Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. is staying active with the ABC College Football Halftime Show. For the fifth consecutive year, Cooper will sponsor the show’s Saturday Afternoon Halftime Reports on ABC.
The ABC College Football Halftime Show is a premier broadcast that brings viewers the latest collegiate scores, game previews and expert game analysis. The partnership follows several years of record attendance for college football.
"This relationship brings together two iconic brands that stand for tradition, performance and the pursuit of excellence," says Julie Smalstig, Cooper Tire's consumer and channel marketing director. "This sponsorship also offers a meaningful opportunity for Cooper to continue enhancing its marketing support for our dealer network. It is an extremely effective marketing vehicle for the Cooper brand to reach the many fans that enjoy the Halftime Show report."
According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), college football set a record for the number of people attending games. Close to 50 million fans turn out to watch NCAA football games. This represents an increase of more than 1.3 million fans, or nearly 3%, from the prior year. On any given Saturday, the Halftime Show is viewed by approximately 4 million homes.
Cooper will also launch its consumer-driven Take the Money & Ride national rebate event (Aug. 25-Nov. 7, 2011) during the start of college football. Cooper also has a national advertising campaign that supports the company's updated brand message "connecting tires with families and their everyday journeys."
The ABC/ESPN media schedule begins Sept. 1 and runs through late October. Cooper will support the sponsorship with an integrated marketing plan including national advertising, consumer marketing programs and promotions, and social activation. The sponsorship also extends to ESPN.com and ESPN mobile.
