CASE STUDY: General Tire [renewal]

The Case

Once an all-American brand with strong roots and brand awareness, General Tire had downshifted to almost a dead stop.

The Challenge

After an acquisition by the German-owned Continental Tire, marketing efforts for General Tire slowed as the company placed greater emphasis on the Continental brand. Fifteen years later, in a marketing renewal exercise, company leadership defined the brand with the terms, “black, cheap and round.” Concentric was brought in to rev up the almost-halted and devalued General Tire brand.

The Approach

After doing an audit of category awareness, a full competitive analysis and series of internal reinvention discussion, Concentric chose to speak to the next generation of General Tire customers with a simple, yet striking, campaign that put powerful treads of the “New General Tire” on the road. The campaign told people to “command” their life. Go where you want, do what you want and feel empowered to do it.

Key Action Steps

• Competitive Analysis
• RE-Positioning
• Brand Re-launch Materials
• Trade Sell-In Tools

• Intercompany Communications Plan
• Marketing Platform Image Renewal
• Updated Advertising Campaign

The Results

Concentric’s comprehensive campaign renewed this slowed brand back to racing speed. Tire store salespeople were reinvigorated to get behind the “new” General Tire and became brand ambassadors. Internally, the “command” message spread to a renewed sense of optimism. Finally, General was off to the races—again.