Fast Horse Fires Up Nation’s Biggest Grill For Coca-Cola
Fast Horse and Coca-Cola kick off summer in a big way with the Quarter-Mile Cookout. The creative event connects Coke with summer, meals and family barbecues while amplifying the brand’s marquee NASCAR sponsorship and its Summer Can series.
Burgers, buns and big ideasWe faced the challenge of reaching two distinct audiences: “home category managers” (some people call them “moms”) and guys who do a lot of grilling for the family. With no broadcast advertising support to generate buzz around the brand’s summer grilling promotion, earning broadcast publicity and driving online buzz was imperative.
On your mark, get set – grill!
Our hot idea: Host an attention-grabbing cookout during the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, N.C. Coca-Cola fired up the nation’s longest grill – measuring a staggering 1,320 feet – in an oval shape on the racetrack. The event featured celebrity chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence, as well as Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers Kyle Petty, Bobby Labonte, Clint Bowyer and racing legend Bobby Allison, who served up burgers, hot dogs and ice-cold Coke to more than 6,000 hungry and thirsty NASCAR fans.
Good times, hot results
The cookout wildly exceeded publicity expectations, generating 89 million impressions and more than 600 stories– while also delivering a first-class event for more than 6,000 fans. More than 400 broadcast airings, including coverage on the FOX race broadcast, “Fox & Friends” national morning show, ESPN News and multiple stories on ESPN’s “NASCAR Now.” A viral video featuring Kyle Petty gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the event while videos starring Michael Waltrip and Tyler Florence provided light-hearted and informational cooking tips. The blogosphere and Twitter were abuzz with the event and Coke’s can designs, generating more than 3,100 social media mentions.
Fact: Charlotte Motor Speedway turned the cookout into an annual event for ticketholders.
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