(By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service)
Posted: Thursday,February 25th, 2010
Kroger didn’t pay to sponsor any of the Sprint Cup cars circling the track at the Daytona 500, but its red and blue logo found a home on three of the cars in the race.
Cincinnati-based Kroger took the full paint scheme on Marcos Ambrose’s No. 47 Toyota, and the rear panel on Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota and Clint Bowyer’s No. 33 Chevrolet. The placements were the result of a trade-out between the retailer and the regular sponsors on those cars.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 14: Fans crowd the infield trioval grass during pre-race festivities before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Ambrose is sponsored by a collection of consumer-packaged goods, including Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex), Kingsford and Little Debbie. Busch is supported by Mars, and Bowyer by General Mills. For a sponsor to surrender the most visible spots on the car in the season’s biggest race is especially rare.
In exchange, those sponsors use the trade-out to drive additional displays in Kroger’s nearly 2,500 stores.
“We’re always looking for ways to gain additional floor space,” said Philip Grieco, director of Mars’ sponsorship and sports marketing. “It’s another touchpoint for a consumer beyond the candy aisle and the checkout counter.”
Kroger also locked down an extension on its deal with Daytona International Speedway through the 2014 Daytona 500. Kroger is recognized as Daytona’s retail licensing partner.
Kroger came on board in 2007 and ran the largest retail promotion in NASCAR history leading up to the 50th running of the 500 in 2008. More than 50 brands participated with special Daytona 500 packaging.
The program, which is run by Charlotte-based Retail Sports Marketing, has thrived in the two years since the 50th running. From April 2009 through the race on Feb. 14, 55 brands across 23 companies had used the special 500 packaging and discounts.
The No. 47 car was on the cover of Kroger’s direct mailer to its customers before the race.
“The NASCAR fan is the core consumer for Kroger,” said Tad Geschickter, owner of Ambrose’s No. 47 car at JTG-Daugherty Racing.
Budweiser pleased with Party Porch
It was hard to miss the enormous new Budweiser Party Porch, standing 46 feet high along the speedway’s superstretch. It was one of several enhancements to the superstretch, which runs 3,000 feet along the backside of the track.
Those 40,000 seats along the superstretch were not sold for any of the lead-in events, but it was full for the 500, which is when the speedway debuted the Party Porch and a new interactive fan zone with amusement rides, giant slide and carousel, go-karts, show cars and team merchandise for sale. Budweiser, a longtime sponsor of the track and the title sponsor of the Bud Shootout the week before the 500, bought sponsorship of the Party Porch as part of a separate negotiation. Terms were not available.
The 277-foot-long Budweiser sign, touted by the speedway as the largest sign in motorsports, gave the beer unprecedented signage display and exposure on the race broadcasts. Even though the Party Porch didn’t open until the day of the 500, Bud was still enjoying the visibility of the giant sign on TV and across the track.
“We’re always looking for a positive connection with the race fan and this was an idea they brought to us,” said Anheuser-Busch’s Brad Brown, senior director of sports marketing. “We were very pleased with the turnout. It was comfortably full with people five or six deep looking over the railing down onto the track.”
The visibility of the sign “enhances our ad buy and our presence on the broadcast,” Brown added.
Last laps
Office Depot, a NASCAR official partner and Tony Stewart team sponsor, showed up at Daytona with a new agency. After several years with Chicago-based Wunderman, Office Depot is now working with Momentum on its motorsports business. … All four of the manufacturers in NASCAR—General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Dodge—bought space in Daytona’s corporate display area. It marked the first time that all four manufacturers featured their latest consumer models in the display area. In past years, some of them had featured their race cars only. … The display area featured 40 companies, a 10 percent increase over 2009.
Michael Smith is a reporter with SportsBusiness Journal.
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