07
December
2016
|
08:00 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

Goodyear Celebrates the Launch of its First All Season Tire with Innovation Focused Campaign

An unknown concept upon its launch, the Goodyear Tiempo was hailed as a tire which 'does it all', and went on to take the market by storm.

Providing traction for all road and weather conditions, the Tiempo's special rubber compounding held excellent grip on rainy and wet surfaces, and unlike any tire already on the market, could be used year-round, saving the cost of seasonal change-overs and providing reassurance to drivers living in areas experiencing temperamental weather conditions.

In celebration of the anniversary of the all season tire, and to raise awareness of the innovation invested in its range, Goodyear has partnered with artist and inventor, Dominic Wilcox, to reinvent typically one season items and make them fit-for-purpose all year round. From skateboards, barbecues and convertible cars, the gallery of inventions can be viewed at www.hugtheroads.com/allseasons.

"As a company driven by innovation, we love pushing boundaries and exploring new opportunities. Over thirty years ago, we adapted the standard tire to make it ready for any weather condition, and our work with Dominic means we're able to bring our innovation thinking through to other objects," explains Martijn De Jonge, Brand Director Consumer PBU EMEA at Goodyear.

Since the Tiempo, growing consumer demand and constant innovation has pushed All Seasons variants to record levels across the market.

The All Seasons market now accounts for five per cent of all tire sales across Europe, with high double digit growth since 2012 and double digit growth year on year (2014-2015) *. Goodyear's own research also suggests the market will account for 10% of all sales by 2020, boosted by regions which have a soft winter, with less regular sub-zero temperatures but still conditions such as light snow and ice.

Changing weather conditions, an increased demand for fewer tire changes throughout the year and overall cost savings, have made all-season tires an appealing product, particularly for the driver of the second commuter car in the family that covers a lower mileage annually.

"In Europe, there is widespread knowledge about what All Season tires can offer," continues Martijn.

"Consumer demand for All Seasons tires has increased across Europe, and we expect this to grow in Europe in the next five years. There is a growing awareness and understanding of the importance of having tires which can handle unpredictable changes between wet and dry conditions, sudden temperature changes and can even cope with snow."

Whilst others have followed Goodyear to market with all season variants, Goodyear's current All Seasons Vector range continues to win plaudits in independent tests and from OEM manufacturers, as shown in the latest all-season test carried out by leading English magazine 'Auto Express', where Goodyear has taken the crown once again with the Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 tire**.

Named as an 'all-rounder offering peace of mind' and 'a balanced tire with excellent performance in all circumstances', the Vector 4Seasons Generation-2 continues to offer drivers great performance in all weather conditions, including dry, wet, slushy, as well as snowy and icy roads**.

Verified with the three peak snow flake marking, meaning the tire meets the official standards of dedicated winter tires, independent test results have also demonstrated that the Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 shows a 6 per cent shorter braking distance on wet and an 8 per cent shorter braking distance on snowy roads compared to the average of its three leading competitors**.

Martijn continues, "Goodyear's ground breaking innovation changed the perception of tires making them ready for any weather condition, with great success. We envisage the market for All Seasons will only continue to grow, and we will continue to invest into this market segment with a full portfolio of all-season products."

To find out more about the Goodyear All Seasons inventions, visit www.hugtheroads.com/allseasons or watch the video here.