Rock icon Gene Simmons says he was so captivated by the IndyCar Series action during a visit to the Bombardier 500 last June at Texas Motor Speedway that he wanted to be involved in the sport. source: indycar.com / dy Dave Lewandowski That, in part, led to the announcement that the Indy Racing League has forged a marketing alliance with Simmons and entertainment industry veteran Richard Abramson,principals in the Hollywood-based Simmons Abramson Marketing company. Listen to "I am Indy" | Download Podcast | Teleconference transcript The broad-based agreementwill seeSimmons Abramson Marketing actively engaged in the league's marketing, event, public relations, sponsorship, merchandising and branding efforts - from the IndyCar Series to the venerable Indianapolis 500. "Our mandate is to take the IndyCar Series to places it's never been before," Simmons said. "Our task is to be missionaries of Indy. We are as serious about this as a heart attack. We will make sure people around the world recognize the coolest of the cool is Indy because it is multi-national and spreads across all lines. "We are here because we want to be here, and we consider it a privilege. We stand by what we say and we mean everything we say." The announcement of the partnership is highlighted with the debut of the "I am Indy" campaign that is anchored by a signature song, co-authored by Simmons and BAG. The effort marks the first official theme song for a modern professional sport. With its growling affirmations and foot-stomping, "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" sensibility, the "I am Indy" song forges a resonant link between the drivers and the IndyCar Series fans. "Indy cars are rockets on the ground," Simmons said. "These drivers are modern knights in shining armor, racing at close to 225 mph. 'I Am Indy' speaks to the independent spirit in all of us." It was the outside-the-box approach of both Simmons and Abramson that impressed Indy Racing League officials when they met at several racing events last year.
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