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Coleman and Nascar Announce Licensing Agreement By Harold Merton Race fans in need of outdoor gear can now choose from several new NASCAR and t4am driver-branded products. The Coleman Company, Inc., and the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing have signed a licensing agreement that allows Coleman to offer a line of speciallydesigned products that include the NASCAR logo. Available this year are cooler, chairs, lanterns and sleeping bags. “Coleman and its industry-leading line of outdoor products is a fitting addition to the NASCAR licensing family,” said Dee Scott managing director of NASCAR Licensing. “Many NASCAR fans are avid outdooors people, and millions of fans camp out or tailgate at our racesthroughout the year. Our fans already recognize and respect the Colemanbrand, so these new products should prove to highly popular.” Coleman will sell the new products trackside at NASCAR races and onlinevia www.coleman.com, and select products will be available at specialtyand mass retailers. Coleman’s introductory NASCAR collection consists of Personal Coolers,Large Wheeled Coolers, Captain’s Chairs, Rocking Chairs, Propane andBattery Powered Lanters, and Race Day Sleeping Bags for adutls andyoungsters. This licensing agreement is an extension of Coleman’s existingmarketing partnership sisgned with NASCAR last year. Complementing thatpartnership signed with NASCAR last year. Complementing that partnershipis Coleman’s fan-friendly sponsorship of track campgrounds at AtlantaMotor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Daytona Interantional Speedway,Low’s Motor Speedway, Michigan Speedway, New Hampshire InternationalSpeedway, Taaladega Superspeedway,and Texas Motor Speedway. “Our relationship with NASCAR has been extremely benficial,” said GaryJohes, vice president of consumer marketing for Coleman. “We’ve enjoyedproviding a services to race fans, and campers in particular, while atthe same time learning from them. We’ve incorporated their feedback intoour new product offerings and will continue to do so”. A stroll around the parking lot, grandstand or infield campgroundduring any race weekend reveals the fact that race fans like to displaythe NASCAR logo, as well as the colours and numbers of their favouriteteam drivers, on everything from clothes to coolers to cars. They alsoappreciate brand-name highperformance products. Coleman answers thisneed offering NASCAR logs’d products, as well as products featuring themarks ofDale Earnhardt, Dale Earhardt Jr. And Rusty Wallace, with whom licensingagreements have been signed. Coleman’s current team driver-branded product lineup includes: DaleEarnhardt Sr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. And Rusty Wallace 16-quart Coolers and50 quart Wheeled Coolers and Dale Earnhardt Sr. And Dale Earnhardt Jr.Captain’s Chairs. Coleman plans to offer more products in team drivers designs and isnegotiating agreements with additional team drivers. The company alsohas signed, for the second year, race team owner and avid outdoorsmanRichard Childress as a spokeman. “When it comes to outdoor gea, fans want well-made products that theycan rely upon, and it’s a bonus when it has a NASCAR logo or theirfavourite team driver’s number,” Jones said. “Coleman can satisfy bothof those desires. Ultimately, we want fans to be able to assemble acomplete campsite or tailage area using Coleman products that servetheir cooking, lighting cooling and comfort needs while showing offtheir affinity for NASCAR or for a particular driver”. Coleman’s presence at thre NASCAR campground revolves areound the 36foot Coleman Cares mobile service centre that features complementaryon-site Coleman product repair services, as well as new productdisplays, interactive exhibits and additional consumer service programs. Since it opened the service centre at theDaytona 500 in February 2000, Coleman Cares technicians have repariednearly 3,000 items. In 2001, colemqan plans to reach more campers andrepair more products through the use of additional all-terrain vehicles.On board these new Coleman Cares ATVs will be tools that will enabletechnicians to make on the spot products repairs, rather than taking theproducts back to the service centre. Coleman also will continue its popular Out There interactiveinitiative that travesl to nearly 60 cities a year, maki8ng stops atNASCAR Winston Cup Series races, fairs, festivals and other events.Colemand representatives travel with the rig, arranging product dispaly,games and literature outside the trailer at each event. The ColemanHeritage Display, an in-depth look at the company’s history, greetscampers once they enter the trailer. As they contun8ie, campers maketheir way on the Coleman Trail, complete with rock farmation, trees,blue sky and the feel of the great outdoors. Nestled along the trailare new examples of Coleman’s popular line -- from lanterns, coolers andshoes to sleeping bags, tents and stoves. “There is just no substitute for being there in person, meeting thepeople who use Coleman products and sharing the excitement of NASCARraces,” Jones said. “That is wheat our Out There tour, Coleman Caresprogram and campground sponsorship allow us to do”. |