MICHELIN Beyond the driving test

When Lives Are at Stake

Teen drivers are one of the most at-risk for accidents, often due to under or overinflated tires or minimal tread depth. Michelin turned to YCP to create a fresh brand and bring new awareness. This multi-year tire safety testing campaign successfully raised awareness about the importance of regular tire checks and created lifelong safety habits resulting the reduction of teen (and parent) driving accidents.

PROJECT TEAMS

Strategy
Branding & Design
Motion & Video
Web Experience

A Penny Can Save a Life

The "A Penny for a Free Ride" campaign incentivized teenagers to prioritize tire safety by offering a chance to win a free college scholarship. This simple campaign motivated young drivers to check their tire tread depth with a penny. The result was a significant increase in the number of teens regularly checking their tires and staying safe on the road. The campaign became a win-win, promoting road safety and supporting the education of future leaders.

 

"Communicating with teens directly on their turf has been key to the success of Beyond the Driving Test. Meeting young drivers where they interact enables Michelin to start a conversation about tire safety to raise awareness of simple steps teens can take that can help save lives."
Quotation Source: "Michelin's 'Beyond the Driving Test' Drives Change in 31 States" - July 18, 2016
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michelins-beyond-the-driving-test-drives-change-in-31-states-300300073.html

– Pete Selleck, former chairman and president of Michelin North America
Enlisting Parent Support Was Critical

To get the parents, teenagers, and educators joining forces (which was quite a diverse group!), we created an interactive website that shared resources, promoted the cause, and showed progress of states changing their driving ed programs to include tire safety. Lot’s a original video, photography, and illustration filled out the site in a engaging way.

Generating Social Media Buzz

To reach teens (and parents) where they are and to create wider awareness, we leveraged social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Multiple ads targeted different segments to maximize the campaign’s message.

Featured on the front page
of CNN.com
Mission Accomplished
3 Years Early!
Custom Shoes Sweetened the Deal

The winners of the social media campaign #streettreadadcontest became the envy of their friends with a pair of custom Michelin-man branded Vans. Best of all, addition of these shoes as a prize causes quite a stir (in a good way) and captured word of mouth attention.

Mission Accomplished!

Michelin reached its goal for the campaign in record time. For the first time, all 50 U.S. states now include tire safety questions in their Training materials for new drivers, preventing countless accidents and saving lives.

PSAs don’t have to be boring
We created an animated short to launch this new program in a fun way. real change.
Ready to begin?
You tell us your goals, and we’ll find the path to success.

We're proud to be an award-winning marketing agency in Greenville, South Carolina.  We always go the extra mile to ensure your success, no matter your project’s size or budget. We start every collaboration by taking time to learn about your vision and your audience, giving us the tools we need to create an effective roadmap that gets you where you want to go.

Let’s get to know each other.