Goodyear Using 'Get There' Ad Campaign to Lead Race Fans to Daytona

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Airing during the Feb. 17 FOX telecast of the 50th running of the Daytona 500 will be Goodyear's newest ad in its "Goodyear Get there" campaign. Entitled "Follow the Leader," the ad shows the Goodyear Blimp leading the way toward a racetrack, with race fans, and even race drivers, recognizing the blimp above. The final scene shows the blimp in flight with lines of traffic following the aerial icon to get to the track.

The Goodyear blimp, "Spirit of Innovation," is scheduled to fly above Daytona International Speedway this week -- including on race day -- to deliver messages to the tens of thousands attending on-site activities, preliminary races and NASCAR's Daytona 500. Those messages, via the blimp's illuminated sign, will support Goodyear's latest marketing campaign, consumer tire and service promotional offers, a variety of charitable organizations and more.

"The Daytona 500 is one of the most attention-getting sporting events in the world, and the fact that this year's race marks the 50th anniversary adds even more excitement," said Marty Kozar, Goodyear's director of marketing services. "This event, with its thousands of on-site spectators and millions more watching at home, is a perfect platform for Goodyear to launch new advertising for 2008."

In a nod to its products that help carry millions of travelers to their destinations, Goodyear developed an advertising campaign built upon the theme of "Get there," which has appeared in television and print ads, along with radio, Internet and retail marketing channels since early 2007.

The "Get there" theme takes flight with the assistance of the Goodyear Blimp, one of the world's most familiar and popular corporate icons. In the popular TV spots, blimp pilots are represented as Goodyear's "eyes" from above, looking ahead to help drivers find a better way to "get there" to their destinations.

"While Goodyear is committed to developing best-in-class product innovations that result in breakthrough technology and award-winning tires, we know that all our communication needs to be relevant for consumers. In essence, tire buyers want to know that our products will help them reach their destination ... to get there," Kozar said.

Goodyear and NASCAR jointly announced in 2007 an extended agreement for Goodyear to continue as the exclusive tire used in NASCAR's top three racing series for the next five years. The agreement through 2012, named Goodyear the "Exclusive Tire Supplier" of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

For more than 50 years, Goodyear has worked to bring innovation to its racing products, which, in turn, has helped foster heightened competition on the track. Since it first began supplying tires to NASCAR, Goodyear tires have logged 1,446 Sprint Cup Series victories, and the number continues to rise. Goodyear consumer tires are inspired by the innovations and cutting- edge technology from the race track.

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), which began in 1948, is the sanctioning body for one of America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport -- holding 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U.S., the No. 2-rated regular season sport on television with broadcasts in more than 150 countries, and has 75 million fans that purchase more than $2.1 billion in annual licensed product sales. These fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports and as a result, more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.

NASCAR consists of three major national series (NASCAR SPRINT Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) as well as four regional racing series. NASCAR sanctions 1,300 races at 100 tracks across more than 30 U.S. states,Canada andMexico. Based in Daytona Beach, NASCAR has offices in Bentonville (Ark.), Charlotte, Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.),Los Angeles, New York,Mexico City andToronto.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. The company employs about 70,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 26 countries around the world. For more tire information on Goodyear and its products, or to find the nearest Goodyear retailer, go to http://www.goodyeartires.com.

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

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