New Agreement Extends Relationship With One Of The Sport’s Most Recognizable Brands To More Than Two Decades
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 31, 2019) – NASCAR and Mars, Incorporated announced a multi-year extension, continuing the iconic candy manufacturer’s long-standing partnership and designation as the “Official Chocolate of NASCAR®”. The renewed agreement ensures Mars’ various brands remain a race day staple for millions of fans and extends the relationship to more than 20 consecutive years of Official Partnership, highlighted by a fully integrated strategy that activates every corner of the sport.
Mars entered NASCAR as a team sponsor nearly 30 years ago and steadily increased its participation in the sport, becoming a NASCAR Official Partner in 2000. Through the Official Partnership, Mars builds comprehensive marketing strategies, leveraging the sport as a backdrop to debut new products, build experiential marketing platforms for consumers and drive business-to-business deals. Mars launched the M&M’S® Chocolate Bar in the United States with the DAYTONA 500 as its backdrop, unveiling a special paint scheme with Kyle Busch and the No. 18 team and an on-site activation to celebrate its release.
“We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with NASCAR – a relationship we have been proud of for over 20 years,” said William Clements, vice president, sponsorships and sports marketing, Mars, Incorporated. “This partnership allows us to seamlessly integrate our iconic brands into the sport like no other league, and the innovative fan experiences we are able to bring to race day help to create lasting memories for fans of our brands and fans of the sport alike.”
Central to Mars’ 2019 activation was its first ever M&M’S Glampground, an experiential marketing platform that set a new standard for lifestyle brands in NASCAR. The exclusive experiences at Kentucky Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway sold out immediately, delivering the colorful fun M&M’S is known for with unforgettable experiences. The Glampground provided a turnkey, VIP option for race fans looking to experience a NASCAR race weekend like never before, featuring everything from glamping tents and garage tours to celebrity meet and greets.
“Mars’ has been connected to so many memorable moments in our history and its wide-ranging presence across our sport has resulted in its’ brands being some of the most recognizable in NASCAR,” said Lou Garate, senior vice president, partnership marketing, NASCAR. “This renewed partnership is representative of the collaboration and fully integrated approach that Mars delivers year-after-year, positioning their iconic brands as a race day favorite for millions of our brand loyal fans.”
The renewed agreement with Mars furthers the brand’s comprehensive approach to NASCAR through its Official Partnership, combining digital and social marketing, hospitality, race entitlement, and team relationships to achieve its marketing objectives. Earlier this year, Mars announced an extension of its relationship with Joe Gibbs Racing and 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch in a multi-year agreement.
The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue at Texas Motor Speedway for the AAA Texas 500 Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.
For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States and owner of 16 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. NASCAR also owns Motor Racing Network, Racing Electronics, Americrown Service and ONE DAYTONA. Based in Daytona Beach, Florida, with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit www.NASCAR.com and www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
