Danica Patrick Becomes New Face of Coke Zero

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rookie Danica Patrick has signed a multi-year endorsement deal to represent the Coke Zero brand.

The Coca-Cola Racing Family, established in 1998, has boasted some of the biggest names in motorsports, including past champions Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte and reigning champ, Tony Stewart. Patrick, who will run 10 Sprint Cup races in 2012 as part of Stewart-Haas Racing, will sport the Coke Zero logo on her firesuit and her No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet. She will appear in a series of vignettes premiering during the Coke Zero 400, will be featured in marketing executions such as retail point of sale materials and will make personal appearances on behalf of the Coke Zero brand.

“Joining the Coca-Cola Racing Family is one of the really cool things that’s happened so far in my career. I’m a Coke Zero drinker and fan, so with this partnership, I really get to have it all,” said Patrick. “I’m really excited about working with Coke Zero for a lot of reasons, but the idea of having my image at retail stores next to guys like Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and the rest of the Coca-Cola Racing Family is amazing.”

Two of Patrick’s first roles as a Coke Zero spokesperson will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway. In addition to competing in the Coca-Cola 600, Patrick will collaborate with actress Brooklyn Decker to promote the summer blockbuster, “Battleship,” which Coke Zero is partnering with Universal Pictures to promote. Patrick will not race in the Coke Zero 400, but she will participate in activities surrounding the event and serve as a special correspondent, giving fans a sneak peek behind the scenes via the Coke Zero Twitter account at one of the year’s most exciting races.

Sharon Byers, senior vice president of sports and entertainment marketing partnerships, The Coca-Cola Company, said: “Danica is a talented driver, a fierce competitor, and an always-relevant personality in the world of motorsports, and we’re excited to welcome her to the Coke Zero brand and the Coca-Cola Racing Family. The Coke Zero brand has seen consistently strong growth since it launched, and to maintain that success, we need to bring new consumers to the franchise. We believe partnering with one of the most relevant and talked about athletes in motorsports—and one who embodies the brand’s ‘enjoy everything’ spirit — will help us do just that.”

Patrick debuted in the IRL IndyCar Series in 2005 where she finished the season at 12th overall on the way to earning Rookie of the Year honors. In 2008, she became the first woman to win an IRL IndyCar Series race with her victory at the Indy Japan 300. She joined the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010 for a part-time schedule and finished fourth in the 2011 Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – the best finish by a woman in a NASCAR top-circuit.