The topic is Marketing and this article is intended to highlight motorsport-related marketing from a corporate partner/sponsor's point of view.


Robert Koper - Pro Mod

MPM Oil has been closely connected with drag racing for several years now. Speedgroup talked to Pedro Hilleger, MPM's Marketing Manager, about MPM, drag racing and sponsorship.

1. Can you give us a brief introduction to MPM Oil and how the company first became involved in drag racing?

"MPM International Oil Company B.V. was founded in 1994 by Michiel van Wilgen and Peter van der Meer. The concept was, and still is, unique: timely delivery to car and lubricant wholesalers of a comprehensive range of automotive fluids in quantities extending from small to bulk, but no larger than required. As with so many things in life, drag racing sponsorship started as a hobby. Michiel grew up with drag racer Robert Koper and saw the opportunities and impact sponsorship might present in drag racing. When MPM was founded they started supporting Robert Koper and that relationship continues. Over the years, drag racing sponsorship has brought a lot to MPM, especially in the export market to countries like Sweden."

2. Over the years working with motorsport-related marketing, is there any concept in particular you have found more successful than others?

"It's not the end-user but, rather, car and lubricant wholesale traders who are MPM's customers. When you start such a company it's important to reach your target group and sponsor a product-related sport. For an oil company, that's motorsport. After a few years, relationship marketing becomes more important and the next level is acquiring brand awareness."


Caring for your guests

3. Is there any advice you can give teams when it comes to offering an appealing concept to a potential sponsor?

"The baseline is a well-substantiated plan. Most important is the balance between the money you ask for and what you can offer a sponsor. Nowadays sponsorship is more than a name on a car; relationship marketing is getting more and more important. Too many drivers ask too much money for what they can give back to a sponsor in media coverage and/or potential scope for relationship marketing and brand awareness. Keep in mind that we get between 10 and 20 requests each week."

Micke Kågered - Top Fuel Dragster

4. What media does MPM Oil utilise to get your message out and are there any media in particular that you find more effective than others?

"We cooperate with our teams in drag racing and tractor pulling for relationship marketing. That's the best way to build up a strong relationship with our car and lubricant wholesale traders – MPM's customers. Through our website we share our expertise with garages and consumers so they can easily find the right oil. And we'll start cooperating with a Dutch trade magazine for the automotive market."


MPM VIP treatment

5. How do you work around the live arenas (the FIA championship events and races at Drachten) with regard to hospitality/VIP events to make the events successful?

"In the last few years MPM has invited customers to FIA races at Hockenheim, Santa Pod and Mantorp Park. And of course we have the MPM Internationals at Drachten. A very positive attribute of drag racing is its accessibility. You can get close to all the action and watch the crew work on the car. And of course there's the power of the race cars and the noise they make. The impact is unbelievable. You can take people out to a football match and they will forget it within two days. Take them to a drag race and they'll never stop talking about it. Last year we had 1,700 people at the MPM Internationals and everybody was impressed and still talks about it when we meet them."


David Vegter - Pro Mod

6. MPM plans for 2012?

"We'll support David Vegter and Robert Koper in Pro Mod again and Martijn de Haas in Super Twin. And of course we have the MPM Top Fueler. In tractor pulling we'll support the same two teams as we did last year. We are still working on an MPM Internationals event at Dragstrip Drachten. In tractor pulling there are many events all over Holland. At two of those events we shall invite MPM customers from that area of the country. And in cooperation with our importers we might visit the FIA races in Sweden and England with Dutch customers. The next level after relationship marketing is brand awareness. That's the reason we started sponsorship outside motorsport, for example a Dutch speed skater.


MPM courtesy car fleet

End-users must now become familiar with the brand MPM so they will ask for it in shops. Compared to other oil companies, MPM is a very young company and it's a big challenge to catch up with those well-known worldwide names. They will soon realise why MPM's motto is: MPM moving things forward."