Consumers ‘Hold On’ to Win Chevy Endurance Contest
At this very moment, consumers are holding on to a 2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the State Fair of Texas in an endurance competition that tests consumers to see who can hold on to the car the longest to win it.
The Jimmie Johnson Hands On promotion kicked off on Friday (the start of the fair) with 10 finalists placing a hand on the car wrapped with the decal package of Team Chevy NASCAR racer Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s Nextel Cup ride.
Each participant has one designated hand placed on the car and must stand with continuous contact with the prize vehicle 24 hours per day, excluding sanctioned breaks (15 minutes for the restroom and 30 minutes for food).
“Those food breaks won’t necessarily be steak dinners, but they’re not going to go hungry,” said Lydia Rickard, regional spokesperson at Chevy.
The last person standing with their hand on the ’07 Monte Carlo, which has a retail value of $34,500, will take it home. Other contestants will receive a prize package that consists of a Charbroil commercial grill, $100 Lowe’s gift card, a model die-cast Team 48 car signed by Johnson and a Team 48 cap.
The campaign is a collaborative effort between home improvement retailer Lowe’s, Chevrolet and Texas Motor Speedway.
From Aug. 21 to Sept. 17, Texas residents entered for a chance to “hold on” to the car via 19 Lowe’s locations in the Dallas and Fort Worth, TX region. The NASCAR-wrapped vehicle was displayed on a rotational basis at each location with P-O-P materials to support the initiative.
“The Texas State Fair is one of the largest platforms in terms of exposure in a large market,” Rickard said. “There is no other place where we can touch so many people in a 24-hour period and where we can generate interest and surprise in what Chevy is doing.”
Chevy plans to activate its official vehicle status of the fair with two display areas at the event, which attracts 3 million consumers to a 277-acre complex in Dallas. A NASCAR-centric area will showcase NASCAR show cars and trucks, while a Chevy Ride and Drive area will let consumers take a spin in Chevy vehicles, including Impalas and Tahoes.
“We’re really trying to touch people from a vehicular standpoint because a lot of people don’t go in to dealerships until they’re ready to buy,” Rickard said.
The automaker has also commissioned a branded tram to take attendees around the fair. Additionally, Chevy sponsors a stage area that will host Hispanic cultural activities and performances from artists such as Bo Bice (of American Idol fame), R&B artist Monica, and alternative country band Cross Canadian Ragweed, among others. The fair ends Oct. 22.
Detroit-based Chevy is a GM brand. GM R*Works’ Dallas office handles.
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