Truemors
In Bristol, Charlotte, Daytona Beach and other places where NASCAR® is king, it makes sense for people to go around in circles — or, more accurately, ovals — en route to achieving success. That kind of “circular logic,” however, isn’t likely to produce success in Detroit.
Facing declining ad revenue and lower attendance, NASCAR® executives aren’t flying — or driving — to Washington, D.C., in search of bailout bucks. Instead, they’re waging a marketing blitz to bring both fans and sponsors back to the raceways where winners are forever associated with checkered flags:
Yesterday, the front page of the racing organization’s web site featured an article, Money can buy exposure, in which a study conducted by a credible third party highlighted how big companies benefited from sponsorship of NASCAR® racing teams; and
Today, Advertising Age’s 3-Minute Ad Age video features NASCAR® President Mike Helton making what is described as a humble plea to the assembled fans at the organization’s recent “Champions Week” marketing extravaganza in New York City. In short, he asked fans to support NASCAR® sponsors.
Things are different in Detroit — and, most recently, in Washington, D.C. Waving a checkered past instead of a checkered flag, CEOs of the nation’s Big Three automakers have spent months lobbying to receive billions of dollars in bailout funds — $15 billion at last count — from Congress, and it appears they’re about to have their collective wish granted with strings attached:
According to an Associated Press report this morning, a government “car czar” with the power to force U.S. automakers into bankruptcy, would dole out $15 billion in emergency loans to the failing industry under an emerging deal between the White House and congressional Democrats.
If the Big Three get their bailout funds and they allow a government “Car Czar” to sit behind the wheel of their industry, I expect billions of taxpayer dollars will go to waste, Big Three showrooms will remain full of cars and short of customers and, eventually, the only auto manufacturing plants left in the United States will be owned by Toyota, Honda, BMW and the like.
For some NASCAR®-related humor, see these posts:
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