We have often talked about the new ways NASCAR has derived in a down economy to reach the consumer and work with their partners. This week brought another series of innovations, the biggest of which is a new education module tied into science to reach students who love invention and innovation, but may never have gotten near a track, a driver or any of the brands around the sport. The Science of Speed , an online teaching component available free to all teachers, marries NASCAR's racing and engineering experience with simple experiments and programs for science teachers to apply in their curriculum to students. The programs are multi-level, adaptable and really give the casual follower another reason to watch and identify with the brand. Combine that with NASCAR's rollout of a Prilosec campaign based around barbeque (another smart marriage of food and a heartburn medication) and an announcement that Libby's signed Kim Burton…the wife of driver Jeff Burton…for a series of promotions onsite, and you have a week where the brand has hit emerging fans (children and teachers), die hard fans (the barbeque eatin, brand buying) and the female audience (the casual and the diehard) in one fell swoop. Most importantly, all these activation programs take NASACAR TO the constituent in a time where constituents may not be looking for them. Great outreach with not just short term, but long term brandbuilding components.
Some other good reads…The Baltimore Sun has a good piece on a day in the life of the Orioles ground crew…wsj.com has an interesting q and a with incoming Pac 10 Commish Larry Scott…Mark Cuban's blog has some interesting notes on the value and use of Twitter…and the Washington Post's John Feinstein has a good look on the value that the Final Four has brought to the city of Detroit.
