The NFL season got off to a strong start with exciting games, sold out stadiums and through the roof TV ratings - to add to this momentum, Toyota and the National Football League jointly announced they have entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement designating Toyota as the Official Automotive Partner of the NFL.
Joining us from Toyota’s North American Headquarters in Plano Texas is Tracie Rodburg, the Senior Vice President of Sponsorship Management from the NFL and Jack Hollis, the Executive Vice President of Sales at Toyota Motor North America. For more information visit nfl.com and toyota.com
Joining us from Toyota’s North American Headquarters in Plano Texas is Tracie Rodburg, the Senior Vice President of Sponsorship Management from the NFL and Jack Hollis, the Executive Vice President of Sales at Toyota Motor North America. For more information visit nfl.com and toyota.com
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 Well, the NFL season got off to a strong start with exciting games, sold out stadiums and
00:05 through the roof TV ratings.
00:07 And to this momentum, Toyota and the National Football League jointly announced they have
00:13 entered into a multi-year sponsorship agreement, selecting Toyota as the official automotive
00:17 partners of the NFL.
00:19 I talked with Tracy Rodberg, the Senior Vice President of Sponsorship Management for the
00:24 NFL, and Jack Hollis, the Executive Vice President of Sales at Toyota Motor North America, about
00:29 the partnership.
00:33 Good morning Jack and Tracy, how are you doing this morning?
00:36 Good, good man.
00:37 Great, thanks for having us.
00:38 Well, I'll tell you, this is awesome.
00:40 And Jack, I want to start with you about this amazing partnership that Toyota is doing with
00:45 the NFL.
00:46 How incredible is this?
00:49 It's amazing.
00:50 I mean, this is a great day.
00:55 You think about it, an opportunity to become the official automotive sponsor and a partner
01:00 of the NFL.
01:01 It's just, it's about as good as it gets.
01:04 It's a great day for both of us.
01:06 It is, this is totally great.
01:07 And let's talk Jack, how it's going to benefit Toyota and also of course the amazing dealers
01:11 that we have around the different states, the different cities.
01:15 Hey, thank you for asking it that way because I think it really is about our dealers.
01:21 It's always about how we can go and work with our dealers, partners with our dealers, but
01:26 specifically for one outcome and that is to be the best we can for customers, guests,
01:31 fans.
01:32 And that's really where the benefit comes from.
01:33 The benefit is to expand our brand.
01:36 I always love taking the strongest brand in the automotive industry with the strongest
01:39 brand in sports, you put them together, that's a pretty powerful team.
01:42 And the benefits are about how we can really grow together and grow outwardly for customers.
01:47 Yeah.
01:48 And Tracy, I'm sorry I have to say this, but it is kind of like, yes, about the players
01:55 and everything, but it's also about the fans.
01:57 And that's why this partnership is so important with Toyota.
02:01 That's going to benefit everybody, especially the fans, right?
02:04 Yeah.
02:05 Look, this is why we're partnered with Toyota.
02:08 They are just like us in that their priority is their customers and for us, it's our fans.
02:14 And they reach their customers just like we reach our fans in the community.
02:18 While we have 32 clubs, they've got over 1,200 dealers.
02:21 So really working closely with them to authenticate everything that they're doing with the NFL
02:26 and reaching our fans where they are.
02:28 That's been critical to our business and that's going to continue in our partnership.
02:31 All right.
02:32 We continue in the partnership, Jack.
02:34 Let's talk about how this is going to benefit those customers, base that are out there that
02:38 are, you know, maybe not Toyota fans yet, but since they're going to be watching football
02:43 and coming together and how it's going to really help.
02:46 Yeah, you know, I think the help comes in so many ways.
02:49 I think, first of all, both of our brands have so many opportunities to engage with
02:54 our brand.
02:55 You know, there's different options that the NFL has for Toyota, having multiple options
02:59 of multiple vehicles, right?
03:00 If you're a customer looking for a car, we have one, a SUV, we have one, we have trucks
03:05 for you.
03:06 We have hybrid and plug-in hybrid and hydrogen and electric, and we can go on and on.
03:11 How it benefits the combination is we want to reach more.
03:14 We often talk about how inclusive can a group be?
03:19 How can we take all of our passion, all NFL passion, and provide that to a customer?
03:24 So, it's just giving more linkage points, more points of interest for the customer to
03:28 be engaged in both of our brands.
03:29 And I think that's a benefit for the end consumer.
03:31 Yeah, Tracy, you said it right there.
03:33 And that was, of course, growing the fan base, growing with the different things that are
03:37 out there.
03:38 But also, I love that how both of you are looking at the multiculturals out there, all
03:43 the diversity that's there.
03:44 And that's what's coming together with this partnership.
03:46 Am I right?
03:48 Absolutely.
03:49 And we see that.
03:50 We've seen that.
03:51 You know, we've been very thoughtful on how we market, how we deliver our game to ensure
03:55 that we're hitting a multicultural audience.
03:58 And we've been doing that.
03:59 And now we have a partner that believes in that focus and believes in that direction
04:03 that we're going, so that we can only build upon the work that we've done, the work that
04:07 Toyota's done, and really make it bigger for both of us.
04:10 Yeah.
04:11 Well, I'll tell you, I am a Toyota driver.
04:13 I have a Tundra.
04:14 I don't mind saying that.
04:15 I love it.
04:16 Also, too, my Lions.
04:18 What can I say?
04:19 Oh, wow.
04:20 Lions in Arizona.
04:21 There we go.
04:22 Nice.
04:23 I know.
04:24 I'm a Lions.
04:25 I know I'm here in Arizona.
04:26 But my Lions, I'm Michigan boy all the way.
04:27 So, it's really nice with this.
04:28 Oh, love it.
04:29 Good year you're having.
04:30 That's right.
04:31 You have a really good year you're having.
04:33 It is.
04:34 I have to say again, too, before we wrap it up, how great this is coming together,
04:38 the two companies to just do a lot.
04:40 But it's not just about, again, the dealers and the NFL.
04:44 It's about the customers.
04:46 And that's really what you guys are really pushing to bring everybody together.
04:49 Am I right?
04:50 Exactly.
04:51 You're exactly right.
04:52 And I am proud of those dealers, because that's how we get to the customers and take care
04:55 of them best.
04:56 Having that local community, the outreach, the benefit, the money, the contributions,
05:01 all that is really important for Phoenix or anywhere is that we can come together to help
05:05 that entire community.
05:06 And that's going to grow even further now.
05:09 I love it.
05:10 Jack, Tracy, I thank you very much for taking the time and spending with us and talking
05:13 about this great partnership.
05:15 Thank you very much.
05:16 Thanks for having us.
05:19 And as the new official automotive sponsor for the NFL, Toyota says it's going to use
05:24 their partnership to broaden its fan base, raise awareness and reach of the Toyota brand,
05:30 while offering key partners exclusive access and content guide to social good and mobility
05:35 for all.
05:36 Thank you.
05:37 Thank you.
05:38 Thank you.
05:39 Thank you.
05:40 Thank you.
05:41 Thank you.
05:42 Thank you.
05:42 Thank you.
05:43 Thank you.
05:43 Thank you.
05:44 Thank you.
05:44 Thank you.
05:45 Thank you.
05:45 Thank you.
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