A recent Internet, print and television campaign for Japanese motorcycle maker Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA has led to the creation of a sizable online database over six weeks.
Kawasaki’s partnership with Speed Channel, Charlotte, NC, to sponsor the “Two Wheel Tuesday” show generated more than 90,000 online registrations in May-June.
The effort not only popularized the new show but also drove traffic for Santa Ana, CA-based Kawasaki’s “Dude for a Day” promotion as both sought to build a database of online consumers interested in motorcycles and shows on those bikes.
While the show aired, a special entry code was shown onscreen along with the Kawasaki sponsorship. TV viewers were asked to visit Speed Channel’s speedtv.com Web site to register for the promotion. Ads in FHM, a lad magazine, also directed readers to the site.
The promotion itself comprised a small weekly giveaway and the grand prize — a custom Speed Channel-branded Kawasaki 2003 Ninja ZX-6R motorcycle. Also part of the grand prize was a trip for two to the FIM World Superbike Race at Laguna Seca, CA, and a lap around that track, plus Kawasaki and Speed Channel gear.
Dan Waterman of Tucson, AZ, was declared the contest winner. He got a call from Team Kawasaki rider Eric Bostrom from the set of Speed Channel’s “Two Wheel Tuesday.” Waterman will spend part of his day in Laguna Seca with Bostrom and Team Kawasaki.
Speed Channel claims “Dude for a Day” was its most successful online campaign so far. The interactive design is also said to have boosted the channel’s online and TV viewership as well as branding opportunities.
This year, Speed Channel is the cable broadcaster of motor sports like The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, The Champ Car World Series, ALMS, Grand American Road Racing, F3000, IHRA, ASA, World Rally, USAC and Formula One.
The channel also airs live coverage of the AMA and FIM motorcycle road racing events and is host to NASCAR TV. At last count, Speed Channel was available in 62 million homes in North America.
The “Dude for a Day” promotion was handled by MindComet, an online marketing and customer relationship marketing firm in Maitland, FL.
MindComet used various tools. In that toolkit were the MySQL 4 for database, Redhat Linux Servers and Adobe Photoshop Design Application. It also included Marcomedia Dreamweaver HTML Production, PHP development language and an Apache Web Server.
