DALLAS, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of
15,000 runners hitting the pavement at the Humana Rock
'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon on Sunday, March 22, Toyota and Competitor Group,
Inc. (CGI), the organizer of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series,
announced a sponsorship agreement, making Toyota the official
vehicle of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Concert Series through
March 2016. The sponsorship will
stretch beyond the deep roots Toyota has planted in Texas to expand to all 22 Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon events in the U.S.
"The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series relationship is a great fit
for Toyota," said Ed Laukes, vice
president, marketing, performance and guest experience, Toyota
Motor Sales, U.S.A. "The
designation as the official automobile partner of a property that
marries sports and music, two of our customers' passion points, was
an easy decision for us. Toyota looks forward to forming a strong
partnership with Competitor Group and the Rock 'n' Roll
series."
The Toyota RAV4, Highlander and Sienna set the pace for the
Dallas runners, leading them down
the course and signaling the start of the official press conference
where Toyota and CGI officials shared the first details about the
agreement, including Toyota's involvement at the Health &
Fitness Expo.
The international Rock 'n' Roll race series combines
entertainment and running, featuring live bands performing along
the course, cheerleaders encouraging runners throughout the race,
and a post-event headliner concert. The Dallas race is the largest stand-alone
half-marathon in Texas, annually
attracting more than 15,000 runners, and the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
Series just announced plans for an inaugural half-marathon in
Brooklyn this October.
"We are proud to partner with Toyota, the world's leading
automaker," said Bill Pedigo, chief
revenue officer of CGI. "Together, we will help runners explore new
terrain and enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle. We are
excited to work with Toyota to develop innovative ways to engage
runners and fuel their journey through the entire Rock 'n' Roll
experience."
For more information about Toyota, please visit
www.toyotanewsroom.com, and details about the Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon Series can be found online at
www.runrocknroll.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Javier
Moreno
Toyota Motor North America
(469) 292-1027
Javier_Moreno@Toyota.com
Hilary Friedman
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
(858) 275-9435
hfriedman@competitorgroup.com
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top
automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building
vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and
Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, we've built more than
25 million cars and trucks in North
America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the
U.S.) and directly employ more than 40,000 people (more than 32,000
in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in
the U.S.) sold more than 2.67 million cars and trucks (more than
2.35 million in the U.S.) in 2014 – and about 80 percent of all
Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road
today.
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the
country, with a focus on education, safety and the
environment. As part of this commitment, we share the
company's extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and
trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand
their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota,
visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
About the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
Organized by Competitor Group, the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series
is the 'World's Largest Running Series' with more than 600,000
runners taking part in events around the world every year. Started
in 1998, the simple idea of making running fun has transformed the
U.S. running landscape by infusing the course with live bands,
cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party
atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Today, the series
of marathons and half-marathons has spread to 31 destinations,
drawing visitors from around the world. Over the 18-year history of
the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series, charity partners have raised
more than $305 million through the
events for a variety of worthy causes.
Race weekend kicks off with a free Health & Fitness Expo
showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and
nutritional information and much more. Events culminate with an
entertaining finish line festival featuring some of the biggest
names in music, with past headliners like Macklemore &
Ryan Lewis, Aloe Blacc, Pitbull,
FloRida and Bret Michaels. For more information, please
visit RunRocknRoll.com or follow
@RunRocknRoll on Twitter.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For event photos, please visit:
http://gtty.im/1C9Vkf4
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150322/183632LOGO
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150322/183633LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toyota-hits-its-stride-becoming-the-official-vehicle-sponsor-of-rock-n-roll-marathon-and-concert-series-300054090.html
SOURCE Toyota