Beyond a consistent presence in the winner’s circle and photogenic appeal, NASCAR sponsors gravitate to drivers who exude a range of personality traits.
That was the overall impression conveyed by a panel of brand representatives and analysts at Sports Business Journal’s Motorsports Marketing Forum in New York City on Wednesday.
For Ford, the perceived personal qualities of a driver are implicitly linked to its brand on the track.
“The driver plays a bigger role for us. You definitely want reliability and trust,” said Al Giombetti, president North America, for the Ford and Lincoln Mercury Division. “If we don’t sell something, it doesn’t mean anything to us. That’s the appeal we need from the drivers.”
While Gillette seeks a certain edginess in the drivers it taps for its “Young Guns” marketing program, those drivers still reflect its relatively conservative brand identity.
“We look for people who perform well, but also for strength of character,” said Michelle Potorski, associate marketing director, North America male premium systems for Gillette.
A certain “screen presence and an ability to articulate are also important characteristics for a group of drivers which currently includes rising stars Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, according to Potorski.
It’s also important for drivers to have more than an apparent connection to a brand in TV spots, according to Rod Moskowitz, executive vice president of Motorsports Management International, a motorsports talent management firm.
“For the best endorsement products, it’s good for the drivers to use the brand,” he said. For example, Kasey Kahne likes to drink Budweiser, along with endorsing it, he said.
Moskowitz pointed to Tony Stewart as an ill-fitting former member of Gillette’s “Young Guns” group because he didn’t shave regularly.
“You essentially are joining two brands,” said Ken Cohn, vice president of Millsport, the driver and the product.
Millsport has customized its Davie Brown Index of celebrity ratings to calibrate public perceptions about NASCAR stars. Its most recent research indicates that the top six consistent scorers in all category attributes are Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.
Earnhardt, he said, “has essentially created a class of his own,” rating 20% higher than any other driver in “passion level” among fans.
And those fans are also subject to media overexposure of certain drivers, in particular, Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Juan Pablo, according to Cohn.
“The fans may not distinguish between media exposure and advertising,” he said.
In the broader realm of motorsports, IndyCar driver Danica Patrick is clearly perceived by fans as a trendsetter, according to Cohn. Patrick, whose attractive looks have driven lots of non-branded coverage, scores low on appeal with fans, who see her as overexposed.
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