Out--Soccer moms
In--Nascar Dads
That's right the politicos have come up with the next big thing in demographic targeting--NASCAR fans.
Personally, I'm not a NASCAR fan. I never have fully understood the pleasure one gets from sitting on their couch and watching various camera angles of a slew of souped up cars going in a seemingly endless flat circle. However, that hasn't stopped NASCAR from growing beyond its rural roots and become the hottest new sports genre in the country. Millions of fans tune in every week to watch the races. I wouldn't begin to guess the number of people who make their way to the actual events. They cover a broad spectrum, and increasingly there are more women who are fans.
From when I worked as a political professional, I can report that politicos follow trends just as closely as any company. We engage in market research to identify our most likely customers (positive votes) and engage them with every form of media the campaign can afford--television, radio, direct mail, email, websites, special events, earned media, personal appeals, you name it and we did it--sometimes more effectively than the big time marketers and advertisers.
That being the case, I'm not surprised that the politicos are now targeting the NASCAR demographic. From what little of a thumbnail sketch I have of them, I would say they are very similar to the Reagan Democrats of the 80's. They lean union or southern Democrat, are fiercely independent, and their support is best won by common sense arguments that appeal to a populist sense of God, Family, and Country. Given the entrenched 35% who self identify as a Republican and the matching 35% who self identify as Democrats, any easily reachable demographic of the remaining independent 30% area a juicy target indeed.
Many of my friends in this little town in the South are card carrying members of the NASCAR demographic. I know them well, even if I don't know their sport. If any of you politicos need to know any of the special nuances of the NASCAR demo, give me a holler, I'm embedded.
Posted by Adam H at August 5, 2003 12:15 PM