Sometimes I wonder what's wrong with this country. You have potential train wreck in Charlie Sheen who has advertisers waiting at the bit because of the media attention. Then you have good honest people like Joe Nemechek who can't find a sponsor for his race car. Right now you will probably say Vinny what does one thing have to do with the other. Let me take you on a ride for a second.
Charlie is making headlines for hanging out with strippers, porn stars, and getting fired from his TV show. Most people I talk to are already tired hearing about Charlie Sheen. Every time I hear Charlie's name on my TV I say to myself that I am not going to watch that network for a while. It is my own form of punishment. Never in 1 million years would I buy something because Charlie had anything to do it.
Joe on the other hand is a totally different story. Joe will have his car circling the track for four hours on Saturday and four hours on Sunday without a sponsor. Almost prime time to have your company name on TV with someone who is a hard-working American and just trying to earn a living. Being a racing veteran most loyal NASCAR fans would buy from a company that sponsors Joe.
Joe's operation is very small, it's a family type business in which his mother is the bookkeeper. Joe is the typical ideal sponsor situation, as he will never be in the news doing something bad. He really is a sponsor's dream, but it seems like advertisers would rather waste their money and not protect their brand and put their money wherever Charlie Sheen is going. This to me is just crazy!
This week Charlie Sheen signed up for a twitter account and got a crazy amount of followers. The account was secured by an advertising company which I'm sure will be putting ads in Charlie's twitter stream somewhere along the line. Why any company would want to put the ad there is beyond me.
The media is hyping Charlie Sheen, I see Charlie as having a problem and needs help. Hopefully Charlie gets the help he needs, and gets it quickly. I don't know why any brand would want to be associated with Charlie Sheen. Sure your company will be getting some traffic from his twitter stream, but do you really think that traffic will convert anyway. All it does for me is tell me that your company has a problem also.
Joe goes out every weekend, tries to make a living doing something that he loves on television with millions of people watching and yet he can't find a sponsor. I just can't figure out what American companies are thinking. Here you have a good guy and a family operation that would bend over backwards to protect your brand but yet he can't find a sponsor. Companies need to look at the loyalty that NASCAR fans have that sponsor race teams.
As I'm writing this it's a Friday afternoon, and I am watching NASCAR practice. It's three clock in the afternoon and I'm watching Joe's car circle the track without a sponsor. It is just a shame, a good opportunity to have your name on a car on TV and yet so many companies are missing it.
I suggest if you're looking to sponsor somebody who will promote your brand go to Joe's website and look around http://www.joenemechek.com/ tell Joe that Vinny sent you and thank him for not being Charlie Sheen.
Bryan Kennedy says
Thank you so much Vinny for this article. As a loyal Nascar and Joe Nemechek fan, I would honestly try my best to give whoever sponsors Joe, my business.
Lamar G says
Thanks for what you have written. There is a small but VERY loyal group of Joe Nemechek fans out there who try our hardest to patronize anyone who sponsors Joe in any way. You have characterized him the way he really is and it is a shame a lot of young untested drivers get sponsors when a solid, loyal veteran driver runs on his own cash. I too was tired of Sheen after the second report. There are many Hollywood types that turn me off from anything they support or represent because of their actions and politics. GO JOE!!
Mark Anthony says
Good article. Thanks for posting it. Your comparison of Charlie to Joe is an example of what’s wrong in America today. There are many Joe’s out there in all walks of life that just need a break. It always amazes me how the scumbags like Charlie seem to always be above the law.
vinny says
Thanks for all the comments. I hope someone sees this article and it helps Joe get a sponsor. Notice we haven’t had any comments from Charlie Sheen fans 🙂
Doug Kranz says
Hey Vinny,
Please give me a call or shoot me an e-mail.
Thanks,
Doug Kranz
Nick Chertock says
Someone had to say it. Americans as of late seem to be enjoying train wrecks. We love to watch the mighty fall and laugh at them and they and advertisers don’t get the joke. Charlie is not #winning he will probably be dead in five years from an overdose. It’s funny now but companies lining up to capitalize on it is shameful. I wish Charlie the best but also don’t really care about him any more than I do about any other celebrities. Respect the athletes, ignore the celebrities! Thanks Vinny for pointing out a driver who is a better fit for building a brand.