Harvick OnLine: Shell is Made to Move as 2007 Nextel Cup Series Season Gets Underway

Shell is Made to Move as 2007 Nextel Cup Series Season Gets Underway

HOUSTON, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the 2007 Nextel Cup Season and to support a new relationship, Shell Oil Company announces an integrated marketing platform aimed at raising its brand profile with NASCAR fans on and off the track. NASCAR's 75 million fans are sure to take notice that Shell has made its way back into the world of NASCAR through a relationship with one of the best teams in motorsports, Richard Childress Racing (RCR), and fan favorite, Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Shell- Pennzoil car.

"I'm very excited to be working with Shell and Pennzoil because they both have a very long and successful history in motorsports," said Harvick. "I've been blown away by the commitment they've shown to me and RCR. I think their passion is evident in all that they're doing to support this relationship from what you see in the Shell locations, at track and internally with their employees. I've visited Shell headquarters in Houston and was able to experience it all firsthand."

In October 2006, Shell announced a multi-year primary sponsorship with RCR and Kevin Harvick. The sponsorship gives the company a great opportunity to leverage the Shell and Pennzoil brands. Both logos will be featured on the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car driven by Kevin Harvick in their trademark yellow and red. The brands will also appear on other RCR cars including the No. 31 car driven by Jeff Burton and the No. 07 car driven by Clint Bowyer.

Spreading the Word

Participating Shell locations will make being a part of NASCAR easy with an array of in-store branding and merchandising. An interactive, life-sized cutout featuring a voice recording of Harvick is in stores to promote the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car's merchandise including special edition apparel exclusive to Shell locations, as well as novelties and collectibles. Shell locations will also have the opportunity to host a No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car replica showcar to engage visitors and enthusiasts. "It's been great to see the new No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car signage and merchandise at Shell locations across the country and feel the buzz behind this perfect relationship. Shell is passionate about our relationship and I'm excited to work with them this year and beyond," said Harvick.

In addition to point-of-purchase materials, the new Limited Edition Shell Racing Gift Card, and the free 2007 Nextel Cup Series race schedule are also currently available. The Limited Edition Shell Racing Gift Card features an image of the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car and can be purchased in a denomination of $25. The cards are also available online at http://www.shellgiftcard.com in the amounts of $10 and $25 or in customizable values by calling 1-888-SHELL-04. Shell is also giving away FREE 2007 Nextel Cup Series race schedules at any of the more than 13,000 Shell locations across the country. The schedules fold up into a portable wallet size to make it convenient for racing fans to always have a NASCAR schedule with them.

"Shell may have been away from NASCAR for nine years, but we think NASCAR fans and our customers will be able to see how excited we are about being back in the sport," said Heidi Massey-Bong, senior business advisor-NASCAR Sponsorships for Shell. "From NASCAR merchandise available at stations to commemorative gift cards, we've jumped back into NASCAR in a big way."

Be a Star with Kevin Harvick

Shell is also leveraging this relationship outside of Shell locations. Kicking off February 14 at the Daytona 500, Shell will unveil the "Passionate Experts" experiential marketing tour. Featuring interactive exhibits, games and a chance for fans to be a star with Kevin Harvick in their own videos, the tour will visit 15 cities this spring including four markets hosting Nextel Cup races. Aimed at helping drivers make smarter choices at the pump, the tour will demonstrate the differences in fuel quality. Shell has developed special fuel engines to compare two gasoline products in a single engine under identical conditions. This dual fuel engine test offers the ability to run one-half of the engine on Shell gasoline, while the other half runs on low- quality discount gasoline. The results clearly show that Shell gasolines cause less gunky build-up on critical engine parts than low-quality discount gasolines.

"This innovative tour exhibit allows people to see firsthand that the choices they make at the pump can have real-world consequences on their car's performance," said Dan Little, Shell fuels marketing manager. "The tour allows visitors to learn how to avoid gunky build-up on critical engine parts, while also having fun."

Other tour features include a "Future of Energy" exhibit that provides a look into alternative energy resources of today and tomorrow, an educational display about bio-fuels, a video game to challenge other event visitors and a Shell Motorsports Heritage overview.

"Our plan with RCR and Kevin Harvick is pretty simple; have fun with our employees, wholesalers, retailers, distributors and customers through a sport we all love," said John Hofmeister, president, Shell Oil Company. "This new relationship builds on our existing motorsports platform by aligning the leading fuels and lubricants brands with winners on the track."

Later this year, a national advertising campaign is scheduled to run on national and cable networks. The 30-second television advertisement depicts Kevin Harvick in a humorous on-the-road driving experience with two actors portraying Shell scientists.

Harvick's Biggest Fans

Shell will make it possible for its network of more than 20,000 employees to get involved in the new relationship through a number of internal engagement programs. A sweepstakes will award a trip for two to the Daytona 500, a driving emersion at the Richard Petty Driving experience, a Shell Intranet feed of the Daytona 500, and visits from Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress. In addition, to commemorate each victory and convert them into loyal fans, Shell plans to distribute No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil car mementos to employees.

Finally, consumers are able to learn more about the Shell and RCR relationship, racing schedules, results, and more by visiting http://www.shell.com/us .

Read the full story at biz.yahoo.com