NBC continues its countdown toward its first-ever Indianapolis 500 this week, with the race shifting channels after a stories run on ABC on Sunday, with NBC Sports Group lining up eight hours of programming that includes a pre-race show on NBCSN at 9a; race coverage at 11a on NBC; and a post-race show at 4p on NBCSN. The company has also been going big on the marketing front, running promotion for the race since January and more recently including a barrage that ran during the company’s Kentucky Derby coverage, with an eye to wrangle the casual fan.
Cynopsis Sports asked Jenny Storms, CMO and EVP, Content Strategy, NBC Sports Group about the race and its campaign.
On the addition of the Indy 500 to the NBC portfolio: The Indy 500 is a great addition to NBC Sports for two reasons. First, this iconic event is now part of our brand portfolio where we make big events bigger. Second, the 500 fits perfectly into our Championship Season, which includes The Players, Triple Crown, French Open, Premier League Championship Sunday, Stanley Cup Final, Tour de France and The Open Championship. The Indy 500 champion will be part of an integrated campaign as we crown champions from May through July.
On strategizing: We are very fortunate to have been the cable partner of IndyCar prior to this new agreement, so it afforded us the opportunity to build data, insights and strategy around this consumer and property. We had a good foundation when it came to starting the marketing plans. But the Indy 500 is also a different event; it is beyond sports as it encompasses entertainment, celebrity and culture. So we are building plans that appeal to both the core racing fan as well as the entertainment consumer. It has been fascinating to learn and understand the different reasons why people connect with the Indy 500 and how we can reach them with the most relevant content.
On the campaign? To start, we had to build awareness that the 500 is on NBC as it was on another network for 54 years. And a great way to do that early was through our NFL Playoff games in January. From that point, we have implemented an integrated campaign including on-air, digital, social, regional, and local market activations. We are also having some fun with out of the box ideas that include iconic elements of the race such as the milk and bricks.
On making the campaign unique: Two things really make what we are doing unique. The first is the power of NBCUniversal. Our Company platforms reach 93% of Americans every month, and it is a great opportunity to generate reach and frequency around this event. We have had drivers featured in various telecasts as well as partnerships with the TODAY Show and The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon in the past few weeks. Our NBCU family of celebrities will be part of the month-long festivities as well. The second is our focus on the drivers to communicate the speed, skill, versatility, and bravery that goes into this amazing race. Bringing those personalities to life in unique ways has been a key to success this first half of the season.
On Tokyo 2020: Our marketing preparation for Tokyo 2020 is in full force and will continue to ramp up as we get to the One Year Out mark. You are seeing us once again implement the Persona Plans where we are building and distributing the athlete stories, so you will start to see new names and faces. And with our new partnership with LA 2028, we are working more together as this is an opportunity for us to engage the U.S. over the next decade as we prepare for the first Games on U.S. soil in a generation.
