Beer and Fast Cars

This study explored how motor sports sponsorships complement and amplify the brewers' media campaigns by joining masculinity, risk, excitement, and beer in the actual "lived" experiences of potential consumers. To document industry expenditures and justifications for motor sports sponsorship, trade journals and newsletters (N=25) and other public documents were examined. A research team attended 14 motor sports events sponsored by the beer industry in Northern California over a 6-month period during 1989 to gather evidence of how the events forge a link between fast cars and beer. Finally, using standard focus group methods, more than 60 students from a nearby high school were interviewed about their attendance at motor sports events, and their attitudes toward motor sports, cars in general, and drinking and driving. Findings showed that of all industry sponsors, brewers were second only to the tobacco industry in amount spent; sports received the largest share of sponsorship dollars; motor sports received the most sponsorship money of all types of sports; the brewing industry spent more than $180 million during 1987 on sports sponsorship; and the annual growth of sponsorship was expected to be triple that of advertising. (A number of specific guidelines for advertising and responsible beverage service at such events are enumerated.) (BHK).