From the Sponsor's Perspective
By Brian Mackey
All rights reserved
(This article originally appeared in the IMSA "Arrow" publication in 1989. It has generated much response over the years.)

Reminder: Racing relies on the commercial involvement for its very existence. I, in this case, was a customer. It is by no means extraordinary to note that I was provided with MORE than what I had contracted for. It is a refreshing attitude of motorsports that the participants actively want corporate participation and strive to assure that the commercial message is as visible as possible.

For me, the leveraging of the association has just begun. The race may be over, but the benefits are still available. At the agency, we have begun designing a sales brochure that will highlight the entry prominently and will integrate the sponsorship into our regular direct mail campaigns. Photos of the car will appear in future sales kits used for more elaborate sales presentations. Slides of the car will become part of our standard slide presentation on the values and excitement of motorsport marketing. All of these objectives are targeted at prospective clients and customers who may be interested in sponsorship programs.

Additional objectives that can be obtained center within the motorsport industry. Rest assured, nearly every team at the event, teams involved with preliminary events, as well as teams from outside the Miami Grand Prix arena noted that Mackey Marketing was involved with this entry as a sponsor. As a result, mental notes were made. We plan follow up sales materials to be sent to many teams represented at the Miami Grand Prix. Direct bottom line results can be obtained.

I certainly have a renewed sensitivity towards the sponsor and his/her idiosyncrasies, It is an important image that is entrusted to a race team. I have spent time and energy building this business. I take pride in it. And I demand that certain care be exercised in the presentation of it to a national audience. I was reminded that the racing community is equally sensitive in its role as image maker. My demands were met, surpassed and achieved with no hint that it may have caused any level of frustration or problems in getting the job done at the very last minute.

I am convinced more than ever in the values presented by motorsport marketing. It is exciting. It does produce enthusiasm toward that company and increase company loyalties. It provides significant exposure opportunities for companies who could not consider national television exposure through any other means. While not as directly valuable as purchased commercial time inasmuch that it does not provide a sales message or call to action, it does increase public knowledge and awareness. At the same time, it produces a very upscale, high-tech image of the forward moving company.

Yet for all that, our objectives only scratched the surface of what is available to more traditional consumer companies. We had no need of on-site product sampling or distribution, no time for at-track entertainment of VIP customers and clients, no time to pre-publicize the sponsorship, no ability to integrate our racing association with other major media marketing and no real ability to sell our services to the masses who were assembled at the track to watch the action.

Motorsport marketing does the things that I have been telling my clients and prospects from the beginning. It's a bargain. I know. But now I know it personally.

It is a whole different ball game...

The deal was done...

The excitement level continued to grow. It was race time...