Situation: If Continental Tires has a market reputation in China, it’s for being a quality brand. It has earned that reputation through marketing efforts historically focused on high-spec product features and quality materials. However, consumer usage research reveals that only 1% of total drivers are invested enough to care about the tires they put on their car.

Brief: engaging with car drivers on awareness and emotional preference for the brand should be Continental’s top priority.

Objectives: To connect with target audience by positioning its tires as a meaningful contributor to an enjoyable driving experience.

Our big creative idea was something our drivers are already entirely familiar with: cities. Gateways to discovery, culture and excitement, we highlighted the enjoyment of “long haul” travel between cities. And we positioned Continental as an architect of great journeys – the keeper of the keys. Defining Continental as a moving bridge from one destination to another, we introduced the idea of ‘Conti Cities’.

Data gathering : consumer usage research reveals that only 1% of total drivers are invested enough to care about the tires they put on their car.

Target audience: Car drivers in China

Relevance to platform: ‘Conti City’ is also a fan community on Continental’s own branded social platform on WeChat. Here fans share their own life attitudes and personal experiences with the product.

Approach: Big idea: Conti City

“CITY” & “TOUR” are the key ideals of the Conti City. These two words were also the bridge connecting existing and potential consumers with the brand. Instead of using technical jargon, we talked about tires being part of the journey in direct reference to cities and tours in an unexpectedly engaging and delightful manner. Thus, we create content and drive conversations on the social platform.

• Implementation :

1) Stirring up the common thirst to travel by engaging local KOLs to share real life stories and personal Continental product experiences.

2) Helping drivers to visualize their journey by showing that Continental tires can transport you on a dream trip across a variety of landscapes and destinations.

3) Offering guarantee of enjoyment by news-hijacking the 24 solar days from the Chinese weather calendar, and leveraging the occasions to emphasize Conti’s product benefits & brand promise on quality.

• Timeline : 2018

• Placement : WeChat

• Scale: China

• Reach :‘Conti City’ WeChat social platform alone reached a readership of 22 million and accumulated over 250,000 followers.

• Engagement : Use of scenario marketing throughout the campaign’s content creation process meant that Continental received an average mini program click-through rate of 2.5% - 2.5 times better than its historical average.

• Sales : Continental had out-grown the 2018 market leader Michelin, and won the sales championship five times in the last six months.

• Achievement against business targets: To cap it all, Continental was awarded the "Best Retail Growth Brand Award on JD in 2019" in the JD 618 Global Brand Summit in 2019. JD.com is one of the biggest B2C retail platforms in China.