Craftsman wants its marketing to be ‘more disruptive’
Quote selected text Published December 14th, 2007 in NASCAR News
Craftsman isn’t leaving motorsports, Scott Howard insists, but it will terminate its title sponsorship of the NASCAR truck series at the end of 2008, two years before the end of its current five-year deal. Craftsman is the only title sponsor the series has had since its inception in 1995.
Howard, manager of marketing partnerships for Sears, said Craftsman’s departure also will bring an end to its status as the official tool of NASCAR. The current agreement was supposed to run through 2010, but Craftsman exercised a termination clause for the end of next season.
Whether the next move involves a track deal, a team sponsorship or some other media play, Howard isn’t sure yet, but whatever Craftsman does, he wants it to be “disruptive.”
“We want to elevate and change the perception of the brand,” he said. “We don’t want to just do what everybody else is doing, but we want to make it bigger and better. We’re looking for ways to break through, be a little more disruptive. We’re going to be playing in positions that you might not expect to see the brand.”
Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer, said the search for a new series sponsor began right away last week when news of Craftsman’s departure was released. Howard said he advised NASCAR of Craftsman’s intent to terminate its contract in July, but both sides agreed to keep it quiet because NASCAR was in the process of selling title sponsorship of its No. 2 series, which went to Nationwide Insurance.
Phelps said it was important to finalize that sale before beginning to sell the truck series. That effort will be led by Jim O’Connell, NASCAR’s vice president of corporate marketing, and his sales team out of New York, along with Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Jim Obermeyer, managing director of brand and consumer marketing.
“We didn’t want to be out there selling two (title sponsorships) at the same time,” Phelps said. “Additionally, we wanted to make sure this season had ended for Craftsman and the truck series before making the announcement so that we didn’t take the focus off the important thing, which is the racing.”
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When I first saw this I wasn’t sure if the guy used the right word. But now a few days later I am probably sure he did. But Why? As a Fan of any sport I do not want anything to “Disrupt” that sport and the way it’s run. I think being more “disruptive” is just going to turn the people you’re trying to get against your product.
i think your taking it wrong they just want to shake things up a bit
No, I understand that. I just don’t think disruptive was the right word to use.
Them leaving as a series sponsor IS disrupting. They don’t want to be the “Official Tool Of NASCAR” either. They outgrew that. Kind of like Jimmie this past week. Why doesn’t Jimmie hook up with Sears? That way we kill 2 birds with one stone. And in my eyes, Brian France is the Official Tool and Fool of NASCAR.
Wouldn’t sears conflict with Lowes in a way?
Also while Craftsman may be the “Official Tool” of NASCAR, most of the teams in the garage use Snap-on and Mac, and even more teams use Matco then use Craftsman (although Matco and Craftsman hand tools are made by the same company)