Sprint

When Sprint Nextel became the title sponsor of stockcar racing’s premier series in 2004, the company wanted to leverage its sponsorship to build brand awareness, enhance the fan experience, introduce new technologies and ultimately drive sales for Sprint Nextel products in more than 100 markets. CRT/tanaka was charged with positioning the company as a leader in the wireless category by coordinating all public relations activities related to the 10-year, $750 million sponsorship – the largest in sports history – including media relations, internal communications, event management, issues management, government affairs, product launches and cause-related marketing. The agency used Sprint Nextel’s NASCAR sponsorship to generate awareness for the company’s other activities and garner media coverage in outlets including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post and The New York Times. Additionally, Sprint Nextel usage at the track increased 21 percent during the sponsorship’s first year. Now that the program is up and running, all NASCAR work is handled internally, however CRT/tanaka continues to help Sprint Nextel keep ahead of its marketplace competitors by monitoring new technologies, products and consumer opinions.

NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SPONSORSHIP/LIFE AT SPRINT SPEED

Challenge

When Sprint Nextel (then Nextel) became the title sponsor of stockcar racing’s premier series in 2004, the company wanted to leverage its sponsorship to build brand awareness, enhance the fan experience, introduce new technologies and ultimately drive sales for Sprint Nextel products and services in more than 100 markets across the country. CRT/tanaka was charged with positioning the company as a leader in the wireless category by coordinating all public relations activities related to the 10-year, $750 million sponsorship – the largest in sports history – including media relations, internal communications, event management, issues management, government affairs, product launches and cause-related marketing.

Solution

Using the NASCAR title sponsorship as a vehicle, CRT/tanaka built awareness for Sprint Nextel’s public relations, marketing and governmental affairs programs to drive “off the sports page” coverage. CRT/tanaka managed Sprint Nextel’s media outreach for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, which races 36 weeks each year. Responsibilities included developing new and unique story angles, creating media materials, providing consistent message points, pitching media, coordinating production of video news releases and satellite media tours, scheduling executive interviews and coordinating weekly live television and radio broadcasts in different markets. In addition to coordinating and pitching the local markets, CRT/tanaka reached out to wireless and motorsports trade media, as well as national business, financial, consumer and mainstream print, radio and television outlets.

Results

• Media coverage in outlets including Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, The New York Times, The Weather Channel, NASCAR Scene, SportsBusiness Journal, PROMO Magazine and more totaled nearly $152 million in PR-generated publicity value (excluding sport-specific mentions and coverage) in the first two years of the sponsorship.
• More than 90 percent of avid fans were aware of Nextel as the title sponsor within the first year of the sponsorship.
• Market share increased 4.4 percent among avid NASCAR fans.
• The campaign was named the top-rated sponsorship in America in 2004.

ADDITIONAL SPRINT NEXTEL WORK

In 2007, CRT/tanaka was selected as Sprint Nextel’s lead strategic PR firm. CRT/tanaka was charged with re-establishing the perception of Sprint Nextel’s ability to provide advanced wireless services in a highly competitive industry.

CRT/tanaka recommended “Life at Sprint Speed,” a campaign to change the conversation from network coverage to speed. It was a position that Sprint Nextel could uniquely own in a challenging marketplace and one that would inspire the company’s new advertising campaign.

An example program that CRT/tanaka developed to support the company’s new position is “Sprint Speed Stories.” The Web-based project invited consumers to share stories of how Sprint Nextel technology helped them do amazing things. It also tapped into social media and influencers that Sprint Nextel had not targeted in the past.

CRT/tanaka currently works with Sprint Nextel to monitor and keep ahead of their reputation and new technologies in the blogosphere. This includes daily monitoring of new technologies, products and sentiment about Sprint Nextel and its competitors.