Attending the Olympic Winter Games just got a little easier thanks to Chevrolet. The auto-manufacturer is auctioning 10 V.I.P trips on eBay from Jan. 4 to Jan. 11.
Bids start at $6,300 for a trip for two to Torino, Italy— the trip’s face value. The proceeds go towards athletes participating in the U.S Ski Team qualifying events.
“We wanted to support the athletes who are poised to be the best in terms of medal count,” said Bridget McCarville, Chevrolet’s advertising and promotion manager.
The Detroit, MI-automaker wanted to get a head start over competitors who race to have their brands appear before viewing audiences during the games.
“Strategically, from a marketing standpoint, it makes sense for us to get out in the marketplace and rally with the Olympic message from now to February 26 and beyond to break through the competitive sponsorships in the Olympics,” says McCarville.
On the grassroots level, athletes are promoting the auction at sporting events and on the Internet, says McCarville.
Continuing in its pre-games exposure, on Jan. 9 Chevy began airing a 60-second mini-movie during NBC’s Las Vegas TV series to promote its 2006 Tahoe, Suburban and HHR brands.
The mini-movie features members of the Chevy-sponsored winter Olympic team including snowboarders Seth Weinstein and Gretchen Bleiler, free-style skier Toby Dawson and Alpine racers Julia Mancuso, Eric Schloppy, and Ted Ligety.
Moviegoers at 10,000 cinemas can catch the longer version (with 2.5 minutes more footage) beginning on Jan. 13.
Chevrolet has been a sponsor of the Olympic Winter Games since 1980 when it was held in Lake Placid, NY.
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