Graza, the burgeoning olive oil brand that recently ventured into the mayonnaise market, is aggressively pursuing a multi-faceted marketing strategy to establish itself as a national household staple with widespread distribution. Central to this ambitious plan is a significant sponsorship of NASCAR, aimed at deeply embedding the brand within the sport’s vibrant culture and fan experience, according to Alex Edelstein, Vice President of Marketing. Launched in 2022, Graza positions itself as a challenger brand in a culinary landscape dominated by legacy players in the olive oil sector, many with over a century of history and established operational models.
"We see this as a tremendous opportunity to forge a different kind of connection with the customer," Edelstein stated, highlighting the brand’s innovative approach to consumer engagement. The company’s expansion into mayonnaise comes at a time of intensifying competition within that category, a fact acknowledged by the brand’s strategic decision-making process. Edelstein identified a clear synergy between NASCAR and Graza, particularly noting the sport’s renowned tailgating culture. With hundreds of thousands of fans converging on race tracks, many engaging in culinary activities during extended camping stays leading up to events, the alignment presented a natural fit for a food-focused brand.
Bringing Graza to the Racetrack: A High-Octane Partnership
Graza’s strategic integration into the NASCAR ecosystem was solidified in February when it was officially named the official olive oil and mayonnaise brand of NASCAR. This pivotal appointment heralded the launch of the "The Hot Lap Test" campaign, a testament to Graza’s commitment to innovative advertising. A striking 30-second commercial, aired during an August 8th NASCAR race broadcast, showcased a stock car pit crew member using Graza’s extra virgin olive oil to prepare an egg on the scorching hood of a race car. The advertisement creatively leveraged the racing term "hot lap," referring to a full-speed practice lap, to illustrate the extreme heat generated by a car in motion.
The narrator posed a compelling question: "How many hot laps heat a hood hot enough to sizzle an egg sunny-side up?" This intriguing premise set the stage for a visually dynamic demonstration. As the stock car revved its engine and embarked on its high-speed laps, the advertisement meticulously documented the process: "Lap one. Lap two. Lap three." The camera captured the egg gradually cooking on the intensely heated hood as the car circled the track. The narrative climax arrived with the car crossing the checkered flag, the egg perfectly cooked, prompting the narrator to exclaim, "Looks like we’re cooking."
This memorable advertisement, developed in collaboration with the agency Nice&frank and directed by Jasper Cable-Alexander of Drool production company, was designed to encapsulate the "pace and energy and feel of a NASCAR race," while simultaneously reflecting Graza’s "playfulness and tone," according to Edelstein. The campaign was strategically aired during NASCAR race and pre-race broadcasts on The CW and NBC throughout the remainder of the season, which concluded in November.
Beyond broadcast advertising, Graza has actively participated in the NASCAR experience. The brand served as the primary partner for RFK Racing driver Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford Mustang during a NASCAR Cup Series race on March 1st. Furthermore, it acted as an associate partner for teammate Ryan Preece’s No. 60 Ford Mustang throughout the season. This comprehensive partnership involved months of close collaboration with NASCAR’s partnership and leadership teams to secure broad-based integrations and diverse access points within the sport.
These integrations extended to a custom Graza food truck strategically positioned at races within the NASCAR fan experience areas, directly engaging with fans who were participating in the very tailgating culture the brand sought to embrace. This provided a tangible touchpoint for fans to interact with Graza products while they were engaged in cooking activities. Concurrently, the brand’s presence on the RFK Racing cars ensured prominent visibility on the racetrack itself. Graza’s integration into NASCAR broadcasts also included on-air talent conducting cooking demonstrations and participating in competitions, further embedding the brand into the fan’s viewing experience. "It’s really part of this 360 integration into the sport," Edelstein emphasized, underscoring the holistic nature of their NASCAR activation.
Amplifying a Focus on Quality: The "Seriously Serious" Platform
The NASCAR partnership serves as a powerful amplifier for Graza’s "Seriously Serious" platform, which debuted in March to mark its ambitious entry into the mayonnaise category. This overarching brand initiative also encompassed a sponsorship of the latest season of Bravo’s popular cooking competition show, "Top Chef."
A cornerstone of the "Seriously Serious" platform is the articulation of the company’s unwavering commitment to product quality. Edelstein highlighted this dedication, citing examples such as a national television spot that depicted an astonishing 22,353 testing spoons used by a fictional employee named Garcia in the meticulous process of perfecting Graza’s mayonnaise recipe. This creative approach was designed to visually convey the "intensity and the seriousness with which we take our products and our approach to food," Edelstein explained. He added, "And then the playfulness… it’s silly almost how seriously we take food and the quality of our oil."
The launch of this platform coincided with Graza’s strategic expansion into other food categories centered around its high-quality 100% extra virgin olive oil. Among these new ventures are potato chips, a product line that has garnered significant attention. The potato chips, prepared using Graza’s signature extra virgin olive oil, are available in four distinct flavors. Edelstein reported that these chips have achieved considerable success on social media and among influencers, with the "Zesty Caesar" flavored variant proving particularly popular. The brand’s promotional messaging for the chips consistently emphasizes Graza’s commitment to using only the finest potatoes in their production, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to quality across its expanding product portfolio.
"This was really an opportunity to combine the history of the brand, which is fun and playful, food obsessed, finding the unique and fun and enjoyable experiences in cooking and then bringing it to this quality product platform as we expand it outside of the olive oil category into mayonnaise, and then now potato chips," Edelstein elaborated on the brand’s product diversification strategy. This expansion signals a clear intent to leverage Graza’s established reputation for quality olive oil into adjacent, high-demand food categories, thereby broadening its market appeal and increasing touchpoints with consumers.
A Challenger Brand Mindset: Strategic Partnerships and Consumer Engagement
The effectiveness of Graza’s expansive marketing efforts is particularly noteworthy given the brand’s lean operational structure. Edelstein acknowledged that the marketing team is small and operates on a limited budget, necessitating careful planning and company-wide coordination for significant initiatives. The decision to integrate the brand’s new potato chip line with the NASCAR partnership, for instance, involved extensive cross-departmental discussions. The marketing team actively sought input from the sales team regarding the campaign’s potential impact and the NASCAR partnership’s viability. Furthermore, close coordination with finance and operations was essential to facilitate the integration of food service and concessions into the NASCAR event experience, ensuring a seamless execution of the brand’s activations.
Ultimately, the brand’s strategic decision-makers concluded that the NASCAR partnership represented an optimal blend of "fun cultural ideas with the data-driven story," according to Edelstein, justifying the significant investment. This approach underscores Graza’s understanding of modern consumer engagement, which increasingly demands authentic brand experiences that resonate on both an emotional and rational level.
In addition to its high-profile NASCAR involvement, Graza has been cultivating consumer loyalty through other strategic partnerships. This season, the brand collaborated with the New York Liberty, a team in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). These activations included in-arena concessions integrations, prominent digital signage, and engaging concourse activations during home games. Graza has also implemented creative ways to highlight the team’s performance, such as posting "Graza-sponsored Sizzle Stats" on social media, showcasing the team’s top scorers after each game. A sponsored "Row Race" for fans during games and the sponsorship of the fourth quarter on the jumbotron further solidified the brand’s presence and engagement with Liberty supporters.
These diverse marketing endeavors are crucial to Graza’s overarching objective of building a brand that fosters genuine connection with its customers, extending beyond mere transactional relationships based on pricing and promotions. "That is why we invest in these unique partnerships and activities," Edelstein concluded, emphasizing the long-term strategic value of such initiatives in building a loyal and engaged customer base. The brand’s consistent application of its "Seriously Serious" yet playful ethos across these varied platforms signals a clear and determined path toward establishing Graza as a significant and enduring presence in the national food market.
