Apr 14, 2008

Trying for a New Start

Now that open-wheel racing in the U.S. is finally reunited, the task has turned to trying to regain racing fans, lost while the two competing and hostile series spent more than a decade in the wilderness. With that challenge in mind, the IndyCar Series’ “I am Indy” marketing theme will get a fresh look; league officials reveal that it would expand on that theme with an additional phrase reflecting the unification of open-wheel racing: “One series. All the stars.”

That might be pushing it, since we would challenge the typical race fan to name more than a handful of IndyCar drivers, but it certainly is a step in the right direction. The “I am Indy” marketing theme has become familiar to thousands of race fans since being adopted by the series in 2006 and included in countless promotional materials in race markets across the country and around the world.  But now a bigger push is needed, and it might reap real results.

“This is a historic year for the IndyCar Series and the countless fans of open-wheel racing,” said John Lewis, vice-president of marketing and league development for the IndyCar Series. “Everyone involved in the sport is genuinely excited to be racing in a unified series, and we want to reflect that spirit of excitement and optimism in the marketing strategies that we are implementing. I think ‘One series. All the stars.’ really captures that.”

While the new phrase won’t be immediately seen by fans on all IndyCar Series materials, it will be extensively incorporated into electronic signage at race venues, as well as on the Series official Web site, which unveiled its own redesigned look recently. The new site will help “One series. All the stars.” reach a wider audience with enhanced video and audio features, blogging and a new mobile content feature, IndyCar Mobile, that will allow fans to take content with them on their mobile phones wherever they go. The phrase has already been incorporated into the new Indy Fan Zone that will be traveling to all U.S. races in 2008, providing fans with a multimedia platform for experiencing IndyCar Series racing.

The 2008 IndyCar Series schedule, one of the most diverse in all of motorsports, features races on ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street circuits, all broadcast worldwide through a comprehensive, long-term agreement with ESPN that includes coverage in high definition.