As part of its 70th anniversary, Hercules Tires, a subsidiary of American Tire Distributors (ATD), says it is revitalizing its Hercules Tires and Ironman Tires brands via brand identity, brand positioning and product innovation. On the brand identity side, the company says the Hercules rebrand includes a new typography and color palette, as well as an updated graphic of its Strongman logo. Retaining its “Ride On Our Strength” tagline, the company says the update personifies the brand as a passionate, dependable partner that consumers can trust to conquer the trail ahead. The Ironman brand will also have an updated typography and color palette, as well as a new Ironman icon and tagline, “Tires to Trust,” designed to position the brand as offering customers a no second-guessing, trusted way to get back on the road.
“Our 70th anniversary is the perfect time to update our two core brands to reflect their evolution and reinforce the positioning of each, along with the strength of our product lineup,” says Josh Simpson, senior vice president of proprietary brands for ATD. “Our unique Strongman logo will continue to symbolize the strength and high quality of Hercules’ broad range of products. At the same time, we have rebranded Ironman as part of a renewed emphasis on one of the most popular reliable, affordable tire brands in North America.”
The company says it will launch several new products this year, including products in new market segments. The first market launch of the year for the Hercules brand will be the Hercules TIS UT1 Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) tire, available to consumers in mid-March. In addition, the refreshed Ironman brand will be used on two new products, a new light truck tire – the Ironman All Country HT – and the Ironman I-Series Gen 2 in the TBR segment.
“The new Hercules additions are great examples of how we are leveraging our expertise in product development to provide our core dealers with an expanded product portfolio,” Simpson said. “At the same time, we see an opportunity to invest in the Ironman brand to broaden our appeal and reach people who want a simple and smart solution at an affordable price.”
Hercules’ emphasis on marketing for its brand of the same name includes engaging consumers in innovative ways, including sports sponsorships, social media, influencers, B2B marketing, Google ads and televised product placements, the company says. The Ironman brand will focus on targeted digital ads, social media and search engine optimization.
