Sports Marketing

 What A Sweet Deal! The Reese’s/Bill Elliott $1 Million Driving Challenge

It’s every race fan’s dream -- a hot car, a fast track and a cool million on the line. And only NASCAR Champion Bill Elliott stands in the way.

For three years, the Reese’s/Bill Elliott $1 Million Driving Challenge gave one lucky fan the chance to race against Bill Elliott to win $1 million dollars. Unique among other sports million dollar challenges, the Reese’s/Bill Elliott event pitted athlete against amateur in a one-lap timed event.
Pomerance and Associates created and managed the public relations program for the sweepstakes contest for the Championship Group, an Atlanta-based sports marketing agency. From staging the announcement of the contest at Pocono Speedway in 1996 to on-site coverage of the races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in

1997 and 1998, Pomerance and Associates provided the sports marketing and media expertise to garner national media coverage.

Managing an event this detailed and this complex demanded a media strategy and contingency plan that included every eventuality and anticipated every outcome. Targeting motor sports media, national consumer outlets and hometown press maximized the reach for the client. On-site press conferences with Bill Elliott and the challenger, a special event to put race media on the track and in the car, and aggressive distribution of video coverage earned this effort the checkered flag.

Although none of the challengers were able to edge Elliott, they all drove away winners – in brand new Ford Thunderbirds as consolation prizes.