Goodyear has announced a new partnership with RED Driving School, through which the tyre manufacturer will disseminate safety information to learner drivers via a new website and social media campaigns. The new collaboration will run alongside Goodyear’s existing national driving academy initiative in UK schools.
As part of its efforts to build up its online presence, Giti Tire has appointed Neil Hendry to the newly created role of Internet Strategy and E-Commerce manager – Europe. Hendry is based at the company’s UK headquarters in Cheshire and responsible for the development of a coherent web and social media strategy to maximise internet presence throughout the continent
No one can deny that computers are now an integral part of the way we live and work. With the advent of mobile Internet connectivity – especially in the context of social media – they have become a central part of most of our lives. With this comes both an Orwellian suspicion of what people/corporations/governments might do with this data and the biggest opportunity yet to put your products and services in front of the right people. While the purpose of well-established media gatekeepers has been challenged by easier than ever information sharing, new quality and relevance measures have entered the market to help navigate the informational maelstrom.
When it comes to B2B selling online, automotive organisations are struggling to provide the online buying experience that their customers have come to expect. That’s the view published in the 2013 E-commerce Report from Intershop, which also reveals that smartphone usage, social media and the so-called “consumerisation of IT” are driving up B2B customer expectations. The report’s advice? Automotive firms have to adapt to changing customer expectations, driven by trends such as smartphone usage and social media. But how can that be done? In addition to assimilating the research data, Tyres & Accessories asked Chris Barling, chairman on e-commerce system developer SellerDeck for his views.
Pink is one of the more rarely-found colours in a tyre professional’s wardrobe, but during the month of October US wholesaler Tire Group International is turning this sartorial convention on its head.
When it comes to B2B selling online, automotive organisations are struggling to provide the online buying experience that their customers have come to expect. That’s the view published in the 2013 E-commerce Report from Intershop, which also reveals that smartphone usage, social media and the so-called “consumerisation of IT” are driving up B2B customer expectations. The reports advice? Automotive firms have to adapt to changing customer expectations, driven by trends such as smartphone usage and social media.
Tyre Bay Direct has reported that its new website adds a significant number of customer-led improvements to its already existing 24/7 service.
The addition of a ‘Live Chat’ feature means customers can speak to Tyre Bay Direct's advisors anytime between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and can also leave a message outside of these hours.
Starco has introduced a further enhancement to its new website, publishing a series of videos about the company and its activities and products. “Continuing to grow and become a global company is exciting, but it also presents many new challenges”, explains Group marketing manager Brian Lorentzen.
Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) has announced it is sponsoring three teams during the 2013 NFL season – the New England Patriots, the Chicago Bears and, for the first time, the Indianapolis Colts. YTC’s affiliation with the Bears is in its second year and in its third with the Patriots.
Delphi Product & Service Solutions is touring the UK with The Parts Alliance, launching an interactive, customer-facing initiative. The brakes supplier’s 12 week tour has been given the punning title ‘Take a Brake’, reflected in the tea/coffee break atmosphere of the tour’s stops, designed to get end-users interacting with representatives of the two companies, who will give their insights into the latest Delphi braking technologies. The tour also has a social media focus, with both companies making extensive use of their Twitter and Facebook pages to publicise the tour and the braking products.
It only got underway in early June, yet within less than two months Bridgestone’s new ‘Everywhere’ campaign website has received a million visits from across Europe. The beeneverywhere.eu site and campaign, which is video-rich and pairs with social media, is described by Bridgestone Europe as innovative and fun, a tweaking of the Bridgestone ‘Your Journey, Our Passion’ corporate slogan with an interactive road trip ‘driven by you’.
Today TyreSafe unveiled a range of steps the tyre safety education body is investing in in order to promote positive tyre safety messages this year. Announced at the fourth annual TyreSafe industry briefing the suite of awareness-raising initiatives include a bolstered tyre safety month, a new campaign microsite, dealer locater, promotional videos created with both YouTube and social media networks in mind and a collaboration with the Highways Agency.
Bridgestone has launched its latest online marketing campaign, utilising a new website, beeneverywhere.eu, social media and video in its effort to position the brand as “innovative and interactive”. Revolving around exploring the world, the video is set to a soundtrack based on Johnny Cash’s ‘I’ve been everywhere, man’. Jake Rønsholt, general manager, corporate and brand communications at Bridgestone Europe explained: “Part of the beauty of the campaign is that visitors to the main site can do exactly that, on just about any device.
Maxxis International has appointed Jas Ghata-Aura to the new position of online content developer. Maxxis says the appointment forms part of its heightening focus on digital communications. The tyre manufacturer, driven by the belief that online and social media platforms are fast becoming the most effective ways of communicating directly with consumers, has emphasised new media channels in growing its brand already and boasts a strong existing following on its social media channels as a result. It is hoped Ghata-Aura’s appointment will help to strengthen and build Maxxis’ presence, which in turn will give more existing and potential customers the opportunity to interact with the brand and its assets on a daily basis.
When you think of Trelleborg you will probably think of industrial or agricultural tyres. You may think of rubber products in general. But would you associate the Swedish firm with the movies?
Trelleborg has launched a new 3D animated movie which is available on YouTube via its social media channel, TrelleborgAgri. The film, created using 3D animation techniques, tells the life story of a smart cartoon cricket that starts his own agricultural business and miniature farm. The story, which begins in 1955, follows the cricket ‘farmer’ through the ages, following his journey as he comes face-to-face with evolving tractor generations. From x-ply tires, through to upgraded tractors equipped with radial technology tires; the cricket must learn how to survive and work alongside these new technologies.
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