Yamaha Motor Corp. is riding into the Dew Action Sports Tour with a two-year agreement that makes it the official motorcycle supplier of the sporting events.
This year’s five-city, multi-sport tour kicks off on June 22 in Louisville. Yamaha will run an interactive Learn to Ride course on-site, which will teach kids on demonstration play bikes how to ride them. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We’ve been targeting action sports because when you are in the motorcycle space, everyone knows everyone,” said Mark Dipko, motorcycle marketing manager, Yamaha. “We wanted to go to another level that is not really hard core so we won’t get lost in the shuffle with other brands. We want to stand out with customers.”
The Cypress, CA-based company plans to promote its TTR and YZ line of motorbikes during the tour, and is slated to giveaway 10 bikes at the events.
“These types of [motorbikes] are not high-margin products, so we can’t do big-dollar advertising on traditional TV,” Dipko said. “Instead, we can find buyers on a grassroots one-on-one level.”
Yamaha will also receive brand exposure through event signage and by its inclusion in the tour’s marketing campaign.
Yamaha handles activation of the sponsorship in-house.
Owned by NBC Universal and Live Nation, the Dew Action Sports Tour debuted in June 2005.
Meanwhile, sponsor Panasonic returns to the tour for its second year with a Share the Air video contest. The electronics maker began an open call for action sports film submissions last month. The company challenged filmmakers to show what Share the Air means to them in the form of a 24-second action sports film.
Submissions will be accepted and prizes awarded during two entry periods the first, ending July 14, and the second, running from July 15 to Jan. 15, 2007. Filmmakers can receive details at Sharetheair.net/videos.
Submitted videos will be reviewed and evaluated by Panasonic and action sports filmmakers Ty Evans and Aaron Meza. Submissions will be judged on originality, creativity and expression of the Share the Air theme.
One grand-prize winner from each entry period will receive a Panasonic HD video package worth over $16,000, including a high definition camcorder and $5,000 cash. Two first-prize winners from each entry period will receive a video prize package worth over $1,000.
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