CASE STUDY #000892 - Continental and General Tire

Who: Continental and General Tire, the fourth largest tire company in the world, with only 6% share in the US.

Challenge: Build a ‘performance’ story for Continental and rebuild lost brand equity for General Tire. Find a way for ‘trade’ story to reach consumers, as over 70% of tire sales are influenced by tire retail store sales staff. Even more challenging was the fact that (unlike other tire players) Continental and General Tires lack dedicated retail stores and street presence.

Big Idea: Concentric needed to help create brand advocates out of dealership employees, regarded as experts within the store, and win them over with improved sales tools and incentives – because most people buying tires take the recommendation of the sales staff above any other influence.

Elements:

Redesign promotional program structure and funding

A new sales process to aid in more efficient and effective sales presentations

Post promotional analysis metrics

Trade merchandising programs

Design of new consumer and trade promotional sales materials

Implementation of brand measurement metrics

Exploration of competitive sales and trade spiff programs

Sales communication training and materials

Results: Concentric helped Continental establish a strong brand presence within the tire distributor network, by utilizing retail materials to tell a new brand story that also carried into consumer efforts. Concentric has worked tenaciously with Continental and General to completely reconsider all aspects of marketing based on trust gained over a 5-year period.