Bridgestone and PCM team up for commercial shoot

UPDATE Here are some additional photos taken during the filming of the commercial.

Golfer Freddie Couples

02/14/08 At first glance, you might wonder what Champ Car racing and golf have in common. The answer, for starters, is that Bridgestone is the Official Tire of the Champ Car World Series and the Official Tire of the PGA.

With that in mind, Bridgestone Golf decided to bring those two worlds together in their latest television commercial, shot earlier this week outside of Los Angeles and featuring David Martinez in the Pacific Coast Motorsports DP01 Champ Car and Bridgestone Golf-backed PGA pros Freddie Couples, Stuart Appleby, Brandt Snedeker and Charles Howell III.

"We see a great synergy in bringing two of our successful sports marketing activities together," said Al Speyer, Executive Director, Bridgestone Motorsport. "Champ Car racing and golf are both dramatic, tension-filled sports that require precision and complete focus from their competitors. However, Champ Car races are certainly a little more fast-paced than any golf tournament I've ever seen!"

Dan Murphy, Director of Marketing, Bridgestone Golf added, "The Bridgestone Golf division is relatively new, so creating a closer link to Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) makes perfect sense for us. We want to present ourselves as the 'Technological Titan' of the golf industry, so associating with the size and technological depth of BFNT is a huge plus that will help us sell more golf products.

"Golfers are an appealing demographic that tend to buy high performance tires, so we think Bridgestone Golf can be an effective way for BFNT to gain important brand exposure to a highly desirable consumer group. Working together will benefit both sides of the business."

Add to that BFNT's partnership with the technologically-advanced Champ Car World Series, and you have an advertiser's dream. The commercial is centered around Brandt and Charles "betting" on what is quicker – Appleby driving the Champ Car or the Bridgestone Golf ball hit by Couples. To find out the winner, you'll have to keep your eyes out for the 30-second spot, set to air on the Golf Channel beginning this March.