Dodge Return to NASCAR's Top Series Expected to Lead 2001 Marketing Stories
16 January 2001
Dodge Return to NASCAR's Top Series Expected to Lead 2001 Marketing Stories
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 15 Quick, what will be the top
marketing story of 2001?
If you guessed a new blockbuster motion picture release, must-have
children's toy or home computer, try again.
It might surprise you, but a NASCAR Winston Cup racing newcomer stands
ready to rewrite the rules with a marketing plan that's "different" than any
that's gone before.
With great excitement, Dodge is counting down the final days until it
joins the NASCAR Winston Cup Series at the 2001 Daytona 500 on February 18.
To mark the occasion, Dodge is kicking off its "Countdown to Daytona" with a
nationwide promotional blitz. The Dodge Motorsports program is expected to
reach fans and customers through one of the biggest promotions in the sporting
world, focusing a substantial portion of the brand's communications on one of
America's most popular sports.
"Dodge and the entire DaimlerChrysler family are enthusiastically
committed to NASCAR Winston Cup racing and all of the Dodge teams," said
Dieter Zetsche, Chrysler Group President and CEO. "NASCAR provides tremendous
opportunities for Dodge and is an important part of the brand's long-term
business strategy."
Dodge is working with its dealers, the UAW and nationally recognized team
sponsors to build fan excitement for the Countdown to Daytona. Dodge is
pulling out all the stops to promote its NASCAR involvement and is leveraging
its dealer and sponsor partner relationships more than any other manufacturer
in the history of the sport.
"Racing is an established brand-building tool that in the case of NASCAR's
Winston Cup Series helps position Dodge as our company's performance brand in
North America," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge Global Brand Center.
"But we wouldn't be here if we didn't think we could use the marketing
leverage that NASCAR racing provides better than our competitors. In a word,
Dodge will be 'different'."
More than 60 coordinated elements will comprise the Dodge NASCAR marketing
assault, and be delivered in three separate waves.
An awareness-building phase, the Countdown to Daytona and ongoing support
during the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season make up the major time frames in
which Dodge will leverage its new involvement in NASCAR to extend and enhance
the "Different" brand positioning.
"We're as excited as our fans are about returning to the sport," said Jim
Yetter, Director of Global Communications for Dodge. "The people working
behind the scenes have come up with dozens of promotions, products and events
for every type of fan. It's a sure bet that unless you spend 2001 living on
another planet, you're going to know Dodge is back!"
The Dodge return to Winston Cup racing will be celebrated with special
Dodge Motorsports editions of some of its most popular car and truck models,
highlighted at major auto shows, captured on licensed apparel and
collectibles, and communicated through national and regional print and
broadcast ads.
Dodge will also form marketing partnerships with many of the team
sponsors, including General Mills, Coors Brewing Company, Mountain Dew, Amoco
and Valvoline.
When Dodge joined forces with its more than 3,000 Dodge dealers in October
1999 to announce that it would be returning to Winston Cup racing, it was
hailed as one of the biggest stories in American racing.
"Racing is all about building and strengthening relationships with owners
and future owners of an automaker's products," added Julow. "Not only does it
provide benefits in the area of brand- and image-building, but also in our
ability to help expedite performance and safety enhancements on production
cars. NASCAR Winston Cup racing is all about performance and excitement, and
who better to capitalize on that than Dodge -- DaimlerChrysler's performance
brand in North America. The popularity of the NASCAR Winston Cup series,
Dodge's growing customer base and lineup of high performance cars, trucks,
minivans and SUVs made the decision to enter Winston Cup racing the right
decision at the right time."
Dodge's return to NASCAR Winston Cup racing is being called a long-term,
strategic program aimed at linking the Dodge brand with its customers.
"This is relationship marketing at its best," said Yetter. "Developing a
bond between the people who design and build Dodge products, and the people
who sell and service Dodge products, with the people who buy and drive Dodge
products."
Dodge's different approach will be highlighted in dealer promotions,
national advertising and track and fan events.
Perhaps most different is the structure of the program partnership. Dodge
Division and its almost 3,000 dealers are full financial partners in the race
program. This venture represents new ground in the motorsports arena as the
partnership between dealers and brand will field five teams and 10 cars using
the award-winning Dodge Intrepid. In addition, the Dodge Dealers will be the
primary sponsors of Evernham Motorsports' two Dodge Dealers Intrepid R/T
racecars.
Local Dealer Advertising Associations (DAAs) will support the program and
leverage their Winston Cup involvement with national as well as local dealer
promotions, local and national advertising and racetrack events in local
dealer markets.