Eastman Kodak Company
Kodak Racing to Debut Kodak EasyShare Car at Richmond
ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 30 -- Eastman Kodak Company said that it will debut, through its Kodak Racing program, the new EasyShare race car at Richmond International Raceway on May 3, the company's latest effort to increase promotional activity for its digital products as part of a broader NASCAR-based marketing push.
The Kodak EasyShare System is the market-leading digital camera system for consumers, featuring a line of cameras, docks and a printer dock that make taking, sharing and printing digital images easier than ever. The EasyShare logo will adorn the No. 4 Kodak race car, driven by Mike Skinner of the Morgan-McClure Motorsports team.
The Richmond race will mark the first time that the Kodak Racing program has extended its marketing beyond the company's traditional consumer film products and services. Kodak is planning on racing the EasyShare car at a total of 10 races in 2003, including the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 25.
"The debut of the Kodak EasyShare car illustrates that digital photography has begun to reach mainstream America," said John O'Grady, Regional Business General Manager and Vice President of the Americas Region for Kodak's Digital & Applied Imaging products and services. "Kodak is a long-standing supporter of NASCAR, among the most popular spectator sports in the U.S. This latest pairing, of EasyShare and Morgan-McClure, will help us reach millions of people weekly, both at the track and in their homes, with our message that EasyShare makes digital photography fun and easy."
To commemorate the debut of the EasyShare car at Richmond, Kodak will provide NASCAR fans with the opportunity to experience the Kodak Picture Planet, a 53-foot-long mobile exhibit that will demonstrate the ease-of-use of EasyShare cameras. The Kodak Picture Planet will be positioned at the raceway's Pontiac Excitement sponsorship display, and EasyShare commercials will be broadcast on the raceway's jumbotron prior to race time.
Kodak is also leveraging the promotional space on the trunk of the car to its retail partners who sell consumer electronics, such as Circuit City, Office Depot and Staples.
"U.S. retailers are very interested in working with us on the program because it will drive people into stores for the EasyShare system," O'Grady said. "We are currently pursuing several opportunities and expect retail participation to extend the impact of this highly visible sponsorship."
This promotional program, which includes both the Kodak EasyShare car and the Kodak Perfect Touch car, involves a dozen retailers that have already been booked for 18 of the 36 races. Kodak Perfect Touch is the next generation of Kodak's premium film processing, using technology that scans and digitally processes each picture to reveal more vibrant colors, richer detail and fewer dark shadows.
As part of the effort to extend NASCAR-related marketing, Kodak will visit hundreds of retailers nationwide this year with the EasyShare show car. Visits by the show car generate many picture-taking opportunities and product sales. Kodak also will perform EasyShare camera and printer dock demonstrations at all show car appearances starting in May.
"With a fan base of 75 million adults who are three times more likely to purchase a NASCAR sponsor's products versus that of a non-sponsor, NASCAR is an excellent way for Kodak to enhance the awareness of EasyShare," said Bud Denker, Vice President, Brand and Market Development, for Kodak. "We believe that the exposure provided by the EasyShare car will help increase sales of a digital camera system that is already hailed by industry observers as the easiest-to-use on the market."