50 replies to this topic

[Lazarus II]

WTF.
Desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose.

The IRL IndyCar® Series will race into the new season with efforts to grow the sport, broaden its fan base and make more noise than ever before by announcing today that it has forged a unique marketing alliance with rock legend Gene Simmons and entertainment industry veteran Richard Abramson, principals in the Hollywood-based Simmons Abramson Marketing company. The broad-based agreement will see Simmons Abramson Marketing actively engaged in the league's marketing, event, public relations, sponsorship, merchandising and branding efforts - from its IndyCar Series to the venerable Indianapolis 500.

Source

[benn5325]

Jeez. What will they think of next.
Maybe they'll try and hook up with some sit-com guys

[skinnylizard]

who cares about Gene Simmons? the guy is so early - mid eighties. couldnt they find someone a bit more current?

[TT6]

Originally posted by skinnylizard
who cares about Gene Simmons? the guy is so early - mid eighties. couldnt they find someone a bit more current?

Gene Simmons was the glam rock hero of many 8 - 15 year old children around 1975 - 82. The same people are now in their 30's - 40's. It's an essential segment with lots of consuming potential to market useless goods and entertainment. Perfect mach for racing business.

[Levike]

Originally posted by skinnylizard
who cares about Gene Simmons? the guy is so early - mid eighties. couldnt they find someone a bit more current?

Who do you think about ? Justin Timberlake.. ?

[Ross Stonefeld]

You guys are focusing on the wrong element.



it has forged a unique marketing alliance with...Hollywood-based Simmons Abramson Marketing company.


The fact that its Gene Simmons/KISS makes for a more interesting press release. We wouldn't have a thread if they had signed with Mediaedge:CIA

[ensign14]

Kiss of Death?

[tidytracks]

I'm with Ross on this one. You guys are focussing on the wrong thing. OK, so he's a rock star. Big deal. David letterman's a talk show host - does that make his team any less of a force in the sport? The fact is that this announcement once again shows how keen the IRL are to pro-actively search out new ways in which to promote themselves and improve their fanbase... F1 take note

[wati]

Whohoo, KISS Army! Detroit rock city 500 (They do have a race in Detroit, don't they??), heh.

[themark]

Originally posted by skinnylizard
who cares about Gene Simmons?...

Of for that matter... who cares about IRL?

[tifosi]

This is very weird. When CART starting basically becoming a sideshow to rock concerts everyone was saying what a brilliant move it was.

Ahhhh the hypocrisy of Atlas posters. And a little note to themark, seeing as how you opened and took the time to post in an IRL thread, I would say you care. One way or another.

[Henrik B]

Gene Simmons is 95% businessman and 5% musician nowadays. This doesn't mean Kiss concerts at the races.

[ehagar]

Could be worse... Imagine Richard Simmons

[Davebo]

Originally posted by ehagar
Imagine Richard Simmons

Thank you, but NO!

[EdwRom]

Errrr, he wrote the new IRL anthem: I am Indy .
Judge for yourselves...

[senna da silva]

I am Mindy? Who is Mork?

[themark]

Originally posted by tifosi
....And a little note to themark, seeing as how you opened and took the time to post in an IRL thread, I would say you care. One way or another.

I thought this was a Gene Simmons thread!!?

I was in the KISS Army.. age 8-12, Gene rocked!
Liked him as the bad guy in that Tom Selleck robot flick too.

IRL... have never watched a race, not even on TV.
No interest, other than seeing it shrivel up and go away.

Hopefully soon

[PhilKerr]

Its strictly a business arrangement

Dave Clark ran the european division of Sega after he finished with the Dave Clark 5

Not all musicians are shuffling wrecks like Ozzy

[Brutom]

When I first heard about it yesterday, I damned near drove off the road laughing as all the images and possibilities came to mind.
If you're good at photo editing, lets see some "previews".

http://63.240.236.75.../indycar/21478/

[tifosi]

Originally posted by themark
IRL... have never watched a race, not even on TV.
No interest, other than seeing it shrivel up and go away.

Hopefully soon

Just wondering. You've never seen even one race at all, and yet your hoping for it to shrivel up and go away???? Why?

[tifosi]

Originally posted by PhilKerr
Not all musicians are shuffling wrecks like Ozzy

And even he was smart enough to hook up with a very good manager.

[Brutom]

The problem I have with the IRL is that I remember what the Indianapolis "500",and the entire month of May in Indianapolis, was before the IRL.

Stuff like important, exciting and interesting.

[biercemountain]

Originally posted by Henrik Brodin
Gene Simmons is 95% businessman and 5% musician nowadays. This doesn't mean Kiss concerts at the races.

Gene's all business from what I hear. A frend of mine worked with him on Kiss action figures and said he wants to make money on everything he does.

[themark]

Originally posted by Brutom
The problem I have with the IRL is that I remember what the Indianapolis "500",and the entire month of May in Indianapolis, was before the IRL.

Stuff like important, exciting and interesting.

Bingo!

[DREW]

"Abramson, a veteran marketer, talent manager, film producer and financier, has conducted marketing campaigns for many major film releases. His management clients include actor Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman."

Let the satire begin...

DREW

[Slyder]

As usual, here's Robin Miller's stab at the latest cumbersome idea from 16th and Georgetown.

MILLER: Indy Anthem Just the Latest Fleecing on West 16th Street
Written by: Robin Miller

Indianapolis, IN – 1/12/2006

In its 11-year history, the Indy Racing League has thrown away millions of dollars with marketing and advertising firms around the country in an attempt to create an identity and mass appeal.

From the early days of the Buzz Calkins pencil sharpener to the national TV commercials that said: "You had to be there" to last year's decree of "Adrenalin Amplified," it's been an expensive, fruitless, misguided, non-stop search for branding, recognition and fans.

High-powered firms like CAA were hired to bring A-list celebrities to the Indianapolis 500, while Ignition of Atlanta raked in a pretty penny for running the Fan Experience and 141 Worldwide of Chicago was on a retainer to evaluate and create a brand for the IRL. TBA of Nashville was on the payroll for sponsorships or concerts, or both.

There were also big agencies from L.A. and New York City that got into Tony George's pocket.

Elaine Mellancamp spent two years as the IRL's official spokesperson, trying to educate the uninformed about The League, while hubby John's song "Take A Ride with Me" served as the IRL's unofficial anthem.

Actor Jason Priestly came on board to provide color commentary and lure young adults to watch the IRL on television.

Last year's IRL media guide was packed with glamour shots of drivers shaving, surfing, skiing and styling -- just not in uniform.

It was hard to identify the drivers, much like it is with the IRL.

And that's because the IRL changes colors as often as it does marketing directors.

It supposedly started out as this red, white and blue alternative to CART where American drivers and ingenuity could flourish while turning left.

That lasted until Toyota and Honda showed up, followed by Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, et al. Now it's CART Lite, as A.J. Foyt calls it, complete with road courses, street circuits and a healthy contingent of foreign drivers.

Last year it became the Danica Patrick Show following her star turn at Indianapolis and the IRL didn't need any PR expertise because the media circus gladly engulfed the comely, 23-year-old racer.

Patrick personally pulled up the TV ratings and did what none of the marketing mavens could -- she created new fans all around the country.

But that's always been the IRL's problem -- it doesn't have a clue about its audience or how to find it. And it tries to promote everything except the racers.

Instead of coddling up to Jason Priestly, the IRL should have taken care of Jason Leffler.

Instead of spending money on Elaine Mellancamp, the IRL should have invested in its most popular female at that time, Sarah Fisher.

Instead of worrying about which Hollywood B listers show up on race day, the IRL should have tried to cultivate the careers of Kasey Kahne, J.J. Yeley and Tracy Hines.

Instead of trying so hard to find a new crowd, the IRL needed to try and re-connect with the old one.

The majority of people who religiously came to practice and qualifying at Indy were insulted by everything that transpired in May of 1996 and they've never been back.

Milwaukee was always packed the week after Indy but now it's not even half full for Champ Car or the IRL. Ditto for Michigan. And Phoenix is gone because it became a ghost town with the IRL.

So how does Tony George begin to recapture Indy-car's allure and relevance with the casual or hard-core fan?

Most rational people feel like one series is a reasonable starting point.

Others seem to think an old, burned out rocker is the answer.

Of course I'm referring to Gene Simmons of KISS fame, the latest to get his hooks into the IRL money bag. Simmons-Richard Abramson Marketing of Hollywood has already concocted an embarrassing anthem “I Am Indy” that must have taken at least two minutes to compose which will undoubtedly bring teenagers stampeding to IRL tracks all summer.

Simmons is known for his elongated tongue, but it must be painted silver as well. Then again, talking the IRL out of money for marketing really has become somewhat of a sport during the past decade.

Don't know anything about auto racing or its audience? Perfect. Sign here and take our money. Thanks for playing Fleece the Fools on West 16th Street.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by Slyder
As usual, here's Robin Miller's stab at the latest cumbersome idea from 16th and Georgetown.

I've been a Robin Miller fan for years and years. It's so refereshing to hear someone tell it like it REALLY is.

[themark]

Absolutely perfect, couldn't have said it better.

Well done Robin.

[Mila]

Gene's going to class up the joint. look for a new title sponsor:

"STD: The Racer's Itch"

[Slyder]

Originally posted by Mila
Gene's going to class up the joint. look for a new title sponsor:

"STD: The Racer's Itch"

You should add W. Axl Rose's famous line: "Addicted, only the strong survive."

[StickShift]

Ahahahahahahahahah...ahahahahaha!

Oh lord. That is terrible.

Who exactly is the Gene Simmons name selling the product to? It's not exactly like he is popular in a relevant sense. He's a self admitted cliche.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Does anyone have an alternative suggestion? In a marketing sense, not a racing sense.

[StickShift]

Jared Fogel?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Woah, surreal flashback.



JARED HAS AIDS

[Jordan191]

Gene Simmons verses Atlas Readers Comments
lets see...
the KISS marketing machine vs... well Readers Comments.
gee. real tough choice there.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by EdwRom
Errrr, he wrote the new IRL anthem: I am Indy .
Judge for yourselves...

A nauseating flashback to the days of spandex, cowboy boots and guys trying to out-poof each other's hairdo... whore-ible. If it's meant to be representative then the IRL is a sick dog that needs to be shot. Pronto.

[stevewf1]

Originally posted by StickShift
Who exactly is the Gene Simmons name selling the product to? It's not exactly like he is popular in a relevant sense. He's a self admitted cliche.

New IRL fans. Anybody. Please. They've tried all sorts of marketing ploys to attract new fans, but it just ain't happening.

I think they're getting desperate...

[senna da silva]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
Does anyone have an alternative suggestion? In a marketing sense, not a racing sense.

Well I'm not going to make any money off this but how'bout coming to an agreement with OWRS?

[Locai]

They need to change their initials from "IRL" to "WTF?".

[330R]

Mindy has some new driving music now.

[Locai]

Originally posted by senna da silva
I am Mindy? Who is Mork?

I thought nearly the same thing. Is this for the IRL or for Paw Dawber? Or perhaps the fat chick from "The Facts of Life"?

[Slyder]

Both series are "specqued" with single chassis and engine manufacturer's each.

For ****'s sake, enough of this nonsense and just reunite. **** man, right now both are at their most pathetic yet and still neither will set aside their bullshit egos and do something to save themselves and each other.

pfft.

[KenC]

I say, just ride the Danica Patrick show, that's the only thing that has gotten public and media traction. Give her 50bhp more, it'll help the sport survive. Ethics? Heck, ethics went out the door a long time ago.

[jonpollak]

Hey Ross...
That pic you put up is a scream
Can you imagine all the caption possibilities?

http://gallery.autos...mage/1rmc1896-2

Yes I imagine you can.
Jp

[indycarjunkie]

I took a long vacation from reading the Atlas RC boards and I can see I hadn't missed anything. Some things never change.

Originally posted by Brutom
The problem I have with the IRL is that I remember what the Indianapolis "500",and the entire month of May in Indianapolis, was before the IRL.

Stuff like important, exciting and interesting.

It still is. The only difference between the I500 of today and yesterday is some fans have chosen to take this US OW split personal to the detriment of the sport as a whole. This garbage is getting tiresome. Lets all keep it up so we can help the exectutives of both sides destroy our sport!

I've only heard the audio of Gene's jingle and I don't think much of it in and of itself. It might be better with some video of exciting OW racing and photo finishes.

[jonpollak]

Originally posted by indycarjunkie
I took a long vacation from reading the Atlas RC boards and I can see I hadn't missed anything. Some things never change.

Sorry...
I know,
..I am such a slut

I just saw the lecherous look in the rock stars eyes and thought to myself....


Oh nevermind, I should just leave it huh.
Jp

[rhm]

Originally posted by jonpollak
Hey Ross...
That pic you put up is a scream
Can you imagine all the caption possibilities?

http://gallery.autos...mage/1rmc1896-2

Yes I imagine you can.
Jp

"No Mr. Simmons, you're my bitch!"

[jonpollak]

Drop everything.....
http://www.speedtv.c...car/auto/22596/

Jp

[Psychoman]

And apparently Gene Simmons' efforts to reach out to the youth market have resulted in Carmelo Anthony sponsoring PJ Chesson's car with Ron Hemelgarn. Interesting move--at the least there should be no songs coming out of this one (thank god it wasn't Shaq )

[EVL29]

Originally posted by Psychoman
And apparently Gene Simmons' efforts to reach out to the youth market have resulted in Carmelo Anthony sponsoring PJ Chesson's car with Ron Hemelgarn. Interesting move--at the least there should be no songs coming out of this one (thank god it wasn't Shaq )

I hope that some other team doesn't complain about Chesson's driving to the race stewards.

You do know how Melo and his homies deal with "snitches"?