Citizen Watch Company @ NASCAR Racing en Español.

HRT Motorsports has signed an associate sponsorship and driver endorsement deal with the Citizen Watch Company. It includes an associate sponsorship on the team’s NASCAR Busch series entry driven by Mexican Carlos Contreras and rights to use the team and driver in a promotional campaign titled, “UNSTOPPABLE”.

Carlos, NASCAR’s first Hispanic driver, will be featured in the Citizen Watch Company’s Fall 2003 print and TV campaign along with four other celebrities, marking the first time the Citizen Watch Company has used an athlete as endorser in its advertising. Carlos’ portion of the campaign will kick off in June, with Carlos appearing in magazines including Sports Illustrated, Latina Magazine, Maxim, People En Español and Maxim Español. The TV portion will commence in August and run during prime time, major network sporting events and during Mexican futbol on Univision, the latter to connect Carlos and the Citizen Eco-Drive watch with the lion’s share of Hispanic sport fans. The print portion was shot in New York City in early 2003 and the television spot was filmed recently in Lakeland Florida and really takes off with Carlos’ fun loving personality.

Jose Gonzalez, Senior V.P., and Managing Director of Publicis Sanchez & Levitan, Publicis’ in-house Hispanic advertising agency, first brought Carlos to the attention of Publicis’ general market group. He remarks, “”Carlos Contreras is a positive role model for all Hispanics, and typifies the “unstoppable” qualities which comprise the Citizen brand. Given his past racing accomplishments, his being the first Hispanic in NASCAR as well as his bright future, he also represents the perfect tie-in to our message that the Eco-Drive is the watch of choice for those individuals who are driven to succeed.” Adds Peter Nicholson, VP Corporate Communications at the Citizen Watch Company, “You couldn’t find a better representative of our new “UNSTOPPABLE’ campaign than Carlos Contreras. He’s personable, has a great presence on camera and he’s all about performance. He’s a natural for our advertising communications to both the Hispanic and general markets.”

The deal was put together by HRT’s agent, Seth Goldberg of Don Buchwald & Associates, Inc. and handled by Publicis New York, the general market agency for Citizen Watch Company.