Maxime Pelletier - Pixel site - Pixel-perfect!

By Russ Bond

Motorsports, by its very nature is about competition - both on and off the track - and technology. That technology is in abundance throughout the sport, but one young Canadian driver is using the latest, greatest, technology to project a positive image, and help those that are supporting his rise through the motorsport ranks. Quebec’s Maxime Pelletier, who is 15 years old, and the youngest driver awarded a 2006 FBMW scholarship is one of the brightest young stars of Canadian racing, and he has developed a ‘pixel’ site to help with the marketing side of his motorsports career. He is one of the first to use a pixel site in motorsports, and he is very happy with the progress so far that he has seen on the site, www.maximepelletier.com.

"Well, the aim of the site is to give the opportunity to companies to have their logos on a page that is divided into 1 million pixels," Pelletier said. "Companies purchase pixels that then link those pixels to their website - prices start at just $100. When you buy those pixels, they stay there for three years."

That may well be the key, or the sale of the century, because as Pelletier’s fame rises, his site, could, and probably will, draw a huge number of hits, making the advertising a great investment for those that support him early on.

"I think this will work way better than asking companies to put up $50,000 or so to be involved with an Atlantic program," Pelletier added.

Also, with the pixel site, Pelletier points out that smaller companies can justify the investment, and they can get involved sooner and profit longer.

Traditionally, sponsors take space on the car or on the driver’s uniform, but Pelletier is betting that a ‘full time’ ad on a pixel site will do more for his supporters than their name on the side of his car.

Pelletier couples his site with a press release service, articles and television interviews to help draw the public to his site, and thus, provides his supporters with access to the public.

It really is a revolutionary idea to promote a young driver, simply because as his worth, or profile goes up in the motorsports community and the general public, all his supporters will benefit.

"Every press release we do during the season will have the sponsor list on them, and all of those can be accessed from www.maximepelletier.com," Pelletier says. "I must work very hard to get as many people as I can to visit www.maximepelletier.com. The site is constantly updated with all the latest news, and we have some other exciting ideas for the site that will be coming online soon."

Another main difference is Pelletier has already a signed deal with Gelles Racing to compete it the Formula BMW USA series in 2006, so there is no risk to potential supporters - Pelletier will race in 2006.

So, now he has to get out there and generate traffic to his site, and the best way to do that is to be at the front of the Formula BMW races that he will run in 2006.

"This is all about exposure," Pelletier says. "The higher profile I have, the more people will visit my site, and that translates into more traffic to my supporter’s sites and their products."Clearly this is a very good option for anyone that wants to get involved with one of the brightest young stars of Canadian motorsport, just sign up for some pixels on www.maximepelletier.com and watch your investment grow for years to come.