Bold Moves: Ford Racing and Barbasol team up to promote Mustang Challenge

[David Burkart]

The blue oval has associated itself with cologne, video games, TV shows and movies. Taking its creative marketing strategies one step further, Ford Racing is now featuring the FR500S on the side of Barbasol shaving cream cans to promote the Mustang Challenge.

That’s right—shaving cream.

So now, when race fans go to lather up with their All-‘Merican shaving cream in the morning, they’ll have the new Mustang Challenge series on the noggin.

Granting that each can will have approximately three months worth of shaving cream, the promotion’s organizers estimate the Mustang FR500S, the Ford Racing logo, the Mustang Challenge series logo and schedule will be imprinted into the minds of consumers more than 200 million times. That’s quite a few impressions.

"The Ford Mustang Challenge Barbasol can promotion provides a non-traditional opportunity to reach both the passionate and casual race fan with information about the Miller Cup on a daily basis," said Lynda Randall Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup Series Director.

"As a series in its first season, it is important for us to spread the word about the Mustang Challenge," she added. "This program provides a medium for us to repeatedly reach our target demographic and to educate them on an ongoing basis about our series. This is just one example of the distinctive opportunities we are pursuing to promote the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup."

For the full press release regarding the Barbasol and Ford Racing promotion, check out the reply below.

[David Burkart]

FORD RACING TEAMS UP WITH BARBASOL SHAVING CREAM FOR UNIQUE MUSTANG CHALLENGE PROMOTION

DEARBORN, Mich., July 23, 2008 - When the concept for the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup was devised, it was a given that the series would produce razor-close racing in new Mustang FR500S units. The real challenge was how to deliver a unique, cutting-edge approach for the launch and promotion of a new racing entity in today's crowded market place.

Taking some of the new series' attributes to heart, Ford Racing and Miller Motorsports Park began discussions with Dublin, Ohio-based Barbasol Shaving Cream about a retail-oriented, shelf-level promotion that would incorporate Barbasol's famed red and white barber pole can and create awareness and an identity for the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge.

The resulting partnership between the iconic American brands of Ford Mustang and Barbasol Shaving Cream emblazoned 2 million cans of Barbasol Original Shave Cream for summer distribution with an image of the Mustang FR500S, the Ford Racing logo and the Mustang Challenge series logo and schedule.

Each can of Barbasol provides about three months worth of shaving cream, delivering a Ford Mustang Challenge-branded promotional message to each customer conservatively 100 times during its use. Overall, the program's product promotion should generate more than 200 million impressions.
That news has some people worked into a lather.

"The Ford Mustang Challenge Barbasol can promotion provides a non-traditional opportunity to reach both the passionate and casual race fan with information about the Miller Cup on a daily basis," said Lynda Randall Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup Series Director.

"As a series in its first season, it is important for us to spread the word about the Mustang Challenge," she added. "This program provides a medium for us to repeatedly reach our target demographic and to educate them on an ongoing basis about our series. This is just one example of the distinctive opportunities we are pursuing to promote the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup."

The at-track promotional component created the ‘Barbasol Closest Shave Award' for the Ford Mustang Challenge competitors, and Miller Motorsports Park launched an online contest through Ford Racing - Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup : Home Page for a lucky fan to win a VIP weekend at the track for the series' finale at Miller Motorsports Park in September.