Planning Continues on National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey 2012

The National Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Day Odyssey National Media Kickoff Event will be held at Indianapolis’ White River State Park on October 18th. The event will serve as the official kickoff for the more than 150 Odyssey events taking place across the country on that day, and is being planned by the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium and Greater Indiana Clean Cities Coalition.

“Attendees will leave with a better understanding of their green transportation options,” stated Kellie Walsh, Executive Director of the greater Indiana Clean Cities. “Whether your interest is long haul trucking, refuse, county maintenance facility, or a consumer trying to save money on a work commute, you will find a technology or fuel that fits your fleet or individual needs.”

Created and coordinated by the NAFTC, National AFV Day Odyssey is a biennial day-long occasion dedicated to promoting cleaner choices in transportation. 2012 is the ten-year anniversary of the first Odyssey event. To mark the occasion, the NAFTC plans to host its largest Odyssey, 150 events across the United States, 250,000 attendees, and reaching over a 100 million consumers through media outlets.

The National Media Kickoff Event will feature a ride-and-drive with alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, alternative fuel displays and demonstrations and a host of speakers, from industry insiders to the Odyssey spokesperson, who will be announced in the coming months. Its White River State Park location is on the banks of the Indiana Central Canal and boasts substantial green space. It is the home of attractions such as the Indianapolis Zoo and Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians (triple-A minor league baseball).

In addition to the National Media Kickoff Event in Indianapolis, the NAFTC is planning a highlight event on October 12th at West Virginia University, in Morgantown, WV. It will focus on local alternative fuel and advanced technology initiatives and increase excitement about Odyssey in the days before the National Media Kickoff Event.

White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. Source: NAFTC.

National sponsorship opportunities are available for amounts from $10,000 to $75,000. As in the past, potential sponsors will be invited to participate in Odyssey on a national level, by pledging funds to Odyssey success and having a large corporate presence at all Odyssey sites through signage and the opportunity to display vehicles, components, or other related items.

All sponsorship levels will be acknowledged in the Odyssey marketing materials, including posters and brochures shipped to all Odyssey sites, and in the final Executive Summary, which is distributed to organizations across the country as well as members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Sponsors will enjoy nationwide recognition and the opportunity to put their product/product information into the hands of more than 250,000 potential, under-reached customers in multiple nationwide markets. We anticipate exceeding our 2010 numbers of 131 sites (local events), with over 230,000 people in attendance and more than 98 million individuals reached through media coverage. Participating in this national event will allow you to partner and network with other national leaders committed to the alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle industry. Your support will continue to be recognized long after the event is over in the widely distributed Odyssey Executive Summary.

SPECIAL – National Highlight Event Sponsorship – $75,000
• Opportunity to work with the NAFTC to customize a Highlight Event to showcase your company
• Opportunity to display vehicles or other products/services at Highlight Event
• Opportunity to approve all vehicles, products, services, displays, and speakers at Highlight Event, other than those from other National Highlight Event Sponsors, National Spokesperson Sponsor(s) and Platinum Sponsors
• Opportunity to provide a keynote address at selected Highlight Event
• Corporate logo prominently displayed at Highlight Event through special signage
• Listing in key national media ads
• Opportunity to appear on promotional video
• Automatic membership on the National AFV Day Odyssey Advisory Committee
• Sponsorship recognition with link to website in monthly NAFTC eNews
• Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to all Odyssey attendees
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Highlight Event listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Highlight Event listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Highlight Event level in selected national Odyssey publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress, the AFV industry, and others
• Highlight Event level plaque of appreciation recognition at selected Highlight Event

SPECIAL – Spokesperson(s) Sponsorship – $75,000₁
• Opportunity to work with the NAFTC to select National AFV Day Spokesperson
• Opportunity to provide a keynote address at selected Highlight Event
• Sponsor name listed in conjunction with Spokesperson name in all promotional materials
• Listing in key national media ads
• Opportunity to appear on promotional video
• Automatic membership on the National AFV Day Odyssey Advisory Committee
• Sponsorship recognition with link to website in monthly NAFTC eNews
• Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to all Odyssey attendees
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Spokesperson Sponsorship listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Spokesperson Sponsorship listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Spokesperson Sponsorship level in selected national Odyssey publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress, the AFV industry, and others
• Spokesperson Sponsorship level plaque of appreciation recognition at selected Highlight Event
₁ If sponsor wishes to retain a National AFV Day Spokesperson whose speaking fee is in excess of $75,000, sponsor will be responsible for that speaking fee.

Platinum Sponsorship – $50,000
• Opportunity to display vehicles or other product/service at selected Highlight Event
• Opportunity to speak at selected Highlight Event
• Automatic membership on the National AFV Day Odyssey Advisory Committee
• Sponsorship recognition with link to website in monthly NAFTC eNews
• Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to all Odyssey attendees
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Platinum listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Platinum listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Platinum level in selected national Odyssey publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress, the AFV industry, and others
• Platinum plaque of appreciation recognition at selected Highlight Event

Gold Sponsorship – $25,000
• Listed in key national media ads
• Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to all Odyssey attendees
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Gold listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Gold listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Gold level in selected national Odyssey publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress, the AFV industry, and others
• Gold level plaque of appreciation

Silver Sponsorship – $15,000
• Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to all Odyssey attendees
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Silver listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Silver listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Silver level in selected publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress and others
• Silver level plaque of appreciation

Bronze Sponsorship – $10,000
• Corporate logo with hyperlink listed on National AFV Day Odyssey website
• Bronze listing in nationally distributed Odyssey brochure
• Bronze listing on nationally distributed Odyssey sponsorship poster
• Included at the Bronze level in selected publications including the Final Report distributed to Congress and others
• Bronze level plaque of appreciation

In addition, the NAFTC is still recruiting Odyssey sites for 2012. To host an Odyssey event in your area, please visit here and click on Site Coordinator Application. If you have any questions contact Virginia McMillen at Odyssey_Planner@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-7882.