A new activation by NASCAR sponsor Skittles saw the confectionary company’s kid reporter Lacey Caroline square off against driver Kyle Busch to see who can count the most Skittles in 30 seconds in a campaign called ‘NASCAR Candy Challenge’.
The social spot launched on both the team and the brand’s social channels on 4 January 2021.
Skittles, the candy brand made by Wrigley (a subsidiary of Mars) ,made its comeback to NASCAR back in 2014 with a resumption of its sponsorship of Joe Gibbs Racing (returning after a decade) by acting as primary sponsor on the No 18 Toyota Camry driven by Busch.
Skittles originally made its NASCAR debut back in 1998 in the form of a partnership with MB2 Motorsports and the No 36 Pontiac driven by Derrike Cope. Then in 1999, Ernie Irvan took the wheel of the Skittles No 36 Pontiac.
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This activation follows ion the footsteps of October 2020’s Skittles Halloween NASCAR campaign which saw Kyle Busch’s vehicle sport a special Skittles Halloween paint scheme in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth to promote the Mars Wrigley brand’s re-release of Zombie Skittles in stores and online at major retailers nationwide.
Other notable Mars/Wrigley NASCAR initiatives include its 2019 ‘Premium Glamping’ trackside experience (see case study).
In the USA Skittles has a strong legacy of sports sponsorship and notable recent initiatives range from the brand’s work with NFL star Marshawn ‘Beatsmode’ Lynch (see case study) and its Super Bowl marketing like 2018’s David Schwimmer fronted spoof spot (see case study).
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Joe Gibbs Racing
NASCAR
Skittles
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