Each weekend in the auto-racing season, race fans from the local tracks are peppered with images of company logos on billboards, signs, driver's uniforms, and race cars. One would think that with all these images flying around, how does the race fan separate one company from the other in all this clutter?
According to the well-known statistics compiled by a variety of research firms, race fans are well aware of the companies that position their names on the billboards, signs, uniforms, and race cars. In fact, the typical race fan will tell you that their purchasing decision is indeed influenced by the positioning of a company in the sport. The latest number that describes race fans' loyalty to a sponsor is 72 percent. Another number you may want to pay attention to is 45 percent. That represents the percentage of race fans that feel a racing sponsor is a leader in their particular division or industry.
So, what does this all mean to someone like yourself who is looking for a marketing partner for your racing property? It means that race fans know about the companies participating in the sport. Therefore, exposure in auto racing is a vital and important part of the motorsports marketing equation. But just how important?
Look BackBefore jumping into this, I want to take a moment and recap what was discussed in the last article. If you missed last month's article ("Chasing a Sponsor," p. 42), read it before you continue with this article. If you did check out last month's article, then you should have completed the homework assignment. If you haven't, I highly recommend that you do.
I will have another assignment for you to do at the end of this article, so you do not want to fall behind.
Last month, we discussed Stage 1 of the motorsports marketing equation: Understanding the Value of Your Racing Property. We covered many different topics that should help you understand exactly what your role is in motorsports marketing. By now, you should have a solid foundation on which to build your marketing program. The next stage of this equation deals with exposure.
ExposureIf you walk down pit road and ask marketing directors from the companies that are motorsports' top partners why they are in the sport, I'll bet the answer you will hear the most has to do with exposure.
But what exactly is exposure? In its simplest form, exposure is a direct result of having your company name positioned in the right place at the right time, in front of people that are watching with you-or are there because of a form of television, print, or radio that is helping them be there during and after the event.
But Just How Important Is Exposure?If you are hearing it from the decision-makers, it must be pretty important. Unfortunately, what you do not hear and what most racing properties fail to realize is that exposure in auto racing cannot be controlled. Exposure is a product of winning, and the more races you win, the more exposure you receive. In turn, the more exposure you receive, the happier your marketing partners are.
As a race property, your job is to give your marketing partners exposure. In marketing and advertising, the old saying "out of sight, out of mind" is something you must keep in the back of your head at all times. If you cannot produce the desired level of exposure for your partners, chances are you won't have partners for very long. So what can you do to generate more exposure for your marketing partners?
Analyze and ActFirst, analyze your level of competitiveness. If you're a race team, then seriously review your past track record. If you have consistently finished in the top positions, then you will most likely be able to justify a certain level of exposure for your marketing partners.
Other things I see most teams failing to pay attention to are paint schemes and lettering on the race car. This is important, because the color of the car should be a contrasting color of the lettering. The placement of the lettering should be maximized and every available area utilized. This applies to the team transport vehicles, driver and crew uniforms, and pit equipment.
Personality and PRWhen it comes to generating exposure the driver plays a crucial role. The fans, media, and marketing partners all look toward the driver. The more personality the driver has, the better chance they will receive more attention from the media and be liked by race fans. Drivers with more personality get more attention and usually give better interviews. For a great example of that, look no further than drag racer John Force. I know, I know, this is a Circle Track article, but he is an outstanding example of a driver who gives one of the best interviews in motorsports and attracts a great deal of attention for his marketing partners.
An area that many racing properties overlook is the development of a public relations program. Many race teams simply fail to take advantage of the fact that local, regional, and national media seek information about race teams. Unfortunately, because race teams fail to supply the media with adequate information about themselves and their team, they are missing out on a tremendous amount of free exposure. The media's job is to report interesting and relevant stories-they just need to be supplied the information, and that is your job.
You must realize that no matter how much exposure you generate for your marketing partners, this exposure will not necessarily translate into an increase in sales at the cash register. Exposure generates awareness for a company to race fans; this awareness triggers the first movement from the race fan to make a purchasing decision.
Next MonthIn the August issue, of Circle Track, we will examine the third stage of the motorsports marketing equation and evaluate strategies that will influence race fans to make a purchasing decision.
