Female-Centered Sponsorship: Humor

I am a NASCAR fan. I am a woman. The two are not mutually exclusive. Many NASCAR fans are women. We are a huge part of NASCAR in terms of programming, marketing, and demographics. Sponsors know this and try to keep the women who watch NASCAR in mind. But, as well as they do, I think it would be a ton of fun if the sponsors and NASCAR worked in tandem (like the boys did at Daytona this year) to truly capture a huge female following. Of course, I have some ideas how to do this.

First, let’s get some sponsorship for products women use and enjoy. Personally, I do not drink beer. I think it’s great for all those who do and I am in no way advocating beer leaving the sport, but I do feel it would be great to have alternatives. I would love to see a sparkling wine sponsor on a car. Whether it be from a California vineyard (doesn’t Jeff Gordon do this, too?) or one of the many vineyards in the Finger Lakes region of New York State I see advertised when I’ve been to Watkins Glen, it’s time to let women like me see their favorite alcoholic beverage on a car. Wouldn’t the black Freixenet car look intimidating and hot?!

I am a Hallmark fanatic. From cards and gift-wrap to gifts and Keepsake ornaments, Hallmark is one of my favorite places to lose time and money. So, how about a car sponsored by Hallmark? They are out of Kansas City and could certainly enjoy hometown advantage when the boys ran at Kansas. Think of the tie-ins throughout the year! Hallmark Keepsake ornaments have already featured prominent NASCAR drivers, but it’s time for them to go all in with greeting cards, boxed Christmas cards, and all sorts of swag. The marriage of Hallmark and NASCAR is brilliant (if I say so myself) and is truly untapped. Hey, Hallmark, NASCAR, call me. I’ve got tons of ideas.

There’s been a Tide car but never a Woolite car. For all of your “delicate laundry” Woolite is the detergent to use. Certainly having the Woolite car on the track would be excellent for their business. I would think this would be another untapped market. I imagine it would be great, if not for the fire suits, then for the endless supply of collared shirts drivers wear from their sponsors. Washing those articles in Woolite would surely ensure a longer life for the garment!

Designer sponsors would be more than awesome. I can picture the Diane von Furstenberg car in all its fashionable glory. The fire suit would be totally redesigned for the entire team and "the wrap-dress" bodice would be the look for the entire team – fire suits, casual clothes for interviews, etc. Accessorizing would be insisted upon and NASCAR would become a leader in the fashion world.

Judith Ripka, famed jewelry designer, would then want to get involved. Selling her jewelry to the upper crust but also the whole of QVC NATION, she’d want to tackle the hordes of NASCAR fans. She’d sponsor a car, make jewelry with the car number, and, like Ms. Von Furstenberg, continue to make NASCAR the forefront for fashion and sports.

Lastly, I’m thinking prolific and popular romance novelist Danielle Steel could sponsor a car. Each week she could feature a different novel’s cover as the paint scheme. Although romance novels with a NASCAR backdrop have been peddled before, Danielle Steel would bring validity and class to the genre, plus she could continue to expose fans to her vast catalogue of books. It is a win-win situation by all accounts.

These are just a few of the musings that run through my head during the off-season. I am sure it would please and delight female fans the nation over to see their favorite drivers drive for and endorse the sponsors I mentioned. NASCAR would become even more mainstreamed and women from all around would embrace the sport we already know to be fabulous. Financial problems would be over for NASCAR and all would be right with the world. And that’s exactly how I see it.