Hey Tony, we have ladders
When I was at the beach a few weeks back, I picked up a USA Today that week after Tony Stewart's win in Sonoma.
In the Sports section was a full-page ad that our ad reps probably drooled over: 20 for the 20, courtesy of The Home Depot, which was recognizing Stewart's 20th Cup win.
A few days after Stewart's win at New Hampshire, Home Depot's ad in the Charlotte paper jumped right off the page. There was a picture of Stewart with the phrase "Hey Tony, we've got ladders." And at the bottom was a 10 percent off coupon for ladders and fencing products.
I'm not mentioning the ad because I'm pimping for Home Depot. (Except for yard fertilizer, I buy everything home-related from Lowe's or Holliday Hardware on Spring Garden.)
I'm mentioning that because it's freakin' brilliant. Dale Jr. is by far the best pitchman in NASCAR, and Michael Waltrip is probably next. (Their Domino's campaign -- "I'm the king of NASCAR -- is pretty good, and the NAPA takeoff on the Home Shopping Network is pretty clever.) Gillette's Young Guns bit is okay, and the long-form commercial of Greg Biffle hauling moonshine, er, a hot Subway sandwich is pretty strong. And Dale Jarrett's UPS spots are consistently funny.
But most NASCAR advertising is wretched. (Ever see Junior in the Win Fuel spots? Yuck.) But Stewart's campaign stands out because it's unique.
Maybe some other NASCAR sponsors will follow suit?
NASCAR.com has more here.
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