Marksíinq-*í and the

Freviewin? the
WeLcome.to the exciting world of market-
i'hen you think of NASCAR, do you think of tobacco-spitting redneck
ing. In this chapter, to start you off, we
and rurvclown race t^cks? Think again! These days, NASCAR (th
.will first introduce you to the basic con-
National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is rnuch, much more
cepts. We'LL start with a simple question:
In fact, it's one great markeíing organization. And for fans, NASCAR is a lot mor
What 75 marketing? Simply put, marketing
than stock car races. It's a high-octane, totally invoíving experience.
is managing profitable customer relation-
As for the stereotypes, throw them away. NASCAR is now the second-higheí
ships. The aim of marketing is to créate
rated regular season sport on TV—only the NFLdraws more viewers—and races ar
valué, for customers and to capture valué
seen ¡n 150 ccuntries in 23 languages. NASCAR fans are young, affluení, an
in return. Chapter 1 is organized around
decidedly family oriented—40 percent are women. What's more, they are 75 millio
five steps in the marketing process—from
strong—according to one survey, one in three Americans follows NASCAR. MOÍ
understanding customer needs, to design-
important, fans are passionate about NASCAR. A hardcore NASCAR fan s. d
ing customer-driven. marketing strategies
nearty $700 a year on NASCAR-related clothing, collectibles, and other Ítem;
and programs, to building customer rela-
NASCAR has even become a cultural forcé, as politicians scramble to gain the favc
tionships and capturing valué for the
of a powerful demographic dubbed "NASCAR dads."
firm. Understanding these basic concepts,
What's NASCAR's secret? Its incredible success resulís from a single-minde
and forming your own ideas about wnat
focus: creating lasting customer relationships. For fans, the NASCAR relationshi
they really mean to you, will give you a
deveiops through a careful blend of live racing events, abundant media coveragí
solid foundation for all that follows. ...
and compelling Web sites.
To'set the stage, let's first look at
Each year, fans experience the adrenalin-charged, heart-stopping excitement i
MASCAR. In only a few years, NASCAR has
NASCAR racing firsthand by attending national tours to some two dozen trac!-
swiftly evolved from a pastime for beer-
around the country. NASCAR races attract the íargest crowds of any U.S. sportir
guzzling Bubbas into a national marketing
event. Abouí 240,000 people attended the recent Daytona 500, far more tha
phenomenon. How? By creating high-
attended the Super Bowl, and the Allstate Brickyard 400 sells out its more tha
óctane valué for its millions of fans. In
300,000 seats each year. Last year alone, NASCAR events captured 306 millic
return, NASCAR captures valué from these
televisión viewers.
fans, both for itself and for its many spon-
At these events, fans hold tailgate parties, camp and cook out, watch the ca
sors. Read on and see how NASCAR does it
roar around the track, meei the drivers, and swap stories with other NASCAR enthi
siasis. Track facilities even include RV parks next to and right inside the racing OVÉ
Marveis one sponsor, "[In] what other sport can you drive your beat-up RV <
camper into the stadíum and sitonitto watch the race?" NASCAR really cares abo
its customers and goes out of its way to show them a good time. For example, rath
than fleecing fans with over-priced food and beer, NASCAR tracks encourage fans
' bring tneir own. Such actions mean that NASCAR might lose a sale today, but it v\

To further the customer relationship, NASCAR makes the sport a wholeson

family affair. The environment is safe for kíds—uniformed s'ecurity guards patrol ti
track to keep things in une. The famlly atmosphere extends to the drívers, too.
UnÜke the aloof and often distant athletes in other sports, NASCAR drivers seem like
regular guys. They are friendly and readily available to mingle with fans and sign
autographs. Fans view drivers as good role models, and the long NASCAR tradition
of famüy involvement creates the next generation of loya! fans.
Can't make it to the track? No problem. An average NASCAR event reaches 18 mii-
lion TVviewers. Well-orchestrated coverage and in-car cameras put fans in the middle
of the action, gíving them vicarious thrills that keep them glued to the screen. "When
the network gets ít right, my surround-sound boíhers my neighbors but makes my ears
happy," says Angela Kotula, a 35-year-old human resources professional.
NASCAR also delivers the NASCAR experíence through its engaging Web sites.
NASCAR.com serves up a glut of information and eníertainment—in-depth news,
dn'ver bios, background information, online games, community discussions, and mer-
chandise. True die-hard fans can subscribe to TrackPass to get up-to-the-minute
síandings, race video, streaming audio from the cars, and access to a host of archived
audio and video highüghts. TrackPass with PitCommand even delivers a real-time data
feed, complete with the GPS locations of cars and data from drivers' dashboards.
But a big part of the NASCAR experience is the feeling that the sport, itself, ¡s per-
sonally accessible. Anyone who knows how to drive feels that he or she, too, could be a
Champion NASCAR dríver. As 48-year-old pólice officer Ed Sweat puts it: "Geneíics did
not bless me with the height of a basketball player, ñor was I born to nave the bulk of a
. 1. "define marketing and outtine the steps in
the marketmg procesa " -:; " ,-".. ' • .•-..'••
: .2- e^plain.theompQrtance of understan-ding, -
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; • ' • ' • /-- -customers.and,the-rrrarketpLacé,-and-identify
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'/-''• • J'.the five'cor^ marketplace. concepts •
''-•;3, ideri,tffj/;the.key elemente'qf a custorner- - " . ;
;*,^ driyen.-Fnarketing s.trategy and-"díscuss the .....'
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;.::;.>,;'guidej"ma>keting:strategy : - ,'\.';:L; "- : " ' - "
Q/:/ív:discuss cdstomer réíationship.management,. •
• ; ;í" and ideníify strategies.fo'r creatíng valué/or
'.;•• customers and. captúring value'jfram. • . ;'--"".
'• - >". •'." custpmeris ín return ' ' >-'; .:;- ;
A;:'.5. describe the majar trénds and focces that are
"changíng.the marketing [arfdscipeih this--..
;' T age bf retationships.: