Thanks to very generic category advertising, Canadian drivers see all tires as equal and never ask for brands by name. Yet performance and durability is crucial in Canada, due to our extreme weather.

The idea behind the Tire Tailors program was to take Yokohama tire tech out of the category and use it to enhance other performance products where grip really mattered. We choose a surfboard, a saddle and racing shoes. Each product was picked to showcase a particular tire. For example, W tires specifically built for winter’s wet conditions were used to improve the grip on the surfboard.

To emphasize the craftsmanship that went into our tires, we partnered with bespoke manufacturers to make each product. Then the finished articles were tested over and over by leading specialists in each field. We used films showcasing the making and testing to excite the public and stimulate demand.

We partnered with renowned surfboard maker Ausmossis to create a surfboard using the W winter tire to improve the grip. We partnered with Fincham’s Harness to create a new type of Rodeo saddle, using Geolander A/T GO15’s tires designed for durability and extensive grip. And we worked with bespoke shoemaker Peter Feeney to create a racing shoe with a sole made from smooth, ADVAN tires that allowed for the driver to seamlessly slip from pedal to pedal for heal-toe breaking. Over a nine month period, the craftspeople created prototypes and worked with the athletes to find the best way to use the tread, to test for comfort and usability and to maximize performance. The end was result was fully functioning products enhanced by Yokohama tire tread.

The tire category in Canada was very commoditized. Canadian drivers tended to rely on their dealers to recommend a tire. After 9 months of the Tire Tailors campaign, consumers started to ask for Yokohama tires by brand name in tire retailers across Canada.*

1. It made drivers aware that all tires were not equal, its focus on design and craft elevated perceptions of Yokohama quality.

2. It was a powerful and category-changing product demonstration that stood out for consumers in a category of sameness.

* Please see confidential section.