Sponsorships - a quick (ok, not so quick) overview.
I'm offering the following as the opinions of a person who has a fair measure of success obtaining sponsorships for a range of vehicles over the past 15 years. I�ve also been on the receiving end of hundreds of sponsorship proposals while serving as Marketing Director for companies like NGK, Meguiar�s, Eibach and MagnaFlow.
I've built a couple of Supras (including the Fast & Furious one), a Skyline (the 2F2F one), a widebody M3, a 350Z widebody, a WRX and a handful of other cars. All were nearly 100% sponsored. In my humble opinion, I believe I may be qualified to offer some professional opinions based on real world experience.
First, the most common types of sponsorships:
Product Discount:
A company called CarSponsorships.com is doing this. In simple terms, they are NOT providing a sponsorship. They are offering you a DISCOUNT on parts THEY sell, but you must pay a membership fee just to be eligible. I call this the "Costco" approach. If you find this of value, go for it. Read the fine print (of which there's a ton) and be prepared to sign your life away and don't expect to get "fully" sponsored. In fact, most people get what they call a "quasi" sponsorship which is, like I just said, a product discount.
There's a better way if you want product discounts: Simply contact the manufacturer directly. Sometimes, manufacturers will give you their products at a discount. Generally, if you write a nice cover letter, show them a solid appearance schedule, or if the car has serious magazine potential, it�s worth a try. A STRONG word of caution here: IF you choose to write a letter to a company asking for product, and IF they agree to at least a discount, you BETTER be prepared to buy the part right then and there. To decline would be a BIG insult to the company.
Product Gratis:
This is when a company gives you the product for free. Again, a solid proposal with a long, long roster of appearances at BIG shows will increase your chances of getting sponsored.
Money:
If you're seeking money to help build your car, forget it. I've never, ever heard of somebody getting paid to build their own car. I've heard of companies paying to get a logo on a finished car, one that had a high probability of getting serious media exposure, but beyond that, the chances are slim to none. Hell, even top racers like Lisa Kubo and Steph Papadakis struggle for sponsor dollars in the tuner market.
What you need:
You'll need a good car. A late model, high end car. This is explained in great detail on my site. To be brief, you may love your Pontiac GrandPrix, but it'll probably never get sponsored. Generally, only the latest, greatest, hottest cars are ripe for sponsorship.
Euros are very hard to get sponsored because A) most US companies import someone else�s parts; B) These importers are small with limited budgets. You guys probably all saw my M3. Believe it or not, that car was a hassle to get sponsored. It wasn't until I had a bunch of magazines lined up that I got that car the sponsorship it deserved. The guy who bought that car can't get any more sponsors with it because he refuses to go to a ton of shows...he thinks that going to 2-4 shows will provide enough "value" to sponsors.
What car should you get? Noone likes to be told they're driving a turd. But remember that Ford Focus you got for your sweet 16? It's probably not goign to be sponsored.
An example as of today as far as a GOOD car would be grabbing a 350Z the week that car came out, or an Evo 8, or a WRX. As of today, there's nothing really "new" other than an '05 Mustang, but next year, we'll see a new M3, a new Skyline and a new Dodge Challenger. All would be good candidates.
Using "older" premium cars has limitations. For example: A Supra, RX7 or E36M3 might have been badass in their day, but outside of companies catering JUST to those cars, you�ll have a tough row to hoe.
When I built my first Supra, it was the right car at the right time. Using my recipe (see below), I spent about $12K out of pocket, then received another $20K in products free when I shoe-horned it into Fast & Furious. My next car was a Skyline. Why a Skyline? Because I knew 2F2F was just around the corner and that they would be using a Skyline. I spent $10K of my own money on that car, got another $30K in parts and tens of thousands in sponsorship dollars, but I knew that this was an anomaly. It was a case of having the right car at the right time using the right parts. The car had tremendous media value, but I built it to be attractive to sponsors. Most people agree that my Skyline was way, way overdone, but it proves a point that the more sponsors you have, the more you need to compromise your plans for the car.
You'll also need a killer proposal. There's a sample on my website. You'll need to commit to attending at least 8-10 HIGHLY attended shows (i.e. HIN, etc) so if you live in Lenexa, Kansas, you better be prepared to drive out of state many times. No one cares about you cruising your car to 1 or 2 big shows, and NHRA and NOPI drag events draw miniscule spectator audiences, so those won't do much to bolster your car's "worth" to a sponsor.
Remember: the sponsor wants exposure.
They want dozens of websites featuring your car. They want to see that the car will have magazine exposure potential. Old cars painted bad colors with mediocre parts have limited appeal to consumers�and to sponsors.
Go to any SEMA show and you'll see them: the bolt on queens. They have tires, wheels, tint, maybe upgraded brakes and exhaust and that's it. Basically, what you'd see built on Unique Whips. 5 quick mods and it's a "show car." Not hardly. The cars that get sponsored are those that tend to be "overdone," for lack of a better term.
But, if you follow my advice, you won't have to wait till your car is 80% done to get sponsors.
What's the quickest way to get sponsored?
Here's my recipe. It has worked for me every time, without fail.
1) Paint the car a NON-FACTORY, bright, wild color at a qualified body shop. Cars that are silver, black, or white rarely get color magazine features... and sponsors know it. Cost = $3000 - $10,000
2) Use a body kit that is rare-not necessarily extreme or ricey, just rare. $1,000-$10,000
3) Pick the best wheels you can find. Putting a set of wheels that cost $500 on the car is a sure way to make the car look like complete a$$. The wheels are THE most important aspect of the car. $1500-$10,000
4) Do the engine LAST!!! No one sees it and having a wild motor will not add to the car's magazine appeal and sponsors know it. It must first and foremost� look the part. - If you can't see it from the outside of the car, don't waste time on it till later on in the project.
(Note: If you are of the belief that your car should remain the color that it is and it is not a bright color, be prepared to be turned down often. You may get a product discount or two, you may even get a free part once in awhile, but if you're looking for doors to fly open and checks to come your way, your project car needs to be extreme.)
By the time you get the above bullet points addressed, you should be able to pursue sponsors for audio, seats, brakes, engine goodies, etc. but of course by this time, you will have spent $10-20K on the car of your own money.
This is a small piece of change to spend when you consider that sponsors will probably spend at least this much, if you've done your car right.
Can't afford to fund the $10-20K? Then guess what? You can't afford this hobby. Pick another hobby, or live with a lesser car. This is a hobby. No company is obligated to support your hobby. My hobbies are Asian women and hookah....no one's sponsoring me!
Building a sponsor-worthy project car WILL require money out of your pocket.
There's much more to discuss, but this is a cursory overview using my opinions and real world experiences. Consider it a crash course.
If you want more info, go to my website,
www.moviecarz.com , then click on the "Galleries" section (make sure you register an email account...I do not use your email address for spam, only Casting bulletins), then click on the link on "How To Get Sponsored."
