American Pharaoh and Dortmund may be favorites to win the Kentucky Derby – and the 141st running on May 2 will surely be one of the biggest days of the year for mint juleps and big hats – but that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bets on both horse and consumer behavior. In other words, plenty of brands are inserting themselves into Derby Day excitement and hoping they make the right wagers.
Kentucky Fried Chicken parent Yum Brands is the presenting sponsor and will surely get plenty of exposure — and it’s a safe bet there will be plenty of real-time efforts that unfold as the so-called “fastest two minutes in sports” plays out.
And that’s in part because there’s consumer interest in the event beyond those who know the words to, “My Old Kentucky Home.” To wit: A reported 16 million consumers tuned in to the 2013 Kentucky Derby with the top viewership markets far from Louisville – including New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles – comprising 20 percent of that audience, per stats from the Kentucky Derby.
Here’s a look at the brands that have stakes in the 141st Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs Racetrack
Kroger
For the 28th year, grocery store chain Kroger is creating the Garland of Roses, which is presented to the winner of the Kentucky Derby, as the Derby’s official florist.
According to a press release, the Derby Garland includes more than 450 roses and weighs approximately 40 pounds. What’s more, the release says, “Each stem is inserted into its own water vial hidden inside the garland backing and carefully hand sewn into place, on a layer of thorn-less greenhouse foliage.”
And Kroger has been proudly tweeting about its role in the race to its 89,000 followers.
Did you know Kroger has been the official #KentuckyDerby florist since 1987? Yep, that’s a lot of flowers. #TBT pic.twitter.com/Z6P6ykbJkT
— The Kroger Co. (@kroger) April 30, 2015
Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness Louisville and Churchill Downs announced a partnership in which the gym brand is the sponsor of the on-track fitness facility – the Jockey Fitness Club presented by Planet Fitness, which, per a press release, has “state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment identical to that found in the eight Louisville, Southern Indiana and Elizabethtown Planet Fitness clubs.”
In addition, the jockeys will receive complimentary memberships to the Planet Fitness closest to Churchill Downs. “We thank Planet Fitness Louisville for filling this need for us and the jockeys who call Churchill Downs home,” said Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery in a statement. “Physical fitness is vital to these athletes as they meet the day-to-day rigors of thoroughbred racing.”
AT&T
AT&T and telecommunications infrastructure company Mobilitie are providing mobile Internet coverage at Churchill Downs. “Whether through phone calls, emails, texts, tweets or posts, our fans will benefit from this enhanced connectivity as they share their victories in real time with friends and family around the world,” said John Asher, vice president of racing communications at Churchill Downs.
Alcohol
Woodford Reserve
Louisville-based Brown-Forman brand Woodford Reserve is the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby.” It hails from Versailles, Kentucky, which Woodford Reserve calls “the heart of thoroughbred country,” and the brand has been asking its 43,000 followers to download Periscope to follow live coverage from the Derby.
If you don’t have the #Periscope app yet, download it now and follow us @WoodfordReserve. We’re live from the #KYDerby this weekend. — Woodford Reserve (@WoodfordReserve) April 30, 2015
In addition, Woodford Reserve has designed a $1,000 Mint Julep Cup, which is sold at the Derby to benefit the Wounded Warrior Equestrian Program. The bourbon also appears to have a branded content initiative with Thrillist, which has posted julep recipes featuring Woodford Reserve.
Old Forester
Another Brown-Forman brand, the Kentucky straight bourbon whisky Old Forester, is asking race fans how to #DerbyLikeaLocal and is posting responses on Twitter to its 4400 fans. Suggestions include, “Don’t be afraid to tear up during My Old Kentucky Home. There is no prouder moment during this week,” and “Always bet the 5 horse in the 5th race.”
#DerbyLikeALocal Tip from Dana C.: “Always bet the 5 horse in the 5th race.” pic.twitter.com/flMzc6uwO3
— Old Forester (@oldforester) April 30, 2015
Stella Artois
The Belgian beer brand is featured in recipes on the Derby website, such as Stella Artois Tomato Arugula and Basil Salad and in recommended cheese pairings.
Horses
Kendall-Jackson Wineries, Playbill Inc. and Talbots Kendall-Jackson Wineries Founder Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables has a stake in Carpe Diem, while Playbill Inc. President and CEO Philip Birsh is the owner of Tencendur and former Talbots CEO Arnold Zetcher owns Firing Line.
Others
Ram
For its part, the Ram Truck brand says it is celebrating “the hard work, dedication and courage it takes to succeed” in a 60-second spot that will air during the May 2 telecast. However, the brand has already made headlines by choosing to prominently feature women.
The ad, Courage is Already Inside, “salutes the character of strong women who have met and overcome many challenges on the road to achieving their goals, including two-time Kentucky Oaks winning jockey Rosie Napravnik,” a press release says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbHGYYD5MFM“True to the stand-apart-from-the-pack determination of the Ram truck brand, we wanted our Kentucky Derby advertising to once again make a difference and start a conversation,” said Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer of Ram parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, in a statement. “Women are emerging as leaders and influencers in traditional male-dominated fields, including horse racing. They also make up more than 11 percent of the truck-buying market and influence an even greater number of purchases. For these reasons, instead of focusing on women and their trucks in our ad, we chose to proudly celebrate the achievements of those committed to giving everything they’ve got to all they do. ‘Courage is Already Inside’ is an inspirational salute to women who have overcome the ‘nevers’ they often hear while striving to chase their dreams.”
The brand has also tapped its brand ambassador, the outdoorsman Cameron Hanes, to provide behind-the-scenes content via Periscope and it is pitting eight trucks against each other in the #RamDerby and is asking its 225,000 followers to tweet which one will cross the finish line first.
LIVE on #Periscope: Behind the scenes at The Kentucky Derby. https://t.co/hHQX3ztCIQ — RamTrucks (@RamTrucks) May 1, 2015
As the “Official Truck” of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, Ram’s sponsorship will also include “immersing fans attending the races in a Ram Truck brand experience, including truck displays, video board integrations, posters, backside and trackside signage throughout the grounds and branding on gate crew staff uniforms,” the release says.
In addition, Ram ProMaster and ProMaster City vans will transport Kroger’s Garland of Roses to Churchill Downs.
Tide
According to a press release, Procter and Gamble’s Tide has been the laundry detergent of Churchill Downs for nearly a decade, washing over 600 jersey silks in over 35 pounds of detergent each week and the brand produced a video featuring jockeys to illustrate its involvement.
“Most people don’t realize that a jockey’s rainbow colored jacket is more than just a uniform; it is filled with decades of tradition and superstition and is a representation of the owner,” said Kristin Warfield, vice president of sales and partnerships at Churchill Downs, in a statement.
AOL
AOL is inserting itself into the conversation with the #HomeStretchSweeps in which it is asking fans to show how they’d announce the final moments of the Kentucky Derby by submitting a video calling the final seconds of the 2012 Kentucky Derby on Instagram, Vine or Twitter with the hashtag #HomeStretchSweeps or by tweeting why the Kentucky Derby is their favorite sporting event of the year. They can also commentate live on May 2 and tweet from the grounds.
The brand says top entries will be featured on AOL.com and potentially shown on the World’s Largest 4K video board at Churchill Downs, which, as of its installation in 2014, was “the only video board in an outdoor stadium or arena capable of displaying…4K ultra-high definition technology.”
Measuring 171 feet wide by 90 feet tall, the release says the Panasonic video board is bigger than 3 NBA basketball courts, 5 average U.S. homes, 2,200 46-inch flat-screen TVs and 320,000 Apple iPhone 5 screens.
Which brand do you think deserves to be in the winner’s circle?