NASCAR announced today that it will lead a joint campaign with Official Partner DRIVE4COPD throughout COPD Awareness Month (November) to drive awareness and encourage fans to be screened for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD, a debilitating lung disease, is the third-leading cause of death in the United States and affects as many as 24 million Americans but approximately half remain undiagnosed. DRIVE4COPD has been the Official Health Initiative of NASCAR since 2010 and has been responsible for screening more than 2.7 million NASCAR fans.
“DRIVE4COPD’s mission to generate awareness and get people screened is one of extreme importance to NASCAR as it directly affects many of our fans,” said Jim O’Connell, NASCAR chief sales officer. “COPD is responsible for taking one life every four minutes. We share a passion with our partner to make our fans aware of this life-threatening disease and are determined to help get even more of them screened this month.”
To create awareness and encourage fans’ screenings, NASCAR will embark on a number of activities throughout the month, including:
- Ogilvy & Mather, the agency of record for NASCAR, will produce a 10-second PSA scheduled to air across ESPN and FOX Sports 1 during race broadcasts and shoulder programming.
- The official NASCAR bar mark logo will feature an orange ribbon throughout the month and will be emblazoned on select NASCAR-logoed materials.
- NASCAR Plaza building in Charlotte will be lit orange, the official color of COPD Awareness Month.
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio will air 30-second COPD awareness spots to drive fans to get screened.
- NASCAR will host a charity golf tournament in Miami to help raise funds and drive awareness across its Official Partner brands.
- NASCAR Nationwide Series points leader Austin Dillon, who lost his grandfather to COPD, will don an orange lined cowboy hat in an effort to generate awareness.
“DRIVE4COPD is proud to partner with NASCAR in the fight against COPD,” said John W. Walsh, president and co-founder of the COPD Foundation. “We’re so grateful for the support of NASCAR, both on track and off, in our mission to prevent and cure COPD, which affects so many Americans and their families.”
DRIVE4COPD will also launch a NASCAR-specific sweepstakes today, offering one lucky NASCAR fan the opportunity to win a chance to wave the green flag at the NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 22, 2014. Fans can enter by visiting www.drive4copd.org.
NASCAR PR
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