Bib Kits Up for Phase 2 of Michelin Ad Campaign
He’s performed sterling service battling an evil fuel pump and doling out fuel efficient tyres for the benefit of motorists, and now Bibendum – known more widely as the ‘Michelin Man’ – returns for the second phase of Michelin’s “the right tyre changes everything” advertising campaign. This time round Bib has been drafted in to save animals from becoming roadkill.
The second phase of the global campaign got underway on August 16 and is getting the message across through a mix of television advertisements, billboards, an online advice portal and an interactive game. Continuing the look and feel of the previous ad series, Bibendum will once again inhabit an animated world. And while last time an irate fuel pump threatened motorists, this time round Bib will be kept busy coming to the aid of imperiled motorists and woodland creatures in a safety themed campaign. The solution to their woes is once again Michelin tyres, which Bib extracts from within his slimmed down yet still ample frame. A Michelin synopsis of the new ad states that he “transforms a formerly ‘sad’ road blighted with tragic roadkill deaths into a happier, more harmonious highway as the shorter stopping distance of the Michelin tyres take effect to save the lives of the road’s furry residents.”
Prime time television slots have been secured for the advertisements and these will run alongside ads in national newspapers, magazines and on outdoor posters located in motorway services, petrol station forecourts and some ‘mega’ posters in selected UK cities. The message will, as expected, also be shown in various online formats.
“We are looking forward to the second phase of UK campaign with safety at the heart of the message for this stage of the campaign,” said Peter Snelling, Michelin UK’s head of communications. “As with the first set of ads we have taken an innovative and unconventional direction but still retaining the core messages about the benefits of using Michelin tyres.
“While the initial sight of beloved woodland creatures being turned into roadkill may prove shocking to some, we hope it helps to drive home the message that the right tyre – namely improved tyres developed by Michelin – helps change everything,” Snelling added. “We really want to emphasise the safety message and how this can be delivered through improved stopping distance. We are also demonstrating that safety need not be compromised through the sacrifice of other performance attributes, like lower fuel consumption and longevity – core Michelin benefits.”
Phase one commenced in March and one of its more conspicuous components was a series of giant hoardings at several key UK locations including London’s Cromwell Road, the M3 Tower, Mancunian Way, Birmingham’s M5 Dominator and the Leeds Inner Ring Road. Data from Michelin shows the first round of the campaign helped improve the brand’s top of mind awareness by 25 per cent and showed well above average effectiveness in media buying for the campaign.
The phase two campaign micro site with an on-line safety advice and tips and the interestingly named ‘interactive barking distance game’ can be found by clicking on http://join-the-fight.michelin.co.uk/#/home.
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