• by Tanya Gazdik , July 3, 2024

Mini USA has signed audio company Harman/Kardon as a new sponsor of its upcoming owner loyalty event.

Thousands of owners are expected to participate in the biennial Mini Takes The States, which takes place from July 13–21. The road rally kicks off in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and makes its way to a grand finale in Seattle, Washington.

New sponsors also include Urban-X by Mini, which partners with startups to reimagine city life and build bold technology solutions for a sustainable planet, and the Mini Motoring Protection Programs, which in partnership with Plant Oxford, will help Mini owners protect their vehicles during MTTS and everyday excursions.

Returning sponsors include SiriusXM and the Mini Card from Mini Financial Services. 

Harman Kardon systems are available in all Mini models through packages, standalone add-on options or standard equipment, depending on the model/variant and trim level.

“They will be providing JBL portable speakers for our morning Rise & Rally events to help us entertain and communicate with the thousands of passionate Mini owners we will host each morning,” Alexia Kurz, experiential marketing manager for Mini USA. tells Marketing Daily. “They are also listed as a sponsor on our custom MTTS event app that helps our participants navigate the rally route and events.”

The new official charity partner is American Camp Association, a national nonprofit serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the U.S. that annually serve more than 26 million campers.

Mini USA and ACA will increase awareness of the benefits of summer camp experiences for all children while also increasing access to summer camp through camp scholarships for families who need it most.

Keep America Beautiful also returns as a charity partner, following a successful partnership from the Mini Together event in 2023..

Each year, Keep America Beautiful volunteers remove millions of pounds of litter from tens of thousands of streets and roadways.

Throughout the event, MTTS participants will be encouraged to pick up litter as they motor on MTTS to help Keep America Beautiful reach their goal of picking up 25 billion pieces of litter by July 2026. There will also be an opportunity to support  Keep America Beautiful beautification and clean-up projects through peer-to-peer fundraising and donations.

The team from Urban-X will be on the road educating Mini owners about innovative urban tech solutions developed by start-up companies and founders who participated in the accelerator program.

The partnerships with the American Camp Association, Keep America Beautiful and Urban-X by Mini are well aligned with the “Camp Mini” theme for this summer’s event, as they tie together the importance of sustainability, community, and the natural beauty of the national parks along the route.

SiriusXM returns as the Audio Entertainment Sponsor of MINI Takes the States, offering all eligible attendees 90 days of free streaming via the SiriusXM app.

Also returning as a sponsor this year is the Mini Card by Mini Financial Services. The brand-new Mini Card will make its debut this year at the road rally and MTTS participants will be among the first to get access to the environmentally friendly card, which is made from ocean-bound plastic.