp, but the other sponsors really haven't stepped up in this regard.

I agree. And I think that's unfortunate. The only thing the IRL can do about that is to build awareness for the series to a point where the team sponsors feel there is value in having the drivers' personalities in commercials. That will take a lot of work but there is no reason you can't push to put drivers in direct ICS sponsors' ads.

[thelurker]

That's true, but that doesn't mean they have no involvement whatsoever. I'm sure they have contracts with their sponsors, if I were them I would ask them if they would mind putting a clause in the contract that insists using drivers in their ads.

There are benefits for the ones who make the ads too. Using the drivers, they have a personable face to associate themselves with, it would at least help build some interest in the drivers, the series, the sponsor. It gets a cycle going.



I'm not talking about drivers' sponsors, I'm talking about IRL series sponsors. Firestone has that new "Magic Rings" commercial. They could have easily used some drivers for that. Likewise with the Ethanol "we all fight through traffic...etc" commercial. Instead of showing a whole bunch of honda vehicles revving for 30 seconds, show a funny sketch with Marco and Graham in tricked out Civics. Or something. What team sponsors do is outside of the IRL's control, but they can have influence in their own sponsors. NASCAR does it, why can't we?



I agree. And I think that's unfortunate. The only thing the IRL can do about that is to build awareness for the series to a point where the team sponsors feel there is value in having the drivers' personalities in commercials. That will take a lot of work but there is no reason you can't push to put drivers in direct ICS sponsors' ads.

Again, those are the sponsors that make those commercials.

[indycool]

A bit OT, but the drivers are showing up in cameo comments occasionally on a program called "The Smoking Gun" on TruTV (formerly Court TV) along with a bunch of actors and comedians....have seen Helio a lot, and Manning and Wheldon a little so far.

[AntiSpeed]

Again, those are the sponsors that make those commercials.

Not necessarily. Nextel doesn't sponsor an individual driver in NASCAR, but most of Nextel's commercials during NASCAR events feature drivers.

[xtlm]

this idea used to happen, say 13 years ago

[CARTDM15]

The Target commericals were Vasser & Zanardi.They were very good

[Jag_Warrior]

Miller Lite did an ad campaign which featured Rusty Wallace and Bobby Rahal, when both raced under the Miller Lite colors... early to mid 90's, I think. Honda and Target produced a series of memorable and very entertaining commercials featuring CART drivers in the mid to late 90's. Deferran, Vasser, Zanardi and Montoya all played starring roles in national TV spots. Toyota has done some witty ads over the years too. I think one featured Cristiano da Matta or some other driver, but I'm not certain.

Here's one of my favorites ("Drive cars with no doors..." :D ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDbVC-HTlB4

What's different between then and now is that the commercial value (vs. cost) of sponsoring an AOWR formula car has gone from the roof to the basement. With ratings for the average race going from the 2.0's in the mid 90's to sub 1.0's now (and Indy from the 9-10 range to sub 5.0's), fewer people follow the races enough to know who the drivers are (other than Danica, who is really more of a cultural/gender politics pop star than an accomplished race car driver).

Rahal, Vasser and Zanardi had already developed a fairly broad following by the time the commercials came along. But the commercials gained additional exposure for the drivers, their teams and the series. But most of all they gained exposure for Honda, Target and Miller Lite... which is actually the main goal.

Honda did a national ad featuring Michael Andretti driving an S2000, only making left hand turns, a few years ago. It was fairly bland and I don't recall much being said about it during its brief run. I think there are still some racing specific ads done by Honda, but I don't recall if any drivers are featured. Rather than trying to force a sponsor to include a driver unknown to the general public (and having the sponsor take their $ to NASCAR), maybe the IRL should chip in some money to partially or fully fund the commercials you guys are talking about.

[Mad_Hatter]

Wasn't there a target racing commercial 2 or 3 years ago? Something with artistic/graphic red and white streamers coming off the drivers or car?

[Jag_Warrior]

Plus it seems like Honda is devoting its ad resources to witty/edgy commercials in other countries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QiRxK4fy-8&feature=related

Can you imagine the uproar if they showed that in the U.S.? Between the neocon wingnuts and the feminazis, Honda would be driven out of North America. :D

[indycool]

Good summary and memory, Jag. There's been additional exposure, it just went the way of sponsorships by the split.....down. It may go back up in time. Can Tony Stewart do TV spots for anyone else? Just have been watching lately his Bass Pro Shops commercial. That's another newer one.

[Jag_Warrior]

Isn't Bass Pro Shops one of Stewart's sponsors in dirt track racing? And I've read rumors that they might back him if he decides to leave Gibbs and take on an ownership role at Haas CNC Racing.

[indycool]

I don't know....could be.....think J.D. Byrider is the main one on the dirt.

[Yankee Racer]

I don't know....could be.....think J.D. Byrider is the main one on the dirt.
They used to be, but they've been replaced by Bass Pro Shops and Armor All.