Michelin is a 
premium brand whose tires typically stop sooner, last longer and get better gas mileage. But Michelin had stagnating market share as consumers believe tires to be a commodity, a misperception reinforced by seemingly similar options and big price swings across brands. Michelin needed to reframe the conversation, build brand affinity and justify its price premium in order to get back on track.
BzzAgent Approach
The program started by engaging 10,000 targeted consumers from BzzAgent’s community of highly influential consumers, specifically those concerned with tire safety, car enthusiasts and those on the cusp of a tire purchase. We designed this campaign to educate these consumers about tires, tire maintenance and its importance to automotive safety. Then we layered in information about specific Michelin initiatives and a new tire model launch.
Campaign materials included:
- A physical mailing that included educational literature, a tire pressure gauge and a tread depth indicator to get people thinking about tire safety and the brand
- A campaign page on BzzAgent.com with weekly activities designed to spark UGC creation, drive traffic to Michelin web properties, and meet other brand objectives
- Weekly drawings and contests to increase campaign participation and reward top performers
Objective: Increase Advocacy
Within a week of launch the campaign had a significant impact on the amount of online buzz about Michelin. Participants created thousands of posts on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites including:
- Over 3,000 Facebook updates and peer-to-peer conversations
- 4,231 BzzReports of conversations
- 2,608 product reviews of Michelin tires
- 260+ photos and videos
- 100+ product reviews written on key influencer sites (tirerack.com, consumerreports.com)
Participants created videos which are available on YouTube and on the campaign homepage. Participants also took photos of themselves with the Michelin Man.
The campaign is also responsible for driving 2,500 new “likes” to the Michelin Man Fan Page on Facebook within 2 weeks. (It had previously taken Michelin one year to get 5,000 fans). Without prompting, these new fans have posted comments and pictures on the Michelin page. There has also been noticeable lift in traffic to the Michelin site.
The overwhelmingly positive response to the campaign demonstrates that even mature brands with “low-involvement” products can amplify brand presence on the social web by targeting high-value consumers and providing them compelling brand experiences.
Video Case Study
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