NASCAR PR MAKES THE PITS VERY FRUITFUL…

May 9, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day:  The biggest thing brands always want, and fans do to, is access.  Not just access to the athletes to hear their stories, but access to the “inside” feel of what drive the passions of the sports brand they so closely identify with.  Thats why first person or insider access pieces given to the media are so valuable.  Not only do they provide the media member with a greater understanding of the intricacies of a complex business, but they give the media the chance to use their multitude of talents to find stories that even the publicist or the brand manager won’t see.  Case in point is today’s Wall Street Journal, where NASCAR gave writer Allen St. John full access to Ryan Newman’s Pit Crew.  It exposes the personalities behind the driver, as well as all the brands they work with, to a much wider audience in a light that is rarely if ever seen, and also gives the core fan even more insight into the goings on, and the success and failure, of those who they only see from a distance.  NASCAR and the WSJ also tied in video to the piece to make it a complete package that got bonus coverage to fans, business partners, investors and the sport.  Well delivered on all levels.