Catchfence

CONCORD, N.C. (July 23, 2009) – Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, announced today that Vaseline® MEN Lotion will be an associate sponsor of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. Vaseline® MEN will be the primary sponsor of the No. 10 Honda Dallara driven by Dario Franchitti and the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Martin Truex Jr. at select races across the IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS).

The Vaseline® MEN paint scheme will make its debut for Target Chip Ganassi Racing this weekend on the No. 10 car for the IndyCar Series race at Edmonton, Alberta on July 26 (VERSUS, 5:00pm ET). Vaseline® MEN will debut on the No. 1 Chevrolet in the NSCS at Dover, Del. on September 27 (ABC, 1:00pm ET) and again in Martinsville, Va. on October 25 (ABC, 1:00pm ET).

Notes of Interest:

Dario Franchitti, No. 10 Honda: Franchitti, the current IndyCar Series point’s leader, is the 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series Champion. He returns to open wheel racing in 2009 after spending last season in NASCAR. Franchitti already has begun adding to his tally of career wins in 2009 by capturing his 19th, 20th, and 21st career victories at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Iowa Corn Indy 250, and most recently at the Honda Indy Toronto in Round 10 of the IRL schedule.

Martin Truex Jr., No. 1 Chevrolet: Truex has a total of 136 starts in the NSCS, with one win, 12 top-fives, 34 top-10s, and two poles. The Mayetta, NJ native made his mark in the NSCS after claiming his first pole award, seven top-five finishes, 14 top-10s, and his career first victory at Dover International Raceway during the 2007 season. Truex is a two-time winner of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship in 2004 and 2005.

Vaseline® MEN lotion: The Vaseline MEN lotion range includes fast-absorbing body, face and hand lotions that give men strong, resilient skin. The products: Vaseline MEN Fast Absorbing Body & Face Lotion provides instant relief for everyday dryness in less than :15 seconds; Vaseline MEN Extra Strength Body & Face Lotion that moisturizes to heal severely dry skin; and Vaseline MEN Extra Strength Hand Lotion which deeply penetrates the skin’s surface to make it healthy looking and moisturized. The lotions are designed to fortify men’s skin to make it more resilient and are ideal for everyday use on all skin types.

Quoteboard:

Srini Sripada, Marketing Director of Unilever Skincare: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to help generate awareness for the Vaseline MEN lotion brand. Both the NASCAR and IndyCar sports properties are based on speed and strength, which provide a terrific platform for the brand to communicate its product benefits of fast absorption and strong, healthy looking skin to the male consumer.”

Steve Lauletta, President of Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, Inc.: “Any time you get the chance to work with a big brand like Vaseline you have to be both encouraged and proud. We would love nothing more than to see the Vaseline MEN car in victory lane. One of the advantages that our team has is the ability to provide a sponsor with opportunities and assets in multiple forms of auto racing thereby giving them the ability to market to different audiences. I think this is a great opportunity for both of us.”

Dario Franchitti, Driver of the No. 10 Honda Dallara: “I wasn’t here last year when the series made its debut in Edmonton, but my teammate Scott Dixon found the quick way around the track so I’ll be looking to him for advice on how to get the Vaseline MEN car into victory lane. The airport runway layout is similar to Cleveland’s track, which I also liked running. The No.10 team is looking forward to getting started at Edmonton on this new partnership.”

Martin Truex, Jr., Driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet: “I’m really looking forward to driving the Vaseline MEN car at Dover and Martinsville at the end of this season. They are another addition in a long line of great partners that we’ve had on our car this season. I got my first win at Dover in 2007 and I hope to have another strong performance there.”

About Vaseline: Vaseline® products are manufactured by Unilever [NYSE: UL, UN], one of the world’s largest consumer products companies. With a 135+ year heritage as America’s most trusted healthy skin expert and more than 30 years as a leading hand and body lotion, the Vaseline® brand delivers products that meet the specific needs of consumers, no matter their lifestage or lifestyle. In addition to the Vaseline® Lotions, the Vaseline® family of products also features a complete line of Vaseline® Petroleum Jelly, bath products and Vaseline ® Lip Therapy® lip balm. All Vaseline® products can be purchased at supermarkets, drugstores, mass merchandisers and club retailers nationwide. For more information visit www.vaseline.com.

About Unilever
Unilever’s mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In the United States, the portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann’s, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs nearly 12,000 people in both the United States and Puerto Rico – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2008. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

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