Paul Holmes 10 Jul 2001 // 11:00PM GMT
What do the two greatest performers on ice have in common? Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Hill and Knowlton helped Goodyear, America’s number one tire company, introduce a new line of winter tires called the Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice. Hill and Knowlton developed an integrated public relations and marketing campaign that included a contest, sweepstakes, media relations, advertising and point-of sale effort. OPPORTUNITIES/CHALLENGES In launching a new winter tire, Goodyear faced several obstacles. A majority of US drivers use all season radials rather than change to winter tires. Hill and Knowlton helped overcome this challenge by establishing Goodyear as the winter driving expert and educating consumers about the need for winter tires. This was the first time Goodyear had used a celebrity spokesperson for any of their campaigns and they wanted to ensure a spokesperson that exemplified the image of their tire. Hill and Knowlton searched through Goodyear’s target audience for the new tire and found the perfect performer on ice to complement their new tire. RESEARCH A review of market research from Goodyear told us that nearly 80 percent of Scandinavian drivers, 50 percent of Austrian drivers, 33 percent of German drivers and 20 percent of Canadian drivers switch to winter tires during the winter months, while only 4.5 percent of American drivers switch. We also found that U.S. winter weather markets had a higher than normal appreciation for hockey. Hockey viewers matched tire purchase demographics as well. Following extensive brainstorms and research, the team developed a once-in-a-lifetime millennium celebration designed to “grip” the hearts and imaginations of Americans, Canadians and media beginning October 1 through New Year’s Day, 2000. PLANNING Hill and Knowlton Irvine developed the program concept and elements and worked with and its sister ad agency, J. Walter Thompson Detroit, to execute the Ultra Grip Ultra Trip from April 1999 through January 2000. Through its partnership with J. Walter Thompson, the program was developed in such a way that public relations drove all advertising. Objectives The Ultra Grip Ultra Trip program, an integrated marketing program was developed to: With millions of consumers seeking the ultimate way to celebrate the new millennium, Goodyear came up with a “gripping” once-in-a-lifetime millennium adventure. The Ultra Grip Ultra Trip was designed to generate customer traffic, while publicizing the launch and product benefits of the new tire. STRATEGIC APPROACH Our campaign strategy included: EXECUTION The account team believed that with the millennium fast approaching, millions of North Americans would be asking the question: What am I going to do to celebrate the dawning of a new century? The answer to the question for a chosen few was the first-ever Goodyear Ultra Grip Ultra Trip program. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky was selected as the consummate product spokesperson. Hill and Knowlton positioned Wayne and Ultra Grip tires as the two most “gripping” performers on ice. This fully-integrated promotion, including a contest, sweepstakes, radio promotion and Internet access, was supported with public relations, advertising and point-of-sale materials. Gretzky was prominent in all facets of the program, which kicked off with “The Great One’s” return to Madison Square Garden for the first time since his retirement for a national media tour. He later returned to New York for the Contest Finals at Wollman Ice Skating Rink in Central Park. There were three ways for consumers to win the Ultra Grip Ultra Trip: In the end, 65 contest, sweepstakes and radio promotion winners enjoyed The Goodyear Ultra Grip Ultra Trip’s ultimate millennium prize package including: Media relations efforts included the pitching of all national broadcast TV, radio and print broadcast in the US and Canada. Within our targeted media we additional pitched sports, lifestyle, auto, marketing and millennium reporters. RESULTS The Ultra Grip Ultra Trip’s program results were phenomenal. They included:
One of the greatest testaments to the success of the program is that every Goodyear Ultra Grip tire that has been produced is already sold. Goodyear can not make enough of the tire to keep up with the demand. Almost 500,000 winter tires have been sold, an increase of more than 100 percent from 1998.