Lori L. Mavrigian

Managing Editor

Since joining Modern Tire Dealer in 1979, Lori Mavrigian has held several key positions leading to her current title as managing editor. In addition to handling the day-to-day operations of magazine production, Lori writes features, contributes photography and is in charge of several of the magazines departments. She also works with the magazine's National Advisory Council for the exclusive Ludwig Report surveys. She earned a B.A. in Mass Media-Communications from the University of Akron.

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Stokes Tire Pros still a champion in my book

By: Lori L. Mavrigian

So what if its involvement in a run at a Guinness World Record didn't pan out? Stokes Tire Pros still comes out a winner.

The Santa Monica, Calif., dealership was one of 27 automotive-related companies that participated in an Earth Day effort to set a Guinness record for the most amount of tires checked and inflated with the proper amount of air pressure in a single day.

The event was dreamed up by the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.

Jon Stokes, the owner of the single-outlet tire dealership, says he did not get one new customer into his shop to get their tires' pressure checked due to the promotion. He feels that the effort failed because the message didn't get to the people who needed to hear it.

He says four or five people did come in to get their air pressure checked on that day, but these were his regular customers who have known for a long time that Stokes Tire Pros takes care of its customers and checks air pressure as standard operating procedure.

"Maybe we needed to hire someone dressed like a globe to stand out on the corner to bring attention to the promotion," Stokes says.

Even if they didn't get in the Guiness World Record, for his constant vigilence, he's still a champion in my book.

And kudos to the Chamber of Commerce, its heart was obvioulsy in the right place. Maybe next time they try something like this they will ask Stokes for his ideas on how to promote the event to get a better response from the driving public. (He has other ideas besides the guy in the globe costume!)

What do you you think? I'm listening.

Related Topics: Air pressure, Earth Day, Stokes Tire Pros

comments

1. Brad | April 30, 2009 at 04:30PM
   That sounds about right. The public could care less about tire pressure. I have people stop into our shop daily with a low tire to get some air. Most of the time they don't want the pressure checked in the other tires, just air up the low one. Some of them stop by daily to have their low tire aired up but don't want to have it fixed. I have even noticed low tires on other peoples cars at the service station when I stop for gas. I point it out to them and show them where the air is at the service station. Most of them just drive off after they get their gas.