Now in its third year of partnering with the Los Angeles Angels, Yokohama Tire Corp. recently enlisted the help of fans to set a Guinness world record.
The Angels gave fans Yokohama-branded black cowboy hats during a June 2, 2012 home game against the Texas Rangers. During the fifth inning, 39,013 fans made history as the “largest gathering of people wearing cowboy hats,” which bested the old Guinness Book of World Records number of 500.
“Fun promotions like this are one of the reasons we are involved in sports marketing,” said Shawn Denlein, YTC director of sales, Consumer Products. “They create excitement with fans while helping drive consumer traffic to our dealers.”
Denlein said the promotion was also a clever nod to the Angels’ original owner, Gene “The Singing Cowboy’” Autry.
Yokohama’s sponsorship agreement includes a combination of signage in centerfield, behind home plate and on the first and third base lines; pre-game, post-game and in-game spots on the Angels flagship radio station throughout the season; in-stadium displays and in-game announcements on the public address system and LED scoreboard.
In addition to the Angels, Yokohama’s 2012 baseball sponsorships include deals with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. Yokohama also has existing partnerships with four National Football League teams – the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.
