MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Jimmie Johnson’s longtime association with Lowe’s has meant a history of primarily blue cars with a bright No. 48 on the roof and doors. That legacy evolved this year to a silver-and-black design to promote the Lowe’s for Pros program.
So what will the 2019 season bring with a new sponsor in Ally Bank? Expect a mix of new and familiar, says Ally CEO Jeffrey Brown.
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“Obviously that neon 48, that’s pretty much part of Jimmie’s DNA, so I would expect that to continue,” Brown said Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, “but we have a lot of plum in our brand, so a lot of plum running around Daytona may be fun to see hopefully at the front of the pack.”
The new look notwithstanding, Brown says he expects his brand to launch a full-fledged campaign next season. The company got a head start at Martinsville with associate sponsorship on the rear fenders of Johnson’s Chevrolet, plus prominent placement in portions of NBC Sports’ broadcast of Sunday’s playoff race.
There’s more planned, Brown said — and that includes the new hue for the No. 48.
“A lot of creative passion, and I talked about it with the teams this morning,” Brown said. “Jimmie literally spent a half an hour with us going through different car designs. So he is really buying in, how does he leave his mark, how does he fuel that energy. What he said he loved about our brand is really the energy associated with it, so look for paint schemes, look for marketing next year to really emphasize an energetic car.”