Changing Tyres ‘Can Seriously Damage Your Health’

Goodyear has launched a new “viral marketing” campaign using black humour to draw attention to the benefits of the company’s RunOnFlat technology.

The video clips, which will exclusively be distributed by “word-of-mail,” highlight the perils of roadside tyre changing through an exaggerated, entertaining and certainly unforgettable approach.

Each film features a different stereotype: the stressed, smartly-dressed female professional who doesn’t have time to change tyres; the punctilious middle-aged man, adept at changing a tyre, but who takes exaggerated pride in his work; and the clumsy, grungy young guy who is useless at pretty much everything. In each case, their particular character traits speed them to a similarly sticky end.

Hans Vrijsen, Goodyear Brand Director Europe, explains the approach: “These films demonstrate in very stark terms the distinct advantages of choosing RunOnFlat tyres. The scenarios are unlikely and the outcome in each deliberately exaggerated to drive home the message of the additional safety and security RunOnFlat tyres offer motorists. The impact of these films relies primarily on the element of surprise and the dark humour in the denouement of each scene, but the three protagonists also play a pivotal role in capturing a sense of everyday realism with which people can identify.”

Viewers will certainly approach each of the three films from a different angle – seeing them as shocking, funny, and even thought-provoking. No matter: the aim is that the message will resonate with all viewers and create sufficient impact for them to forward the mpeg onto their friends and colleagues.