When NASCAR announced last November it was lifting its longstanding ban on spirits sponsors, Crown Royal was the first to join in, announcing a sponsorship with Roush Racing and the #97 team led by 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch. Others have since followed, but now Crown Royal is looking forward to leading another series of firsts as the 2005 season gets ready to kick into high gear:
— At this Saturday night’s Bud Shootout, Busch will become the first NASCAR driver to race in the paint scheme of a spirits brand since NASCAR made its landmark announcement in November. Crown Royal Championship Racing will utilize its new association with NASCAR to promote responsible drinking with millions of NASCAR’s adult fans. They will allocate a multi-million dollar marketing budget to support the sponsorship of Kurt Busch and his #97 team, which will include dedicated social responsibility messaging under the tagline “Be a Champion. Drink Responsibly.”
— Later this week, the first NASCAR-themed spirits TV commercial will be unveiled. It stars the #97 Crown Royal car and encourages viewers that “pacing is everything….especially when drinking.” Crown Royal’s sponsorship of Kurt Busch and the #97 car is built around Diageo’s existing relationship with Roush Racing, which started in 2003 with a primary sponsorship of Matt Kenseth and the #17 Roush Racing car for Diageo’s flavored malt beverage Smirnoff ICE. In addition to the Bud Shootout, Crown Royal’s integrated motorsports marketing plan will include primary sponsorship of the #97 car at additional races during the 2005 season, including the Brickyard 400. When Crown Royal is not a primary sponsor, the brand will support Kurt as an associate sponsor of the #97 car throughout the 2005 season. For more information on Crown Royal, visit www.crownroyal.com.(Alan Taylor Communications PR)(2-10-2005)
