MillerCoors, NASCAR and Penske Racing Announce Major Partnership Extensions

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MillerCoors, NASCAR and Penske Racing today jointly announced multi-year partnership extensions for the brewer's two biggest brands.  For MillerCoors, the deals with the sanctioning body and one of the sport's most respected teams solidify its status among the most committed sponsors in NASCAR. In addition, MillerCoors has alliances with seven tracks that host NASCAR races.

Coors Light, the World's Most Refreshing Beer, is extending its sponsorship as the Official Beer of NASCAR.  Coors Light started its official sponsorship with NASCAR in 2008, after a 14-year run as the primary sponsor of the #40 car.

Additionally, the millions of fans of the famed Blue Deuce and its popular driver Brad Keselowski can rest easy because Miller Lite, the original light beer with the never watered down taste, has renewed its partnership with Penske Racing.  Miller Lite will continue as the season-long primary sponsor of Penske's #2 Dodge driven by Keselowski, building upon an alliance that began in 1991.  Miller Lite continues as one of the highest profile season-long primary sponsors in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

MillerCoors Chief Marketing Officer Andy England said the renewals point to the value of NASCAR as a powerful way to connect with legal-drinking-age consumers.

"We don't make investment decisions like this without having a great sense of exactly what the alliance will deliver for our brands," England said.  "That's why I'm so excited about our continued partnerships with NASCAR and with Penske Racing.  NASCAR fans are among the most passionate and loyal fans in all of sports, and they love nothing more than getting together with friends to watch the race while enjoying a cold, refreshing Coors Light or a great tasting, never watered down Miller Lite.  Our distributors and retailers know that, which is why they're so supportive of our leadership in the sport."

The Coors Light partnership with NASCAR includes the Coors Light Pole Award for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series, which rewards the driver with the fastest qualifying time each week.  It also includes the exclusive right to use NASCAR marks on retail point-of-sale and merchandising materials, in advertising and digital marketing, and through other marketing tools.

Coors Light brings special insight to race fans through its Miss Coors Light program, which began at the start of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Cup and continued throughout the 2011 season.  Miss Coors Light, who will be back in 2012, presents the Coors Light Pole Award to the winning driver, makes appearances during race week at local bars and provides her perspective on NASCAR activities via the Miss Coors Light Facebook page.

"The return of MillerCoors to NASCAR not only ensures that the company will bring back compelling activation that continues to engage and excite our fans, but it also benefits our ecosystem as a whole, which is comprised of tracks, drivers and teams," said Steve Phelps, NASCAR chief marketing officer.  "As a sanctioning body, NASCAR is proud to have Coors Light as part of our stable of Official Partners for whom we create exclusive assets and platforms to drive their respective businesses.  NASCAR is the sport that works for business, and we're pleased to see it working so well for MillerCoors."

For Miller Lite, its sponsorship extension with Penske and Keselowski comes after an amazing 2011 season, Keselowski's second full year on the Sprint Cup circuit.  Keselowski and his Miller Lite team surged from deep in the driver standings as late as mid-July to win three races, qualify for the Chase and finish fifth in the championship standings.

Keselowski and the Blue Deuce are featured throughout the year in Miller Lite-branded point-of-sale materials displayed in on- and off-premise retail accounts across the country, as well as in advertising and digital marketing.  Keselowski and members of his crew also make special appearances at retail accounts to visit Miller Lite customers throughout the season.

"The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge is coming off a very successful season on the racetrack – one where we reached Victory Lane for a sixth-consecutive season while qualifying for the Chase for the Championship," said Roger Penske.  "The continued support of MillerCoors will ensure that this long-standing partnership will remain one of the strongest bonds in professional motorsports.  With Miller Lite, we are proud to have one of the few full-season sponsors in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.  That continuity is one of the many reasons Brad and the team are primed for another great season."

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America's premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among 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 national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is GRAND-AM Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the 54th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, will air Feb. 26th on FOX at 1:00 p.m. ET. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Penske Racing

Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned and prepared by Penske Racing have produced over 340 major race wins – including a record 15 Indianapolis 500 victories, more than 410 pole positions and 23 National Championships. For more information about Penske Racing, please visit www.penskeracing.com.

About MillerCoors

MillerCoors brews, markets and sells the MillerCoors portfolio of brands in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers.  MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in America, capturing nearly 30 percent of U.S. beer sales.  Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of highly complementary brands across every major industry segment.  Miller Lite is the great-tasting beer that established the American light beer category in 1975, and Coors Light is the brand that introduced consumers to refreshment as cold as the Rockies.  MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light.  The company also offers innovative products such as Miller64 and Sparks.  The new MillerCoors craft and import company, Tenth and Blake, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell, Grolsch and Molson Canadian and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company.  MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel's craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and two microbreweries, the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver.  The MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America by driving profitable industry growth.  MillerCoors insists on building its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and environmental and community impact.  MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company.

SOURCE MillerCoors