Unveiled this weekend in Madrid, Paris Hilton was on-hand in her pink, blue, and white skin tight set of leathers to help promote her latest business endeavor (her words, not ours): Team SuperMartxé VIP by Paris Hilton. While we generally hate everything about Paris Hilton, and even try to avoid staying in Hilton hotels just for good measure, we do have to say one thing: this weekend’s launch of the SuperMartxé VIP by Paris Hilton Team is arguably the largest team launch in history of GP racing (in one of the worst economic climates ever for the sport)…and that includes the upcoming Wrooom launch of Valentino Rossi and Ducati Corse.
Tweeting throughout the weekend about the launch and her business endeavors with SuperMartxé VIP, Hilton reached the hearts and minds of over 3.1 million Twitter followers with her 140 characters or less messages. That reach in readership easily eclipses the entire GP grid’s combined follower count, where even MotoGP’s official Twitter account boasts only 46,000 or so followers (for reference: social media savvy rider, and current MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo tops the GP twitter list with 89,000 Twitter followers).
Of course Twitter is just one media outlet, but the star power of Hilton and her borderline personality helped lure media coverage from the largest traditional publications in both print and online form. The LA Times, NY Times, Huffington Post, & Sports Illustrated all covered the Team SuperMartxé VIP by Paris Hilton launch, and even the always classy FOX News got in on the action, lobbing a few shots at Hilton along the way.
While Rossi and Ducati will get their fair share of coverage at the upcoming Wrooom event in January, the Italian-duo, perhaps one of the longest rumored and wanted partnerships in modern GP racing, will only garner at best a tenth of the buzz compared to this weekend. Let’s keep things in perspective too, this is a 125 GP race team, the same series that competes against late night weight loss infomercials for TV ratings on SPEEDTV, and not MotoGP, the media darling of motorcycle racing. Consider that, and the allure of mainstream celebrity endorsements becomes enticing.
Throw in some scantily clad photos of Hilton busting (pun intended) out of her zippered leathers, and it really becomes a moot point as to whether or not you even know what SuperMartxé VIP sells to teenagers in Spain, as those photos will be all over the motorcycle message boards in the next few dats (wait, they already are) with comments like “that’s hot” accompanied with emoticons and images that say “I’d hit it”.
While there’s no doubt that Paris Hilton’s involvement in GP racing and with the SuperMartxé VIP squad has helped thrust the team and sport into a larger audience’s attention span, the problem with “sex sells” marketing schemes once again rears its ugly head when it comes down to ROI. A marketing technique generally reserve for the lazy or desperate, putting a pin-up girl next to a product is the go-to technique for hocking wares in the motorcycle industry. Something that’s lost on this industry, and admittedly in even our nation’s top business school, is the fact people (read: men) rarely remember the product in the ad when a pretty girl is next to. For example, we’ve never seen someone look at a Fast Dates Calendar, and then say “man I’ve gotta buy that Yamaha.”
Deliberately left out of this article’s contents, +5 bonus points to any reader who now knows the names of SuperMartxé VIP’s two riders or Team Managers (no points awarded if you already knew the line-up from the former-BQR Team or are one of the 14 people in the United States that actually follows 125GP). At best viewers worldwide will be able to spot easily the pink livery during a race, and associate that color with something to do with Paris Hilton…and if we’re really lucky they might remember the headline sponsor SuperMartxé VIP (we wouldn’t hold our breath on this one outside of the Spanish markets).
But it’s the Hollywood socialite that’s the big winner this weekend, getting the clock to her 15 minutes of fame reset, Paris Hilton has managed to engage and entire market vertical that normally wouldn’t give her the time of day, and infect it with her personal brand, pushing her buzz meter and sponsorhip endorsement value ever higher. Getting the short-end of the stick, we doubt 125GP ratings will go up even a tick when the season kicks off for the last time in March.
Yes, we just got bamboozled by one of the dumbest people in Hollywood. Damn.
Congrats to her for making the sport bigger.
“While Rossi and Ducati will get their fair share of coverage at the upcoming Wrooom event in January, the Italian-duo, perhaps one of the longest rumored and wanted partnerships in modern GP racing, will only garner at best a tenth of the buzz compared to this weekend.”
And how did we arrive at that scientific percentage?
This seems laughably expounded upon. Let me give you the short version: washed up media whore, passed her prime, attempts to hang on to fame and fortune through endorsement of a minor league fringe sport team.
She looks better as she gets older.
Don’t hate the playa, hate the game!!
famous for sex tapes, now spruking a gp team, wow brilliant marketing campaign to give credibility and strength to the gp team…they could’ve at least picked a better looking girl…if i was to pick, maybe lets say a pretty supermodel who somehow is loosely involved/or likes the sport via some even weak link, just a thought when trying to use this form of advertising…
seriously all that buzz will not create long term interest, as Paris’ main twitter/public interest audience is definitely not the GP target market…the team fade to the background after the first few races…and then they’ll want nothing to do with Paris when her next scandle happens.
and by the way, paris is not hot, but i would still hit it…in fact i would prefer her sister…because she’s less sk@nk than paris…
Riders will be Sergio Gadea and Maverick Viñales and the team will be run by Raul Romero, Ricard Jove and Rozano Brazzi. But the point, as already indicated, is this: did ANY of us know those people prior to this story breaking? No we didn’t. So I guess her influence is powerful and far-reaching, even for those of us who go out of out way to avoid anything and everything she’s ever done.
I must say my initial reaction to hearing this story last week was to run full speed at a thirteenth story pane of glass… But as I think about it more, it’s actually a pretty great thing for our sport. As the post states, this sperm dumpster has a twitter following of over 3 million, and they’re all people that didn’t even know the sport existed. Not that any of them will ever get into it, but just by association this should raise the eyebrows of other big name sponsors that may not otherwise consider supporting the sport.
Either that, or she just put a turd stain on one of the last years of the 2-strokes.
Better than tobacco sponsors…. I’d rather have an STD than cancer.
I am happy when any media coverage gets thrown towards the great motor-sport that is GP racing. The mass-media usually only jumps in when someone gets killed or some other tragedy strikes.
I just feel bad for the blokes who have to ride these pink atrocities. Hopefully they don’t have to wear matching leathers…
As a perfect example of the writers point of view the HP has 111 comments, this article 9.
But if you take some time to read those comments most are not very flattering. And if you troll deep enough you’ll find this little bit.
http://youknowyoucare.com/?p=2239
Which links here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wK1qfMHFS0&feature=player_embedded
This is the Team SuperMartxé VIP luanch party somewhere in Madrid later that night.
I wonder if the young riders were allowed to attend?
Now for more social commentary:
Paris what happened to you? You used to be this waifish little thing running around behaving badly with Britney, and now you’re ass is bigger than the male dancers on that stage. I say stick with cocaine, and lay off the refer. The late night munchies are not helping you advance your career
So if they win a race or two, do the riders get to hit it???? :) :) :)
They painted the expansion chambers tan and sculpted the tip like a helmet but the idea had to be scraped when Perris chipped her front teeth on it. Too bad.
Paris Hilton launches motorcycle racing team. Wait, what? http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/news/paris-hilton-supermartxe-vip-launch/
Paris actually looks kinda good in these shots! Nice tight suit!
And yes Kevin you are correct when you say that she is looking better as she gets older!
I keep trying to redeem my Hilton Honors points for a night with Paris and the proposal keeps getting rejected.
@ Jim: On your next proposal you need to ask for a night IN Paris. She’ll show up at your door the very next day. You’re just doing it wrong.
“I just feel bad for the blokes who have to ride these pink atrocities. Hopefully they don’t have to wear matching leathers…”
I hope they do..! With big fake breasts inside!
BTW… “I’d hit it”.
Many GP teams operate out of Italy, this one must be in Paris…
Can’t wait to see the onboard camera footage
I doubt the riders or mechanics that will have jobs because of the sponsorship will mind that Paris is sponsoring the team or that the bike is pink.
Good riders are out in the cold left and right in this economy and if this chick wants to step up and throw some money (and bedazzeling) at a team that’s great.
Although, it would have been really cool if she sponsored an AMA team. Has Zemke found a ride yet?
bets on which team has the massive herpes outbreak in 2011?
Paris Hilton, I like with you, especially your body, your breasts look sexy to me.
So thus far no mention of Michael Jordan–certainly one of, if not the greatest player in NBA history–and his two Suzukis in AMA. Is Paris Hilton as famous in Europe as MJ is in the United States? AMA is not GP–I get it–but celeb involvement doesn’t mean more people will pay attention.
Balzaak…That was funny as hell. God that was funny, I’m still laughing. Good One!