The tire track as an advertising medium. The case of Michelin and the trade wars between the pioneers in the sector (1904-1916)

Abstract

The fierce technological and commercial competition between the pioneers in tire production, closely linked to the rivalry between automobile producers, was especially intense in the first two decades of the twentieth century and is reflected in the different advertising strategies that the various firms adopted. The new century marked the end of the era of the bicycle and the emergence of the motorcar industry. Companies like Michelin and Bergougnan in France, Continental in Germany, Pirelli in Italy, Dunlop and North British in the UK, and US Rubber, Goodyear, Goodrich and Firestone in the US, all moved into the international market and also fought to strengthen their local presence in the face of competition from their foreign rivals. In 1904 the appearance of the new coverings made entirely of rubber and bearing non-skid tread (tires until that time had been plain) sparked off a full-scale trade war between the new tires’ supporters and detractors. The aggressive publicity campaign launched by Michelin was particularly significant, and the intensive use of comparative advertising met with an angry response from its competitors.