Car Insurance

What do a stock-car driver, country music legend and a couple of NFL legends have in common? They’re all pitchmen for the outdoor power equipment industry.

Manufacturers, looking to establish or strengthen their brands, have long hired celebrity spokesmen to tie their products to certain images in the minds of consumers. The approach is now gaining steam in power equipment industry. Recent examples:

* RedMax/Komatsu Zenoah America has signed on to be the official handheld power equipment of Petty Enterprises, and is corporate construction partner with The Victory Junction Gang camp in Randleman, North Carolina, a 72-acre camp established to honor Richard Petty’s grandson. Adam Petty. It provides a true summer camp experience for children who might never have the opportunity because of severe medical needs.

At a recent open house on the grounds of the team’s racing facility, Richard Petty fan club members got an inside peek at the equipment that keeps the Petty Enterprise headquarters grounds well groomed. RedMax set up its display trailer and conducted product demonstrations to show off its outdoor power equipment. Petty autographed equipment that RedMax will auction at a future event and donate the proceeds to The Victory Junction Gang camp.

* Ariens Co. chose legendary country music artist Charlie Daniels to serve as spokesman for Gravely’s 90th anniversary in 2006. The company says Daniels was selected because he personifies the all-American spirit of Gravely.

“Who better to help us communicate the heritage of this American-made brand?” says Dan Ariens, company president. “We were drawn to Charlie Daniels because he has an incomparable ability to tell the stories that capture the soul of America.”

A Gravely special edition Charlie Daniels Band CD that features a playlist of America-inspired music will be made available to dealers as part of the celebration. The partnership also features special marketing opportunities for Ariens/Gravely Partner Plus dealers, including ticket packages for 100 concert dates, “meet and greet” events and personal appearances at dealerships. Daniels is also featured in Gravely anniversary advertising and point-of-sale materials throughout the year.

* Cub Cadet has drafted former U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant and current television host R. Lee Ermey to pitch its commercial mowers, including the TANK line. Ermey is host for one of the History Channel’s highest-rated shows, “Mail Call.” The show features military technology from the past, present and future, making him a natural to help sell the TANK.

“Each week the Gunny is on TV praising the technical merits of high-performance gear, and performance is the hallmark for Cub Cadet Commercial products,” says Dan Lamb, brand manager for Cub Cadet. Ermey, who helped Cub Cadet introduce the TANK at EXPO this year, will make other appearances and will also be featured on a variety of print ads and point-of-sale materials. The ads will begin appearing this month.

* Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre was hired by Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc. to help promote its Snapper brand of residential lawn mowers, with the help of brand development and communications firm Lindsay, Stone & Briggs, Madison, Wisconsin. Favre, a lawn mowing enthusiast, likes to cut the grass at his home in Mississippi during the off-season. Troy Blewett, manager of corporate communications for Simplicity, says, “Brett Favre is one of the most respected and recognized athletes in the world and he’s made no secret of his passion for mowing, Teaming up with him to promote our line of Snapper mowers makes perfect sense.”

Snapper has used Favre in a variety of communications to homeowners in the past year. Simplicity Manufacturing is part of the Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC.

* Ferris Industries has been using former NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw to pitch its mowers. Bradshaw won four Superbowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. He’s gone on to become an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster for CBS and Fox Sports. Bradshaw has appeared in Ferris ads and other materials.

* Briggs & Stratton spokesman and HGTV host Pat Simpson (host of “Room to Improve,” “Before & After” and “Fix-lt-Up”) visited the home of a contest entrant this fall and helped prepare his lawn care equipment for storage and brought along a new tree he helped plant. Simpson has been a Briggs spokesman for several years.

Briggs also uses John (Trey) Rogers, Ph.D., a professor of turf-grass science at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. He is regarded as one of the country’s leading experts on growing and maintaining healthy lawns. A consultant to Briggs, Rogers is a frequent guest on television and radio programs around the country and has been quoted in numerous print publications. A member of the Michigan State faculty since 1988, Rogers’ expertise and experience have been foundational to the training of the best golf course, baseball and football field groundskeepers in the country. He also has led essential research in the improvement of athletic fields and golf courses around the world. His research has been awarded two patents. He answers questions on the Briggs Web site and in printed materials.