Business

Published: Wednesday October 7, 2009 MYT 9:02:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday October 7, 2009 MYT 9:03:03 AM

Michelin tires sends 111-year-old man in global campaign for mart


NEW YORK: Fear not, the Michelin Man is doing battle with the evil gas pump that sucks money from drivers' wallets.

That's the theme of Michelin's latest TV spot unveiled Tuesday in New York as part of the French tire company's new global advertising campaign.

The campaign, which starts in the U.S. this week, touts the cost savings of Michelin's tires as it fights for market share in an increasingly competitive market.

It features the Michelin Man in print, TV, and Internet ads and on social networking sites.

The character, made of stacked white tires, is even getting his own Facebook page and a dedicated YouTube channel.

Claire Dorland-Clauzel, the company's senior vice president for communications and brands, said the campaign tries to highlight the fuel efficiency, safety and environmentally friendly aspects of Michelin tires in a way that grabs the attention of shoppers.

"Consumers learn that if they don't choose Michelin tires they will be sacrificing at least one of those things," Dorland-Clauzel said at a media event in New York City.

Shoppers typically spend about US$400 to US$500 on a set of replacement tires.

And while the look of the Michelin Man - who was first created in 1898 - may not be changing much from its recent versions, he'll be getting a new role as a superhero.

In a new TV spot that will begin airing in the U.S. on Wednesday, the Michelin Man battles a rampaging gas pump by hurling tires that he pulls from his own body.

The image is actually a throwback to the original Michelin ads of more than 100 years ago, which show a cigar-smoking, spectacle-wearing version of the character throwing bicycle tires.

Scott Clark, executive vice president of Michelin North America, said the company chose to roll out the new campaign in New York rather than its home country of France because of the particularly competitive nature of the U.S. tire market, where a large number of brands vie for shoppers' attention.

Industrywide sales of replacement tires in the United States are down about 9 percent this year, after dropping 6 percent in 2008. But Michelin has not lost any of its market share, Clark said.

The company plans to spend $20 million on its U.S. campaign in the fourth quarter alone.

The TV ad, along with the overall campaign, will be rolled out in the rest of the world next year. - AP


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