Ally’s Bold Commitment to Advancing Inclusivity in NASCAR
The 6th Annual Awards
- Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
A longtime sponsor within US motorsports, Ally recently became an Official Partner of NASCAR with a bold commitment to help the league with advancing diversity and inclusion in racing. Because Ally has been involved in racing for years, the partnership had a positive impact almost immediately on both NASCAR’s passionate fanbase and Ally’s business.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
Ally used its newly expanded platform as an Official Partner of NASCAR to set the ball in motion for industry-wide change. Leading by example, Ally is boldly and proudly championing diversity initiatives and advancing inclusivity within NASCAR, paving the way for other sponsors to take the leap.
Ally is setting new standards, like working with diverse paint scheme designers, sponsoring inclusive programming at local tracks, and curating race-day experiences for all NASCAR fans—those lifelong fans and those who are discovering the love of racing for the first time.
Objective
At of the end of 2023, 25% of NASCAR fans were people of color and 2.8% identified as LGBTQ+. As a digital bank with an ethos of doing things right and making sure everyone feels welcome, Ally set out to increase motorsports fandom among people of color and LGBTQ+ audiences by championing, supporting, and nurturing diverse communities in racing.
In so doing, Ally hoped to create a future where anyone could freely participate in NASCAR as a fan or competitor while also engendering brand affinity and trust among current diverse NASCAR fans.
Strategy & Execution
Ally’s strategy revolves around two core pillars: access and visibility.
To improve access to racing, Ally launched the First Lap program which is designed to demystify the sport by partnering with organizations in minority communities to offer VIP race-day experiences. It also continued its Fueling Futures program, which helps students learn about motorsport careers they may not realize are available, in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports and participated in NASCAR’s inaugural Campus Lab program at the Daytona-based HBCU, Bethune-Cookman University. Both programs are designed to foster economic mobility for young people by showcasing various career paths in motorsports.
When it came to visibility, Ally elevated the contributions of diverse members of the racing community by highlighting diverse team members on its social channels and becoming the first presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards. In addition, Ally celebrated the communities that participate in the sport with special paint schemes designed for focus months.
In one of the most public displays of their shared commitment to LGBTQ+ equity, Ally and NASCAR marched together in the 2023 Charlotte Pride parade.
Organizations
- Ally Financial
- NASCAR
Links
Credits
Andrea Brimmer
Chief Marketing and PR Officer
Ally Financial
Bridget Sponsky
Executive Director of Brand and Sponsorship Marketing
Ally Financial
Stephanie Marciano
Head of Sports and Entertainment Marketing
Ally Financial
Lauren Campbell
Director, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Ally Financial
Jessica Stroupe
Manager, Sports and Entertainment Marketing (Ally Racing)
Ally Financial
Kayla Whapham
Manager, Sports and Entertainment Marketing (Ally Racing)
Ally Financial
Ryan Riccordella
Sr. Marketing Specialist - Sports & Entertainment Marketing (Ally Racing)
Ally Financial
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
