Marketing 101 (1 Viewer)

[nick name]

I realize that a lot of people here don't like to see any references to NASCAR, but to be honest they've done a remarkable job of bringing their sport into the mainstream. A good portion of the big bucks generated is going directly to the drivers and the teams.

I just saw where Sunoco is running a promotion for the Dover 400 race in September. Residents of Maryland and Virginia get a coupon worth 50% off a raceday ticket when they buy 10 gallons of gas. That's a $42 value.

While I'm a bit surprised that the race needs help, this is exactly the point that Jon Asher was making in his PowerAde piece a while back. How many more seats are going to be filled now that you can go for half price?

What's even more dismaying for drag race fans is that Sunoco is only an associate sponsor, let alone the series sponsor or event title rights sponsor.

Talk about the "next level" all you want, but as far as I'm concerned this is the first step on the stairs getting there. Until major companies see that it makes sense to tie into drag racing, we're going to remain a sport that gets TV coverage bumped due to Scrabble tournaments.

 

[PJ]

you are right, nascar does do a great job marketing.

I would love to see such ideas brought to drag racing. The teams and nhra would need to a)somehow trust each other and b) join together. With the possible execption of Force they are much better off as a whole then as individuals.

The potential is out there but the priorities need to be exsposure and marketing first, money second. Right now it seems to be the opposite.

 

[Jim]

.

Seems pretty obvious. Don't know why NHRA isn't doing more.

BTW: I FINALLY had my first Powerade at Reading - (an Arctic Blast) it was pretty darned good.
It occurred to me that local track/vendors may not allow give-aways of Powerade.(??) That said, they were giving away free bottles of Vault at the gate after qualifying ended Friday night. (Haven't tried it yet.)

 

[none]

NASCAR does a great job of marketing.. Look they have ads on all and any webs site they can including NHRA.COM. I know it's beating a dead horse but I find it funny that NHRA talks about the next level with HDP and they have there house web site runnig ads for other forms of racing. It seems kind of wrong to me.

 

[Bottle]

Maybe this will change with HDP.

 

[ProStockJunkie]

While I totally agree that NHRA and the sponsors should do a better job in the marketing dept, NHRA drag racing will continue to get bumped by tiddlywinks competition if there is a live 'event' preceding the broadcast.

 

[yoda]

Last night, ABC ran NASCAR in Primetime one hour promo program (basically, that's all it was) that was a good balance of the diversity of its fans, the personalities of its drivers and a bit on the technology of the cars and the history of the sport/tracks...

As I sat there and watched it (Amazed that this was on Wednesday Night Primetime on a major network), I kept:

A) Envisioning all the bits changed over to Drag Racing

B) Hoping someone from HDP was watching and thinking "What a great idea"

C) thinking NHRA marketing would think producing something like this would be too expensive, and would have an excuse as to why it wouldn't attract more fans to the sport.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

With marketing also comes media-savvy...

I can't believe the way that NASCAR is able to portray this whole sponsorship fiasco and court battles surrounding the Richard Childress' Cingular team wanting to rebrand their car to the AT&T brand.

In today's articles NASCAR is calling this a "David vs. Goliath" battle (with NASCAR being portrayed as David).

NASCAR has a BIG pair of brass ones to even try to pull this off, and they may be able to make it work.

 

[Jim]

Last night, ABC ran NASCAR in Primetime one hour promo program (basically, that's all it was) that was a good balance of the diversity of its fans, the personalities of its drivers and a bit on the technology of the cars and the history of the sport/tracks...

:

I THINK that might be a regular show now. (Pretty sure it was on last week too.)
It was pretty well done. (A lot like some other cable shows <Incl that Ron Capps deal> but better production values.) No doubt ABC is trying to bump interest now that they have some races.

I would expect any sophisticated profit-motivated outfit (such as HD if they make the deal) would try the same kind of promotions.
NHRA has been more communistic than capitalist. That's part of the problem.

 

[PJ]

According to a pm I received from somone involved with them, Sunoco used to be involved with Drag Racing but didn't like the treatment they received (or didn't received)

I've always wondered why we don't have any major gas companies invloved...hell with all the money I pay at the pump I know they have extra to sponor someone with

 

[Gutter Brain]

I think we talked about this a little when the NASCAR ad first came to NHRA.com. I think it could be great. If NHRA did cross marketing or whatever more, we could open up peoples eyes.
When Monster energy came in, the first thing I told my parents was that could the opportunity to get into something like the X Games. There are a lot of those guys that are sponsored by Monster too. Monster could been really involved. It was cool to have Del and Jeff, but I just saw so much potential with Monster and/or Rockstar.
One of my favorite mixed drinks is Monster and vodka, so get some the alcohol companies in. Or as discussed before, RedBull to go with Max Naylor's Jager.
Even if NHRA/HD worked with Monster or some of these companies to say, buy x amount of the product and get so much off a ticket, or something, like Sunoco is doing.

 

[jackass]

According to a pm I received from somone involved with them, Sunoco used to be involved with Drag Racing but didn't like the treatment they received (or didn't received)

PJ... i can confirm part of this... i use to sell VP racing Fuels at the NHRA Winston race here in Rockingham.. for a few years we were not allowed on the property..not the NHRA's doing.. it was due to track contract with Fuel suppliers to the tracks...understand that for the year round racing.. but when you sponsor drag cars in the pro catagories.. you should be allowed during the NHRA national events.. and the NHRA did not help out till several of the Fuel companies expressed concern and possibly pulling out.... the last year i worked for VP at Rockingham during the Winston... Track Fuel was Sunoco, and VP, Unacal 76, Phillips 66 and two more fuel companies had suport teams and trucks there on the grounds...

not sure if it started there or ended there.. but i know there was a big stink that certin PS teams were getting special fuels.. and not long after it was VP Fuels that was made spec fuel.... the other Fuel companies quit helping teams with Fuels.(couldn't use them anyway) and pulled some of the money they were giving teams since they couldn't do business at the nationals anymore... which ment they also pulled the bonus money for winning an event using their fuels.... things are bit differnt now... you've only got two Fuels Companies that care for drag racing anyway.. TORCO and VP Racing Fuels...

 

[Ma Green]

As we've talked about many times, one of the biggest differences between NASCAR and NHRA is the fact that NASCAR has leaders with a history in the sport, either from childhood or by working/racing in it for years. NHRA is now run by a bunch of bean counters who have no idea of the history of the sport, the people who made it what it is or any creative thinking (as evidenced by the "Countdown"). There are SO many ways to promote the sport and many that aren't that expensive, but unless it's going to put $$$ in the pockets of the leaders, it's not going to happen. For the sake of the sport, we can only hope new leadership will bring better things.

BTW, be careful with those energy drinks. At a recent family reunion, I spoke with several teen-age cousins who have had problems with drinking too many of them. Those drinks are for sure not for anyone with heart problems.

 

[Gutter Brain]

Pat, In my old position here at work, I was drinking those things A LOT. But, working 20 hour days sometimes does take a toll. Then, you crash hard sometimes. Now, I rarely drink them.
But, I do think that is a big market with the younger crowd. Even, get them in the door because Monster/Rockstar/Jager, whatever sponsors a car and they get a discount. Then, they are hooked on drag racing.

 

[none]

I think we talked about this a little when the NASCAR ad first came to NHRA.com. I think it could be great. If NHRA did cross marketing or whatever more, we could open up peoples eyes.

NASCAR doesn't cross market with anybody.. It's all for them and them only. NHRA needs to clean up it's house and work with the people they have in front of them. Create ops for sponosers to be more involved with local market pushs and require title sponosers to be more involved with the teams. If you look at it how many teams are there currently running in NHRA TF, FC PS & PSB full time. Its not that many.

 

[Jim]

One thing to keep in mind is that NASCAR does not promote individual races. That is up to the tracks. So any deal between Dover and Sunoco stations in Maryland and Virginia would be between the track and the dealer's association in those states, not NASCAR.

NASCAR promotes NASCAR. The tracks promote the races. Of course, NASCAR makes things a lot easier for the tracks by doing such a good job of building the NASCAR brand.

Jim

 

[Jim]

According to a pm I received from somone involved with them, Sunoco used to be involved with Drag Racing but didn't like the treatment they received (or didn't received)

Sunoco is STILL involved in drag racing, but on an individual track level. For example, Sunoco is the official fuel at Maple Grove and the company logo was on the wall at the national event last week.

Jim

 

[Baron]

I would suggest to HD Partners that they begin their administration of the Prodessional series by assembling an advisory group of the top business people in the sport. I mean, of course, Forrest Lucas, Evan Knoll, Kenny Bernstein, Jim Head, Don Shumacher and countless others who have demonstrated the ability to manage a business enterprise.
I know that Mike Ashley and Kenny Bernstein could provide direction in marketing. Don Shumacher, Bob Gilbertson, Gary Scelzi, and Jim Head have all had to deal with the real world of paying the bills in a private enterprise.
Forrest Lucas and the Worshams have built businesses and know how to get it done.
They also need to have a high level group of track operators involved, particularly those who run privately owned facilities. Private owners have skin in the game. People such as John Bandimere could help HD get started quickly.
Cheers,
Ed

 

[Baron]

Whoops! "Prodessional" was intended to be "Professional."
Fat fingers.
Cheers,
Ed

 

[D]

NASCAR does a great job of marketing.. Look they have ads on all and any webs site they can including NHRA.COM. I know it's beating a dead horse but I find it funny that NHRA talks about the next level with HDP and they have there house web site runnig ads for other forms of racing. It seems kind of wrong to me.

I think that's a weird Googleism, when I surf on to NHRA.com over here I get google ads for Tokyo apartments and such.

D