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MIAMI, Nov 15, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE)
When the green flag drops on the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 21, more will be on the line than just the crowning of the inaugural NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion.
The Ford 400 marks the second of two races during the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season where race fans have the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to win $5 million. As part of the Gillette Young Guns $5 Million Challenge, should the Gillette Young Guns drivers finish one through six in the race, and a consumer correctly chooses the exact order of finish at www.gilletteyoungguns.com, they will be entered into a random drawing to collect the $5 million.
In addition, if there is a consumer winner, Gillette will also donate $5 million to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC).
The Gillette Young Guns - Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman - have achieved unparalleled success this year, with five members comprising half the field eligible for the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship. Busch, Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. are all still in contention for the title. Collectively, the Young Guns have won 21 of the 35 races, claiming 68 top-fives and 106 top-10s along the way.
"The second Gillette Young Guns $5 Million Challenge caps off a highly successful first-year partnership with six of the best race car drivers in the world," said Eric A. Kraus, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The Gillette Company. "This promotion offers us the opportunity to end the season on a high note for both the NPCC and the great fans that have supported our drivers this year."
The first Gillette Young Guns $5 Million Challenge took place at the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway this past May, where three of the drivers finished in the top six. All season long, thousands of race fans have been registering at www.gilletteyoungguns.com to predict the highest finishing Gillette Young Gun prior to each of the season's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events. Each week, all correct entrants are automatically entered in a drawing for a $5,000 prize. In addition, Gillette makes a $1,000 donation in the name of the highest-finishing Gillette Young Gun to the NPCC. In total, $180,000 will have been awarded to consumers, and $36,000 to the NPCC.
Gillette will continue to leverage the Gillette Young Guns and its NASCAR sponsorship with a comprehensive marketing communications program that extends into the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. The program will continue to encompass Gillette brands - including the Gillette M3Power shave system, Duracell batteries and Oral-B toothbrushes - and consists of retail events, dedicated NASCAR print and broadcasting advertising, licensing, interactive on-line consumer promotions and hospitality.
The Gillette Company - A Sports Marketing Pioneer
Gillette's partnership with NASCAR is the latest in a proud history of sports marketing that dates back to 1910, when Gillette featured baseball greats like Honus Wagner in ads for the original Gillette Safety Razor. By the 1930's, Gillette was sponsoring sports on the radio - first boxing in 1935, followed by exclusive broadcasts of the World Series in 1939.
Since then, Gillette has maintained a close relationship with Major League baseball, while also sponsoring World Cup soccer, NCAA basketball, NCAA football, NASCAR, the PGA TOUR, Champions TOUR, LPGA TOUR and the National Hockey League.
In 2002, The Gillette Company announced a 15-year agreement giving Gillette exclusive naming rights to the home stadium and sports complex of the New England Patriots of the National Football League and the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. Under the terms of the agreement, "Gillette Stadium" became the exclusive name of the 68,000-seat, state-of-the-art open-air facility in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
About The Gillette Company
Headquartered in Boston, Mass., The Gillette Company is the world leader in male grooming, a category that includes blades razors and shaving preparations. Gillette also holds the number one position worldwide in selected female grooming products, such as wet shaving products and hair epilation devices. In addition, the Company is the world leader in alkaline batteries and in manual and power toothbrushes.
SOURCE: The Gillette Company
The Gillette Company Mike Norton, 617-421-8201 or Alan Taylor Communications Mike Costabile / Tim Sullivan, 212-714-1280/704-232-2450
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