Coca-Cola made it clear last week that it’s on the NASCAR circuit for the long haul, extending its sponsorship deal through 2017.
That’s one of the longest current sponsorship deals for Coke, which holds Olympics rights through 2020, and an indication of the value it places on its pole position as NASCAR’s official sparkling beverage. The extension comes on the heels of Coke’s initial sponsorship run—also a 10-year deal—with the International Speedway Corp., which will put its beverages at 12 tracks next year and at 17 tracks by 2012.
Coke also supports 12 NASCAR drivers as a secondary sponsor, including such luminaries as Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Petty, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty in its Coca-Cola Racing Family. That racing stable collectively makes 300 personal appearances for Coca-Cola annually and improves the odds on somebody hoisting a Coke on NASCAR’s victory lane with regularity.
“NASCAR is a very important partnership with us and certainly we wanted to keep working with them,” said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Susan Stribling. “We really feel we’ve got the Trifecta in the sport.”
Coke Zero will be a primary focus for the company’s expanding NASCAR presence, with signage, at-track presence and other activation plans for the brand on the planning board. The brand is a prime fit for NASCAR since it’s aimed at young adult males, Stribling said.
Several of Coke’s brands share the NASCAR spotlight, with Powerade designated as the official sports beverage, Dasani as the official water and Minute Maid the official juice of the oval stock car circuit.
Coke has yet to unveil specific activation plans for next season, but it will likely make a big splash around the season opening 50th anniversary Daytona 500, its ISC debut event.
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