Wednesday, June 27, 2007

NASCAR Conservatives

Since the Conservative Party announced its sponsorship of a NASCAR racing car there’s been sneering and mockery from certain ‘elites’. They’ve attempted to ridicule the Tories by suggesting racing imagery like crashes, driving in circles, knuckle-dragging, redneck fans, etc ("Yuk! Yuk!"). There has also been idiotic criticism by the environmentally ‘sensitive’ - but that’s another lame story.

So why did the Tories pick NASCAR as a means of promoting their brand? Perhaps some simple facts are in order, starting with:
Fan base: "NASCAR has a strong fan base in Canada with 5.8 million fans, representing one out of four Canadian adults. NASCAR is the No. 1 motorsport series on television in Canada. TSN recorded record ratings for its coverage of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series with a national average audience of 332,000 viewers, up 15 per cent from 2005." Assuming Canadian and American NASCAR fans are similarly composed, roughly 35% are women.
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

Tracks: Nine tracks - Ontario (4), Quebec (2), Alberta (1), BC (1), Nova Scotia (1)

Schedule: Twelve races May thru Sept.

So, the Conservative NASCAR sponsorship is aimed at a very particular audience - a large audience that is relatively easy and inexpensive to reach.

The sneering opposition and others are not part of that audience - so they are, at best, irrelevant. Though, with their snotty, elitist mockery they risk offending a rather large group of voters. Remember that Liberal strategist, Scott Reid’s, "beer and popcorn" insult?
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 27, 2007 at 2:03:00 PM PDT

    It was kind of fun listening to the Lib-blog crowd go all better than thou...but...you have to admit, Dion handled it well, a few jokes and one liners, someone got to him and he didnt bite on the line the Conservatives threw.

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  2. rabbitJune 27, 2007 at 2:34:00 PM PDT

    billg:

    That's the way I say it too. There was a bit of set up here - an invitation to the grits and dippers and greens to prove what elitist snobs they were to the Canadian public.

    But Dion didn't take the bait. Layton and May, on the other hand, struck the lure like they hadn't eaten in weeks.

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  3. AnonymousJune 27, 2007 at 9:26:00 PM PDT

    $5.8 million NASCAR fans in Canada? I call BS on that one.

    If the Troeis ahve so much taxpayer potical party money to piss it away they should have put it in hockey advertising. Don't they know that is Canada's sport?

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  4. AnonymousJune 28, 2007 at 2:48:00 AM PDT

    Wait a minute, stupid me, there is no hockey in the summer. I completely forgot that the NHL playoffs, despite what seems like a never-ending season, is actually over now.

    Duh !!

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