For the first time since the 1980s, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) is launching an extensive mass-reach advertising campaign featuring the Bridgestone brand.
"The 2005 television and print campaigns will reflect a unique industry approach and will continue to include a special emphasis on diversity marketing," the company says.
BFNT will launch a full television campaign for each product family under the Bridgestone umbrella -– Potenza, Turanza, Dueler and Blizzak. A final brand image spot will combine the four product families and accentuate the cutting-edge technology of Bridgestone tires.
BFNT called on Hollywood director Matthew Rolston to direct the "highly stylized" television spot for the company's racing-inspired Potenza tire, along with four other non-traditional commercials. Rolston has produced music videos for Beyoncé, Jessica Simpson, Lenny Kravitz and Madonna and television commercials for Gap, L’Oreal, Old Navy, Revlon and Levi’s.
“We are enthusiastic about conveying the essence of the Bridgestone brand –- innovative, sophisticated and dynamic -– in the form of unique ‘music videos’ -– a television advertising approach truly new to our industry,” says John Gamauf, president of consumer tire replacement sales, BFNT.
Featuring a re-mix of the Rosanne Cash song, "The Wheel," 22 versions of the Bridgestone brand television commercials comprise an international effort, appearing as 30- and 15-second commercials throughout the Americas in English, French and Spanish.
“We also have customized this massive television advertising effort to include 20 taggable versions of the five product family image spots, and we’re making them available in three languages for dealers to directly target their local consumers,” Gamauf said.
"In addition to the 42 versions of the product family spots, there are 49 other Bridgestone or Firestone commercials, including new retail-focused promotional spots, for a total of 91 versions of all 2005 Bridgestone and Firestone commercials –- truly a massive effort in broadcast consumer reach," Gamauf says.
The Bridgestone product family "music video" spots will be seen throughout 2005 on national cable networks: VH1, Spike TV, MTV, The History Channel, TNT, TLC, HGTV, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX Sports, FX, Comedy Central, tbs, Discovery Channel, SCI FI and USA Network.
"We are proud of this pioneering advertising initiative and are excited to show consumers our diverse Bridgestone products in such an artistic light," adds Michael Fluck, advertising and Internet manager, BFNT.
BFNT also will convey the Bridgestone brand message in 2005 through mass print outlets such as USA Today, People, Playboy, Rolling Stone, AutoWeek, Car & Driver, Motor Trend, Road & Track and in diversity publications including Jet, Ebony, People en Español, Motor Trend en Español, Out and The Advocate.
