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Remedying a fiercely negative and misguided perception among UK motoring journalists that newly introduced Bridgestone Run-Flat Tyres caused poor vehicle performance.
Remedying a fiercely negative and misguided perception among UK motoring journalists that newly introduced Bridgestone Run-Flat Tyres caused poor vehicle performance.
Project – Bridgestone Run-Flat tyres (RFTs) arrived en masse in the UK, without warning, as original equipment on several high-volume, imported cars, primarily on successive new models of the completely revamped range of BMWs. Bridgestone Europe had not planned a consumer information campaign about the tyres, and had not anticipated any criticism, but UK consumer motoring journalists, unlike their continental counterparts, were immediately suspicious of the stiff sidewalls and started blaming the tyres as the cause of 
excessive road noise, poor ride and diminished handling in the new cars. Some even recommended new-car buyers to get rid of the RFTs and fit replacement standard tyres as soon as possible, a practice that would certainly de-stabilise the vehicle.
excessive road noise, poor ride and diminished handling in the new cars. Some even recommended new-car buyers to get rid of the RFTs and fit replacement standard tyres as soon as possible, a practice that would certainly de-stabilise the vehicle.Nexnet, as Bridgestone UK’s retained PR agency, conducted an urgent investigation to identify why the criticism emerged, to correct the misperception that RFTs caused poor vehicle performance, to protect consumers from bad advice to change the original tyres, to avoid potential conflict between Bridgestone and motoring journalists, and to reassure the motor trade involved in new-vehicle sales and tyre replacement that RFTs were a vital and hugely beneficial development in the automotive market.
Audiences – UK consumer motoring journalists writing for TV, magazines and newspapers, and motor trade publications.
Campaign – Nexnet analysed the detail of the criticisms in order to allay client fears that they were symptomatic of an outbreak of general media hostility towards Bridgestone. In consultation with the car manufacturers involved, Nexnet initially revealed to the UK journalists that the problems they identified appeared to be confined to their UK road tests. This led some journalists to change tack and speculate that the real problem was that the cars imported into the UK had not been properly set up for UK roads, which were widely acknowledged to be generally inferior to those on the Continent.
Nexnet assured journalists that Bridgestone took their criticisms seriously although the company still queried the curious discrepancies between media testing on the Continent and in the UK. Nexnet also explained that RFTs were a developing technology, that every generation of RFT so far had produced improved handling characteristics, and that the next generation, which was already in production, would be even better.
Nexnet planned and implemented a programme to take five of the key UK motoring journalists to the Bridgestone European test track in Rome. Journalists were able to test the performance handling and ride quality of the next generation RFTs on varying road surfaces, in high-speed blow-out situations, and to see first-hand what goes into the design, production and manufacture of the tyres. The programe concluded with a VIP trip to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Armed with a raft of new information, gleaned first-hand from Bridgestone’s European tyre scientists and designers in Rome, Nexnet was able to launch a UK media campaign to stream positive information about RFTs to national and regional motoring journalists describing the latest developments in the technology, promoting the rapidly increasing number of new-model cars fitting RFTs as standard, highlighting the immense safety benefits of RFTs, and building the understanding that RFTs will become the new standard for all cars and all tyre manufacturers.
The editorial campaign was supported with advertorials in the highest-circulation and most relevant consumer media titles such as Autocar, Auto Express, and Total BMW, to ensure a controlled message reached the most-informed and influential consumers.
For the motor trade press, Nexnet supplied a constant stream of reassuring information about the rapid developments in RFT technology, the changing mood of consumer journalists to a more positive stance, the increasing number of car manufacturers adopting RFTs as standard, and the development and expansion of training for managers and fitters in the tyre replacement market so they could advise consumers and acquire the specialist skills to work with RFTs.
Results – Continued analysis of journalist comments revealed an immediate reduction in the number of negative references to RFTs in general, followed by the emergence of positive comments, particularly about Bridgestone RFTs. Journalists began writing about the technology involved and the safety and space-saving benefits of RFTs.
The press trip to the Rome test track resulted in immediate positive coverage in all the media titles involved, including several articles on how RFT is developing so that future products will offer improved handling qualities. The series of advertorials further promoted the quality of the Bridgestone RFT to millions of readers with specific interests in car technology.
Nexnet planned and implemented a programme to take five of the key UK motoring journalists to the Bridgestone European test track in Rome. Journalists were able to test the performance handling and ride quality of the next generation RFTs on varying road surfaces, in high-speed blow-out situations, and to see first-hand what goes into the design, production and manufacture of the tyres. The programe concluded with a VIP trip to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.Armed with a raft of new information, gleaned first-hand from Bridgestone’s European tyre scientists and designers in Rome, Nexnet was able to launch a UK media campaign to stream positive information about RFTs to national and regional motoring journalists describing the latest developments in the technology, promoting the rapidly increasing number of new-model cars fitting RFTs as standard, highlighting the immense safety benefits of RFTs, and building the understanding that RFTs will become the new standard for all cars and all tyre manufacturers.
The editorial campaign was supported with advertorials in the highest-circulation and most relevant consumer media titles such as Autocar, Auto Express, and Total BMW, to ensure a controlled message reached the most-informed and influential consumers.
For the motor trade press, Nexnet supplied a constant stream of reassuring information about the rapid developments in RFT technology, the changing mood of consumer journalists to a more positive stance, the increasing number of car manufacturers adopting RFTs as standard, and the development and expansion of training for managers and fitters in the tyre replacement market so they could advise consumers and acquire the specialist skills to work with RFTs.
Results – Continued analysis of journalist comments revealed an immediate reduction in the number of negative references to RFTs in general, followed by the emergence of positive comments, particularly about Bridgestone RFTs. Journalists began writing about the technology involved and the safety and space-saving benefits of RFTs.
The press trip to the Rome test track resulted in immediate positive coverage in all the media titles involved, including several articles on how RFT is developing so that future products will offer improved handling qualities. The series of advertorials further promoted the quality of the Bridgestone RFT to millions of readers with specific interests in car technology.
There was substantial regional media coverage of the technology and safety benefits of RFTs including advice to consumers not to retro-fit standard tyres on cars designed for RFTs, and producing specific references to Bridgestone as the leaders in the technology.
Gradually, reviews of new cars with RFTs ceased featuring criticism of the tyres, and within 12 months all media criticism of RFTs had faded away and been replaced by reports of many positive messages.
The motor trade press recognised the positive work Bridgestone was doing with the consumer media, and ran several news and feature articles, all supplied by Nexnet, explaining the development of the market and Bridgestone’s position as leader in the field.
Budget – This special task was undertaken within an annual retainer of circa £120,000.
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