INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 10 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network — The IndyCar Series will race into
the new season with efforts to grow the sport, broaden its fan base and make
more noise than ever before by announcing today that it has forged a unique
marketing alliance with rock legend Gene Simmons and entertainment industry
veteran Richard Abramson, principals in the Hollywood-based Simmons Abramson
Marketing company. The broad-based agreement will see Simmons Abramson
Marketing actively engaged in the league’s marketing, event, public relations,
sponsorship, merchandising and branding efforts — from its IndyCar Series to
the venerable Indianapolis 500.
Today’s 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. These drivers are modern knights in
shining armor, risking their lives at close to 225 mph,” Simmons said. “‘I Am
Indy’ speaks to the independent spirit in all of us.”
Besides the IndyCar Series’ pure speeds and the drama of all-out
competition, Simmons Abramson Marketing recognizes myriad other assets they
will leverage in the coming months, including young stars Dan Wheldon (who in
2005 became the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series
titles in the same season in league history), Danica Patrick (the first woman
to lead a lap in the Indianapolis 500, finishing fourth, the highest placing
by a female driver), Sam Hornish (a two-time series champion) as well as
stalwarts like Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Buddy
Rice.
It was the outside-the-box approach of both Simmons and Abramson that
impressed IRL officials when they met at several racing events last year.
“The IndyCar Series is about thrilling racing, championship endeavors,
diversity, talent and skill,” said Brian Barnhart, president and chief
operating officer for the Indy Racing League. “Simmons Abramson shares our
excitement in the IndyCar Series and we look forward to working with Gene and
Rich in communicating an attitude of daring, courage and the pursuit of the
ultimate achievement in motorsports, victory at the Indianapolis 500. We are
all about the focal point that brings all of us together in our mutual and
individual pursuits of success — Indy. And Indy carries over to each and
every event on the schedule; on and off the track.”
In the coming weeks, more details on the league’s marketing campaign and
the key components surrounding “I Am Indy” will be revealed.
IRL fans and others may be surprised that the league’s marketing efforts
will be linked with Gene Simmons, who is better known for his blood-spitting
antics as “the demon of KISS.” However, the entertainment business world has
long recognized Simmons’ business acumen as evidenced by his upcoming Jan. 17
keynote speech at Branded Entertainment Magazine’s “Next Big Idea, West: The
Future of Branded Entertainment.”
“IndyCar Series races are far and away the most exciting events in the
world, and this message will be driven boldly to every corner of the globe,”
Abramson said.
In conjunction with Simmons Abramson Marketing, the Indy Racing League has
engaged the support of B|W|R, a Los Angeles-based public relations agency, to
front-line position our drivers and teams as celebrities, athletes, compelling
personalities whose stories will be richly and repeatedly told in television,
radio, print and new media.
Simmons founded KISS 32 years ago. KISS has broken box office records
around the world set by Elvis and The Beatles, has more gold records than any
other American band (RIAA, 2003), and for three decades continues to be the
juggernaut of licensing and merchandising, with over 2,500 licenses. Along
with relationships with Holiday Inn, Nike, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola and Universal
Hotels, KISS has KISS Visa cards, Canon KISS cameras (Japan), KISS comic’s
books and, among other projects, the upcoming KISS cartoon show from Warner
Bros. Outside of KISS, Simmons discovered Van Halen, managed Liza Minnelli’s
recording career, produced New Line Pictures’ Detroit Rock City, created the
hit Nickelodeon cartoon “My Dad The Rock Star” (seen in 24 countries), created
the Oxygen series smash “Mr. Romance” and has two TV series: VH1’s “Gene
Simmons’ Rock School” and A&E’s forthcoming “Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels,”
among a dozen other TV projects such as “Trophy Wife” (New Line TV). Author
of two New York Times best-sellers, KISS and Makeup (Crown Books) and Sex
Money KISS (Simmons/Phoenix Books), he has published his own magazine, Gene
Simmons Tongue (Sterling MacFadden) and is debuting a new magazine, Gene
Simmons Game. He heads his own publishing imprint, Simmons Books (with
Phoenix Books), has a DVD label, Simmons Audio Visual, and has a record label,
Simmons Records. Simmons has co-starred in such movies as Runaway and Wanted
Dead Or Alive, acted in television programs such as “Third Watch” and “Miami
Vice,” co-hosted NBC’s “Extra,” served as a guest judge on Fox’s “American
Idol” and been on NBC’s “The Apprentice.”
Abramson, in a nearly three-decade career, has distinguished himself as a
savvy marketer, talent manager, film producer and innovative financier. In
the 1980s he waged the marketing campaigns, on behalf of major studios such as
Universal and Warner Bros., for many major film releases. His management of
Paul Reubens energized the actor’s portrayal of Pee-wee Herman, developing the
character into a multimillion dollar merchandising powerhouse through such
movies as Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-wee (which he produced and
executive produced, respectively), as well as his producing role on the
22-time Emmy-winning children’s series “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” He also
executive produced one of the most iconic “inside Hollywood” films, The Big
Picture. In 1995 Abramson pioneered a new way to underwrite the costs of
producing and distributing films through efficacy insurance policies. His
creation of a broader, $125 million prints and advertising (P&A) facility, the
first of its kind, inspired a wave of insurance-backed financings which
eventually became an industry standard.
The IndyCar Series opens the 2006 season with the Toyota Indy 300 on
March 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway; the race will be broadcast live on ABC
Sports and the IMS Radio Network. The fifth season of Indy Pro Series
competition also opens on March 26 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Media contact:
Stephanie Molina/Michele Angeloni
(310) 248-6125
heshelman@bwr-la.com
