Nitto Tire North America Inc. (Toyo’s Nitto Tire sales subsidiary in the US) has won a gold award for its website (http://www.nittotire.com) in the “Consumer Information” category of the Horizon Interactive Awards. The awards are an international competition recognizing outstanding work in the field of interactive media, such as on-line advertising and CD-ROMs.
Two US university students have made history by successfully making what is said to be the world’s longest basketball shots. From their vantage point in the gondola of the Goodyear blimp, hovering 500 feet above the ground, Stacey Freyer and Jennifer Hanson – both avid supporters of their University basketball teams – cast a regulation size basketball towards a 100-foot hoop on the ground.
Freyer and Hanson were amongst four students selected to attempt the shot, winners of the Goodyear “Get There” Blimp Shot Contest, part of the tyremaker’s new nationwide advertising campaign. In recognition of their successful shots both Freyer and Hanson received a number of “Get There” prizes, including travel, accommodation and tickets for two to attend one of the sporting events for which the Goodyear blimp will provider aerial coverage for during the next 12 months. As an added bonus, video of both winning shots and the balls they used will be added to the exhibits at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield Massachusetts.
Sapphire Energy Recovery has launched a new-look website designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences including tyre retailers, the waste disposal industry, children and students and the general public. Sapphire’s sales and marketing manager, Ryan Mifflin commented:
A council in Worcestershire is employing concealed video cameras to help put an end to the prolific practice of tyre dumping in rural lanes. The Malvern Hills District Council has selected a number of remote locations for the installation of CCTV equipment in response to a recent spate of reported tyre dumpings.
Striking Goodyear employees have warned the public to think carefully when choosing new tyres for their vehicle in the next few months. Their concerns are based upon potential safety issues posed by Goodyear tyres manufactured by replacement non-union labour.
“These tyres aren’t being built by professionals that know what they’re doing,” stated striking worker Tom Angell. “They’re just people they’ve pulled out of temporary agencies. People that have basically never built tyres before in their life.”
(Las Vegas/Tire Review) Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. announced a partnership with Electronic Arts on the latest version of EA’s popular Need for Speed video game series. Cooper will have an in-game presence in the form of decals, branded billboards and storefronts in the new Need For Speed Carbon game. Additionally, the Cooper Zeon 2XS will be prominently featured in the game’s only drift track. Need for Speed Carbon, which features both city street and canyon racing, is available worldwide as of 1 November.
The board of directors of SmarTire Systems Inc. has promoted Vice President of Sales and Marketing, David Warkentin to President & Chief Executive Officer of SmarTire. Prior to joining SmarTire in August 2005, Warkentin was the vice president of sales for Intrinsyc Software International, Inc., a Canadian public company that provides engineering services to wireless mobile device makers and licensable software for the wireless telephone handset market.
Goodyear has launched a new “viral marketing” campaign using black humour to draw attention to the benefits of the company’s RunOnFlat technology.
The video clips, which will exclusively be distributed by “word-of-mail,” highlight the perils of roadside tyre changing through an exaggerated, entertaining and certainly unforgettable approach.
The GEA has launched a new website. The association’s was keen to retain certain aspects of its existing site, whilst giving it a more up-to-date style.
Commenting on the website, Dave Garratt, chief executive of the GEA, said:
“The challenge was to update and add style to an extremely successful site without losing its effectiveness. Furthermore, with the aid of video, we have provided a virtual ‘shop window’, which raises the profile of both our members and our industry’s ‘Automotive Trade Show’.
The site continues to provide lists of members whose services cover every aspect and requirement in the automotive industry. News of individual members and the GEA will also be regularly updated.
(Akron/Tire Review) Kumho Tire USA has introduced a specially designed tyre that produces red smoke, developed for drift competitions. The Kumho Ecsta MX-C made its debut with Enjuku Racing at the Formula Drift event at Road Atlanta last weekend.
“When we saw the red smoke boiling off the rear tyres, we just stood there and stared in awe,” said Enjuku lead driver and team captain Matt Vassallo. “I think people will be blown away when they see this.”
The Garage Equipment Association has reported that this year’s annual dinner was once again a success, with ticket sales continuing right up to the eleventh hour. The association’s new chief executive, Dave Garratt, welcomed guests. Mr Garratt’s predecessor, John Nelson, who unfortunately could not attend the dinner delivered a message via video, having been presented with a silver platter by Nevelle Marchant in honour of his service to the association.
Employees of the business unit Continental International are being encouraged to travel less and to hold more video conferences instead. It is understandable that travel in dangerous regions or countries is not advisable, but the complete travelling prohibition is just justified by the need to save money. The complete business unit is highly insecure and seems to be on the point of collapsing. In any case the directory board has made it clear that acquisitions in the Asian region are no longer to be considered and that the restructuring process has only just started. By this means the advances made in past years have been wiped out.
