Pontiac Partners With NCCA Championships
FOR RELEASE: March 14, 2003Pontiac Launches Fully Integrated Partnership With NCAA
DETROIT- Pontiac, the excitement division of General Motors, today launches a fully integrated partnership of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports championships. The partnership is part of Pontiac's multi-year contract, with the NCAA and CBS, to become an official NCAA corporate champion. As the lead division for General Motors, Pontiac will celebrate the spirit of NCAA championships in 22 sports through its advertising, promotional initiatives and marketing programs.
"Pontiac was the logical choice to become GM's lead sponsor of the NCAA championships," said Lynn Myers, Pontiac-GMC general manager. "There's a remarkable similarity between the adrenaline rush one gets behind the wheel of a Pontiac and the intensity experienced at college sporting events."
Under this partnership, Pontiac will be touted as the "Official Performance Machines of the NCAA". Pontiac's relationship with collegiate sports began during the 2002 men's Final Four basketball tournament. This year, Pontiac has partnered with the NCAA, CBS and ESPN more than ever to create a multi-layered sponsorship package, consisting of a consumer web promotion, TV and print advertising, Pontiac dealer tie-ins and on-site displays.
"Pontiac High Performance Plays of the NCAA" consumer promotion To kick off the division's role in the 2003 men's Division I basketball tournament, Pontiac asks sports fans to vote for their favorite of 16 exciting "High Performance Plays" of the NCAA basketball tournament. Starting today, fans can log onto www.ncaasports.com/pontiac and pick the most thrilling key play in the tournament's history.
These 16 sports moments, chosen by National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) members, will compete against each other in a bracket-style format, with four elimination rounds -- like the basketball tournament itself. The results of each voting round will be posted online and in special Pontiac print ads appearing weekly in USA Today. Via the NCAA's special Pontiac website, consumers can also enter a contest to win a variety of NCAA and Pontiac prizes, such as autographed basketballs, Final Four merchandise and ESPN the Magazine subscriptions. One lucky grand-prize winner will receive the 2004 NCAA Men's Final Four Fantasy Prize. This grand prize includes:
- Airfare and hotel accommodations for four to the 2004 NCAA Men's Final Four
- VIP seating in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) section at next year's
Final Four games
- Being an honorary coach of the NABC College Basketball Team
- VIP guest honors at the NABC Champions luncheon, with exclusive seating with Division I head
coaches
- Behind the Scenes tour at the 2004 Final Four with CBS Sports
Those watching the tournament also will see six 30-second and two 15-second TV vignettes that were created by Pontiac to run during NCAA basketball programming. These spots will highlight historic NCAA men's basketball performance moments, interwoven with the "Fuel for the Soul" tagline. The vignettes compare the spine-tingling feeling of a sports moment with the sensation felt while putting a Pontiac through its paces. All of the vignettes will close with the "Official Performance Machines of the NCAA" tagline and direct viewers to vote at www.ncaasports.com/pontiac.
"Pontiac's Classic Performances"
Another integrated aspect of the contest was also developed in collaboration with ESPN Classic. From
March 17-19, ESPN Classic will air three days of "Pontiac's Classic Performances," where
viewers can watch the 16 historic games in their entirety, to help them decide for which play they
will vote. The ESPN Classic telecasts will also encourage consumers to cast their vote at www.ncaasports.com/pontiac.
On-Air Enhancements
Throughout the tournament, Pontiac will salute outstanding team and player performances with on-air
graphics, featuring game summaries and stat lines. During Final Four weekend, the Pontiac
Performance Cam will be placed throughout the arena in unique locations to capture the excitement of
the players and crowd during the magical championship moments.
"As an avid college sports fan myself, I'm proud to be part of an organization that is supporting the NCAA in this creative way," said Myers. "This partnership is a sign of GM's solid commitment to supporting higher education and helping student athletes with the resources needed for their academic and athletic pursuits."
Pontiac is a division of General Motors Corporation . The division markets the Aztek, Bonneville, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Montana, Sunfire and Vibe. The division will bring back the legendary GTO later this year. Pontiac has also been providing racing excitement since 1958, participating in the NASCAR Winston Cup and NHRA circuits. More information on Pontiac is at www.pontiac.com.
General Motors has been a corporate partner with the NCAA since 1987. As the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, GM designs, builds, and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
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Editors' note: Pontiac NCAA-specific print ads and screen grabs from television commercials are available at media.gm.com.
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