Sports Marketing: Turn Sports Fans Into Your Tire Dealership's Fanatics

Sports Marketing: Turn Sports Fans into Your Fanatics

Dunn-Tire-Conti-Watkins-Glen
Dunn Tire teamed up with Michael Shank Racing and Continental to brand the 60 car at Watkins Glen raceway.

From professional leagues to local teams, billions of dollars are spent on sports marketing annually. Businesses are using team and venue sponsorships, live event advertising and more to reach potential buyers where they enjoy spending their free time.

More and more tire manufacturers are branching out from traditional motorsport activities to include other sports in their marketing efforts. At the same time, tire dealers are taking advantage of what tiremakers are doing and creating sports marketing opportunities of their own.

It makes sense. Consumers spend tons of time watching sports and engaging in activities surrounding those sports. In a recent report, “Year in the Sports Media Report: 2013,” Nielsen claims that more than 33 billion hours of national sports programming were consumed by 255 million people, up 27% from the 26 billion hours consumed in 2003.

That’s just in the U.S. And only counting TV.

These numbers are enticing to any marketer. But the reasons for advertising around sports are not only about numbers and reach. Howard Fleischmann Sr., owner of Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair in Phoenix, shares that marketing around sports helps develop relationships with people. “As with any of our advertising, Community Tire believes that by supporting the things that people love and believe in, they’re going to support us,” he says.

For Continental Tire the Americas, the idea that passionate, engaged fans support businesses that support the activities that they love is core to the company’s sports marketing initiatives.

“The deeper you engage a customer, the deeper the purchase intent,” says Travis Roffler, director of marketing for CTA. “A fan who watches a sport on television is one degree. A fan that goes to the race, engages on-site with Continental and learns about our brand has a substantial lift in purchase intent.”

Manufacturers Are Cashing In

Goodyear-RC-Blimp-Cotton-Bowl
Goodyear flew a remote-control blimp over fans at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, in Dallas.

The tire industry is no stranger to sports marketing. In fact, tire manufacturers and marketers are some of the biggest players in the sports marketing space.

For example, Goodyear was recently title sponsor of the Cotton Bowl. The tire company took the opportunity to do more than just get its name out there. While college football fans were in the stadium watching the game, Goodyear representatives measured the wear on the tires of every car parked in AT&T Stadium’s lots, and put the results and a coupon for new Goodyear tires under each car’s windshield wiper.

Goodyear also hosted several on-site activities including a make-your-own T-shirt booth, a football toss, photo opportunities, product displays and a giant Plinko game that featured full-size tires. Inside, a remote-controlled mini Goodyear Blimp flew around the stadium during pre-game and at halftime. The tiremaker also sponsored a “Goodyear Big Play Luncheon” before game day, allowing fans to hear from both teams’ coaches.

Goodyear’s largest sports marketing effort, however, is its long-time sponsorship of NASCAR.

To help tire dealers take advantage of its NASCAR relationship, Good-year provides a ‘tool kit’ brochure and online training on its dealer portal, according to a spokesman. Goodyear also provides POS materials and has a NASCAR show car available for dealer use for special events. In addition, Goodyear creates a NASCAR driver poster annually to be given away to consumers and provides race-used Support Our Troops tires for dealers to use during its Goodyear Gives Back military campaign.

Bridgestone Americas’ sports marketing programs permeate numerous outlets including the NFL, NHL and PGA Tour. And Bridgestone Corp. made headlines in 2014 when it announced a newly formed relationship with the Olympics beginning with the 2016 Summer Games.

“Our sponsorships allow us to get our ‘Bridgestone Performance Moments’ messaging out to loyal fans of the respective sports,” says Phil Pacsi, vice president of sports/event marketing and training for Bridgestone Americas. “These performance moments select a highlight-reel play or moment from a single game and showcase them through various channels, including broadcast and Web.”

Since instituting the performance moment messaging, Bridgestone has seen increases in its Bridgestone brand awareness and purchase in-tent, he says.

BKT-Monster-Jam
Not only does BKT sponsor Monster Jam, but it supplies specially de-signed giant tires for the 10,000-pound flying machines.

Toyo Tire USA Corp. leverages sports platforms to boost brand awareness. The tiremaker currently has a partnership with the UFC, the NHL Anaheim Ducks, Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, and most recently sponsored the 2014 PAC-12 Championship football game.

“Dealers benefit from the increased brand awareness of Toyo,” says Amy Coleman, Toyo’s senior director of marketing. “When it makes sense, we also leverage the sponsorships at the dealer level with promotions and incentive programs, for example.”

CTA, which sponsors the U.S. men and women national soccer teams, Major League Soccer and all MLS teams, road racing and college basketball, takes a four-pronged approach to its sponsorships. “If the sponsorship makes sense from four goals – awareness, television reach, fan engagement and dealer involvement – it’s a green light for us,” CTA’s Roffler says. “We make sure that the sponsorship will raise brand awareness and garner TV impressions. We also ensure that there’s a way to activate with the fans at a place where fans gather. And, ultimately if we can get dealers involved at a B2B or B2C level.”

That mentality carries through to CTA’s General brand, which is involved in short-course off-road racing with its sponsorships of the Lucas Oil Racing Series and the Best in the Desert Racing Series. The General brand also invests heavily in its sponsorship of Major League Fishing.

Last year, Yokohama Tire Corp.’s sports marketing programs included team sponsorships in the NFL, NBA and MLB, as well as title sponsorship of an LPGA event.

Sullivan-Tire-Boston-Red-Sox
Sullivan Tire annually produces a magnet with the Boston Red Sox schedule on it.

“Sports fans are incredibly passionate about their teams. That intense loyalty is why Yokohama annually produces a comprehensive sports marketing program to connect them with our dealers,” says Alan Holtschneider, director of marketing for Yokohama.

Hotlschneider says that when choosing programs to participate in, Yokohama considers several factors, including market size and dealer base. Once a sponsorship is chosen, Yokohama provides dealers with in-store posters and point-of-purchase merchandise highlighting promotions, as well as gift cards or team jerseys. Holtschneider notes that some of Yokohama’s associate tire dealers set up displays at stadiums.

Kenda USA’s sponsorships are in place to help the brand boost its distribution network. The tiremaker is involved with teams in the NBA and NHL, as well as collegiate football and basketball. “Each team that Kenda partners with has been strategically selected,” it says. “Our goal is to increase the brand recognition in these markets to reward the distributors and dealers that have helped grow the Kenda name.”

BKT Tires USA Inc. dove into its first sports sponsorship in 2013 as the official tire of Monster Jam. The tiremaker chose Monster Jam for two reasons – event demographics and its correlation to BKT products. “The people that go to these events have construction companies, farms, building companies…and they bring their kids. So what we’re trying to do is introduce them to and make them aware of the BKT brand,” says Carl Casalbore, president of BKT Tires USA Inc.

Not only does BKT produce the massive tires used by the trucks performing in the series, but it also hosts ‘Pit Parties’ where the company invites associate dealers and end-users to watch and participate in the show.

Dealers in the Act

Sports marketing isn’t just for the tire companies; savvy tire dealers get in on the action, as well.

Buffalo-based Dunn Tire has taken full advantage of CTA’s sports investment. The Continental brand, as the official tire of the Watkins Glen International racetrack as well as the official tire of IMSA, approached Dunn Tire with an opportunity to sponsor a Michael Shank Racing car.

Michael Shank Racing branded its car with Dunn Tire logos and visited multiple Dunn Tire locations prior to the Watkins Glen IMSA event. At the race itself, Dunn Tire used its Facebook page to invite people to come take picture with the car and visit Dunn Tire at a hospitality area. Its wholesale business, Express Tire, also took advantage, inviting dealer customers to the event.

“Having a Dunn Tire car with our name on it actually racing certainly helps our overall awareness,” says Pat Logue, director of marketing for Dunn Tire. “It also gave us the opportunity to entertain both customers of the retail organization as well as customers of the wholesale organization.”

Dunn Tire also sponsors the hometown NFL Buffalo Bills, NHL Buffalo Sabres, Syracuse University and the University of Buffalo.

“When you can tie Dunn Tire to the Buffalo Bills or the Sabres or Watkins Glen, that helps your overall profile because those are great brands in and of themselves,” adds Logue.

For Dunn Tire, treating sports sponsorships as a business relationship is key. The majority of the tire business’ sports sponsorships are collaborations with tire manufacturers.

“We start a proposal with our reps well in advance of the season,” relates Logue. “It’s important to realize that the manufacturers have their priorities too as far as where they want to spend their money. It’s a lot of dialogue with your rep.”

From there, continuing the partnership is key. Logue meets with his reps every year to discuss what the manufacturer liked, didn’t like and what makes sense for the next year.

“It’s got to work for both of us. You’ll never renew it if it only works out for one of us,” adds Logue.

One example of a program that worked for both Dunn Tire and Michelin North America Inc. was a co-branded hat that Dunn Tire gave away at the Bills’ home games. Fans who received the hat could bring it into a Dunn Tire store to receive a discount on a set of Michelin tires.

A Team Approach

Sullivan-Tire-Hockey
Among its many sports marketing endeavors, Sullivan Tire, has a dasher board at Boston Bruins games.

Tire Pros, a subsidiary of American Tire Distributors, participates in a variety of sports marketing programs. On a regional basis, members of marketing group have teamed up to be the “Official Tire Retailer” of Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy and Salt Lake Real teams, as well as becoming the “Official Tire Retailer of ACC Football.” Additionally, the Tire Pros organization and its dealers participate in other regional sports marketing.

“There are many ways to spend marketing dollars to build a brand, but sports have remained DVR-proof and a viable strategy for building awareness,” says B. Quick Chadwick, Tire Pros director of marketing.

Tire Pros uses sports marketing activities to grow brand awareness and drive store traffic, Chadwick says. When choosing opportunities, Tire Pros considers programs with a local component that can lead to strong dealer-level activation, he said.

“There has to be an opportunity that will drive traffic to each of our stores and aid our dealers in car counts and servicing customers, and ultimately selling tires and or service,” Chadwick shares.

Since Tire Pros is a nationwide program, Tire Pros also considers sports marketing opportunities in markets where it has the largest concentration of dealers.

Sister businesses Agoura Car Care Tire Pros and Calabasas Car Care Tire Pros were among the group of Tire Pros dealers that participated in Tire Pros-L.A. Galaxy partnership. Co-owner Tom Casey says he decided to participate in the program as a way to promote the Tire Pros brand and the stores’ affiliation.

Casey’s store leveraged the Galaxy partnership by setting up tents at some home games. While he didn’t get a pre-game tent at every Galaxy game, Casey made sure to take advantage when they were offered.

“You get out what you put into it. If you’re going to get involved in something like this, take advantage of every opportunity,” Casey says. “For every pre-game event I would go down make sure we had plenty of coupons, business cards and even new grocery bag giveaways to pass out.”

“Take advantage of player opportunities, print advertising, every-thing. The more you can use the better,” he continues. “If you just do it to do it and don’t follow through, it’s not worth it.”

While his two store locations are some 50 miles from the Galaxy’s stadium, Casey says he did see return with coupons and oil changes.

Casey’s stores also participate in sports marketing efforts at local high school games. Sports and sports marketing tend to be male oriented, but with local sports marketing you can reach more females, he says.

“One thing about high school sports, women are more involved because they might have a kid playing,” he says.

Johnson Tire Pros, a one-store location in Springville, Utah, participated in the Tire Pros sponsorship of the Real Salt Lake MLS team. Owner Riley Johnson decided to get involved with the sponsorship after hearing from Southern California Tire Pros dealers about their success with the L.A. Galaxy sponsorship.

Johnson was initially skeptical that his involvement with Real Salt Lake would increase business. He wasn’t sure there were enough soccer fans in his area or that he was close enough to the stadium, but the program ended up being a huge success, he says.

“It definitely got more traffic,” Johnson says. “It’s amazing to see the people who follow soccer and how loyal they are to their team and how loyal they are to the people that support their team.”

Johnson shares that as part of the sponsorship and the store’s 90th anniversary, Johnson Tire Pros hosted a customer appreciation day where they gave away soccer balls and game tickets. Throughout the season, the store had a Real Salt Lake banner outside, as well. The best part of the program was being able to take three customers and their children up to the stadium to practice with the Real players, Johnson says.

Leveraging a Love

Community-Tire-Sports-Sponsorships-GayWhen it comes to sports marketing, few dealers do it as well as Sullivan Tire & Auto Service Centers. With 67 locations across New England, Sullivan Tire participates at almost every level.

Sullivan Tire’s founder Bob Sullivan was an avid sports fan and his 10 children were involved in a variety of sports growing up. That made it easy to get involved with sports marketing, says Mark Gillard, advertising and marketing manager for Sullivan Tire.

“As the company grew, we were able to afford larger sponsorships until we progressed to college, minor league and now the big leagues,” Gillard says.

Today, Sullivan Tire is involved with teams from high school to college to minor leagues and major leagues. The dealer has in-stadium signage and radio and TV commercials with the Boston Bruins and the Red Sox. Additionally, Sullivan Tire has featured Boston Red Sox star Dustin Pedroia in its TV commercials and other media for more than seven years.

“Boston has a rich sports tradition and we’ve certainly been lucky over the years to have witnessed a lot championship teams in all the major sports. We have rabid sports fans in New England and I think fans appreciate that we support their teams,” Gillard says.

Gillard notes that people tend not to change the channel when watching a live sporting event, so Sullivan Tire’s TV messages are being heard.
Sullivan Tire has built its email database and website traffic with various sports-related sweepstakes and giveaways. They’ve given away baseball bats and gloves autographed by Pedroia, held meet-and-greets with Bruin star Gregory Campbell, and more. The dealer also has tie-ins with the University of New Hampshire and the New England Patriots.

Gillard shares that one of the biggest challenges with sports marketing is using its limited budget wisely. He advises that getting involved locally with high school, college or minor league sports is an inexpensive way to get started in sports marketing, and a great way to show involvement with your community.

Allen Park, Mich.-based Belle Tire, with more than 90 locations, also participates in sports marketing at nearly every level.

The retail and wholesale dealer has partnerships with the Detroit’s Tigers, Lions, Pistons and Red Wings at a professional level. In the minor leagues, Belle teams up with the Toledo Mud Hens and West Michigan Whitecaps baseball teams, as well as the Saginaw Spirit, Plymouth Whalers and Grand Rapids Griffins hockey teams. And at the collegiate level, Belle sponsors both football and basketball at Michigan State University, and sponsors football at the University of Michigan.

“Sports fans, especially in Detroit, are incredibly loyal to their teams and that loyalty extends to the team’s advertisers. We’ve found our partnerships with teams have been effective at building brand awareness, attracting new customers and instilling loyalty among our current customers,” says Kelsey Ruder, marketing and communications manager for Belle Tire.

“In our industry, top-of-mind awareness is crucial,” she says. “Being involved with sports marketing year round ensures that Belle Tire is in the forefront of customer’s minds when they need to have their vehicle serviced.”

In the past, Belle Tire has used in-game activations to drive customers to the store, as well as ticket contests and memorabilia giveaways to provide value to its email subscribers and social media followers.

Belle Tire’s charitable giving is also centered around sports and the Belle Tire Sports Club, Ruder says. Since 1997, Belle Tire’s Sports Club has supported youth hockey providing a safe and competitive environment for more than 5,000 boys and girls ages 5 to 18. The club currently consists of 450 players on 28 different teams.

“We recognize sports are an integral part of the community and we wanted to be a part of that,” Ruder notes.

Striking Up a Conversation

Yokohama-Colts-GiftcardFor Mark Hornsby, co-owner of Hornsby Tire & Service Center in Newport News, Va., working with his Virginia Tire Pros group in its sports marketing efforts does more than just bring people into the store. It provides a talking point with customers.

For example, the group recently finished a sponsorship of the Uni-versity of Virginia, which included signage, promotions and tickets during the college’s basketball and football seasons. Hornsby Tire is located some 140 miles away from UVA, but just having the university’s logo in the store drew a buzz.

“I had more talk from the UVA campaign and more fun with peo-ple coming in the door because I have UVA stuff everywhere,” says Hornsby. “It generated more excitement, more trash talking and a buzz with our male customers.”

And for Hornsby, that excitement will continue into the next sponsor-ship the group has decided to engage in – the entire ACC.

Hornsby leverages the dealership’s Facebook page to give away the tickets, too.

“Everybody’s a sports fanatic so if you throw something on your website or Facebook, you’re going to get someone talking about it.”

In the case of Community Tire Pros, sometimes an engaged community reaches out to you for sports support. Community Tire was approached by one of its biggest customer groups – Phoenix’s LGBT population – for help in sponsoring local gay sports.

“We believe in ‘local first’ and giving back to our own economy,” says Fleischmann. “When it came to this, the community came to us and said, ‘We would like to have sponsorships for…’ I felt to help progress humanity that would be a good place to be.”

Community Tire supports gay baseball and bowling teams, as well as a gay poker tour. Fleischmann notes that because he specifically caters to the LGBT market, even if the ROI isn’t there for the marketing investment he knows that at least he has helped someone.

Whether your sports marketing efforts are on a national, regional or local scale, Dunn Tire’s Logue cautions one thing – always ask the question, “Does this drive people to the store to purchase tires?”

Plenty of dealers get involved because of their personal ‘sports fantasy’ desires, and there is nothing wrong with that. But sports marketing is a heavy investment, and smart dealers treat in that fashion.

“At the end of the day, you have to take a cold-hearted look at whether you’re doing this because you like sports or are you doing it because it drives business to your company and improves your bottom line,” says Logue.

By Tire Review Associate Editors Kristen Criswell and Matt Bemer

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