Motorsport and the Spanish market30/07/2009

In this next of a series of features with Mr. Hiroshi Yasukawa (HY), Bridgestone’s Director of Motorsport, we hear about the importance of Bridgestone’s motorsport programme in the Spanish market. Mr Tomas Zumarraga (TZ) joined Bridgestone in 1977 and has been Managing Director of Bridgestone Spain since 1995. In this rare insight he explains how Bridgestone in Spain has been using motorsport in their marketing strategy.       

HY: I understand that Bridgestone Spain has been working hard to gain good sales results, despite the recent difficult economic situation. What is the situation like now in your market?
TZ: Yes, there is no doubt that we are experiencing difficult times due to the global economic crisis. However, as difficult as it may be, Bridgestone Spain is facing these challenges head on and putting the necessary measures in place in order that we may continue in our position at the front of the market.  

HY: I know that Bridgestone Spain has been and continues to be a positive supporter of motorsport activities. What do you think is the most effective way of utilizing motorsport in sales activities?
TZ:  Well, the world of racing is a wonderful showcase in which spectators can see what our products are capable of. As a result, the spectator receives a very positive image of the brand and its benefits. Being involved in motorsport helps us to convey the passion and emotion of our company and brand. It means we can connect with people not only in a rational way but on an emotional level too and this is important to us.  

HY: So Bridgestone’s brand awareness in Spain has increased as a result of utilizing motorsport?
TZ: Yes, of course, it has been the key for us. It has helped position us as market leaders as we can demonstrate our attributes such as quality, excellence, performance, passion, emotion ... Motor racing in Spain, especially since the arrival of Fernando Alonso in F1 and a great group of Spanish Moto GP riders, has developed very important audiences both on television and in the print media. From this point of view the increased awareness of the Bridgestone brand in Spain has been spectacular in recent years.  

HY: So contact with the end-users must have increased through the use of motorsport?
TZ: Absolutely. For the end-user, Bridgestone has become recognised as the brand of tyres that is used by the best teams, drivers and riders in the world. Participation in racing has been an excellent springboard. Moreover, there is a very important message that has transcended to the end-user in that Bridgestone’s achievements on the track are transferred, wherever possible, to their own passenger car or bike tyres.    

HY: So how are Bridgestone’s motor racing activities reaching and influencing customers in the Spanish market?
TZ: Well, motorsport has the ability to reach different target audiences. The excellent record of the Spanish drivers has stimulated significant interest for motorsport in Spain and sports that were traditionally followed by enthusiasts only are now appealing to a wider public. Racing has brought our products to customers in a way that we could not have achieved before. When customers buy our products not only are they buying an excellent tyre but also the enthusiasm and excitement of the racing programme behind it.  

HY: The effects of motorsport on Bridgestone’s Original Equipment (OE) business have clearly been very positive. I believe it has benefitted our commercial relationships with manufacturers and culminated in a significant increase in our sales.
TZ: Indeed, motorsport has undoubtedly been an important contributing factor to our tyres sales in Spain. Our customers are proactively requesting our brand of products.  Motor racing has allowed them to see our products from another perspective: to check that the benefits are real and that the quality is real. They look for information about it in our point of sales materials to know whether what they are looking at also works on the racing track.  

HY: Moving away from sales talk but on to a related, but just as important subject, has motorsport increased your ability to recruit good staff?
TZ: Bridgestone is a great company and our motorsport activities have certainly helped to increase our brand awareness. As a result, more people are familiar with our brand and products and would like to work with us.  

HY: Mr Zumarraga, Bridgestone is currently supporting not only Formula 1, but also the GP2 Series, MotoGP World Championship, Karting and other activities in Europe. How do you see the future of Bridgestone’s use of motorsport? How can we reach our customers?
TZ: Frankly speaking, it is great to have the benefit of motor racing because there is nothing comparable with Formula 1 and MotoGP. They are the two top echelons of the most sophisticated motor racing championships in the world. These championships require the best performance tyres. In my opinion, a leading brand like Bridgestone should continue partnering top-level series as we share our Group’s values with these series.        

HY: Taking a broader perspective, the Bridgestone Group of companies deal not only in tyres, but also in other sporting goods such as golf and tennis products and bicycles. These products have a wide range of appeal, especially as bicycles are an environmentally friendly form of transport and bike racing is very popular in Europe. How do you see these non-tyre products being integrated in to our company PR and sales promotion activity programmes?
TZ: I am a great supporter of using these products as we can generate new business and portray the Bridgestone Group’s new vision. Additionally, these products help convey the true scale and capacity of the Group. Golf is a good example.  It is a sport that conveys the attributes we take pride in, such as quality, accuracy, strength and excellence. Furthermore, the audience of this sport has increased considerably in recent years.  

HY: Mr Zumarraga, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. It has been very interesting to hear your opinion on the role of Bridgestone’s motor racing programmes. But to finish, perhaps you could please give us your comment on what your hopes are for the future of motorsport as part of Bridgestone’s marketing programme.

TZ: I consider motorsport activities to be very important tools for us to achieve our company objectives. In our case, it has helped increase the brand awareness of Bridgestone. It can also help encourage the end user to request our tyres when they visit our point of sales areas. Thanks to our presence in motor racing the end user is looking not just for a good price, but is looking for a brand associated with positive feelings and emotions. The passion, excitement, enthusiasm and attributes such as quality, technology and excellence are transmitted from our motorsport activities. Motor racing presents a great opportunity for us to develop further sell-in and sell-out promotional campaigns.  

To hear further insights from Mr. Yasukawa, please read the following articles:
Bridgestone in motorsport 2009
Life in MotoGP
Importance of MotoGP rider feedback
Developing Formula One technology
Charlie Whiting interview
Formula One benefits for the brand
Logistics and Formula One
Importance of Motorsport in North America