Hank the Mechanic Can’t Re-Tyre His First Love
Who doesn’t love tyres? No, no one? Well, you might not, but Hank does. He loves them so much that he makes tyre-shaped pottery in his free time.
As the Innocean Worldwide Europe’s CCO, Gabriel Mattar puts it, we all enjoy “watching someone talk passionately about what they love.” That is the main idea behind creative agency Innocean Berlin’s new pan-European digital ad platform for the South Korean tyre brand Hankook.
The protagonist, Hank the mechanic, loves tyres but he’s retired from his calling. So he tries to fill his time with new passions all the while inding new, comedic ways to express his love for tyres. Like pottery, where he attempted to make vases but, you guessed it, created tributes to tyres instead.The first spot of the Hankook ad platform is definitely quirky, leaning on the idea that Hank really, really loves tyres.
Innocean Worldwide Europe’s CCO, Gabriel Mattar, and Soup Film's director, Arabella Bartsch, tell LBB’s Aysun Bora about how they mastered the comedic tone and what challenges they faced in the process.
LBB> Gabriel, how did you and the team come up with the idea of Hank and this new platform overall?
Gabriel> When we were given the chance to develop a new digital communication strategy for Hankook, we quickly realised we had the opportunity to do something exciting and unique.
While most might consider tyres boring, we used that very insight as the foundation for Hankook’s new platform concept: ‘Live your life. Leave tires to us.’ From this, Hank the retired mechanic was born. He embodies the concept perfectly – he’s a lifelong tyre expert now enjoying his retirement by exploring new hobbies. This allows us to share tyre-related content in a fresh, entertaining way.
LBB> Tyres traditionally struggle to market themselves. How did you approach finding a new perspective and tone for a creative tyre campaign?
Gabriel> Most people may not love tyres, but almost everyone enjoys watching someone talk passionately about what they love. Think of Bob Ross talking about painting, or Francis Bourgeois, the ‘Train Guy.’We wanted Hank to evoke that same kind of warmth and wholesomeness. He doesn’t shout for your attention – he’s simply enjoying life while “accidentally” sharing tyre knowledge along the way.
LBB> What was the production process like?
Gabriel> Without our amazing production partner, Soup Film, this wouldn’t have been possible. After a long and fun internal process of concepting Hank – his story arc, his look, his tone of voice, and everything else – our director, Arabella Bartsch, brought Hank to life in a way that exceeded all our expectations. Every quirky idea – from the tyre-shaped mug to the tiniest details – popped on screen thanks to an outstanding art department. It was a collaborative and hands-on process from start to finish.
LBB> As the director, how did you approach the peculiar tone of the spot and make it funny and quirky?
Arabella> This campaign is all about Hank, so everything is seen and felt through his lens. To make it funny, we need to believe in him and his world, even fall a little for his quirkiness: his unexpected mix of calmness, odd metaphors, and sincere enthusiasm. His quirkiness comes from something deeply human – his feelings and his great, almost childlike passion for tyres. His worldview is shaped by that love; he simply can’t let go of it. The humour and quirkiness come from treating that passion seriously. It's real, and you can feel that.
Hank entirely guides the tone and pace. Since we had no strict timing constraints, we were able to slow things down and really trust his rhythm, letting the story unfold gently, on his terms.
LBB> What was the most important part of the production process?
Arabella> The most important part of the process for me was finding Hank, the casting. Since I also direct a lot of fiction, I wanted someone from that world, an actor with real experience in character work. With the support of Soup Film, we were lucky to bring Emrah Ertem on board, who has cast some truly special fictional projects. He searched across Europe and found Jett Ricketts for us. He was perfect for the role.
LBB> What was important for you to communicate through the film?
Arabella> It was important to me that Hank isn't just talking about tyres. He’s offering a whole philosophy of life, one rooted in love, passion, kindness, patience, and the idea that beauty can be found anywhere, if you’re willing to see it. That kind of holistic mindset resonated with me deeply. I’ve always been drawn to characters who are slightly offbeat and view the world through a different lens. They make the world feel a little less dull.
LBB> What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Arabella> We shot three main spots and six snippets (not just cutdowns) all in one day. As a director, I never just want to ‘get the shots.’ That’s a given. Especially with character-driven work like this, I’m always searching for those small, unplanned moments, the extra takes that hold something unexpected, something real.With a schedule this tight, those moments don’t just happen; you have to fight for them. And without my production partner, Soup Film, this wouldn’t have been possible. Their support made it possible to protect the space for creativity, even under pressure.
Gabriel> We had (and still have) big dreams for Hank, and making them a reality on a limited budget has been challenging. But the beauty of Hank’s story is its flexibility – it allowed us to adapt and evolve the concept as we moved forward. The client also played a key role, staying open to our wacky ideas and allowing us to bring our creative vision to life with minimal boundaries.
LBB> As the CCO, what do you think makes this spot outstanding?
Gabriel> We aimed to create something refreshingly honest, beautifully cinematic, and unlike anything we’ve seen from other tyre companies. Hankook set the benchmark when they launched the first full EV tyre line-up, and now we’re building on that with a platform that matches their bold attitude.
LBB> Tell us more about what is planned for the whole platform.
Gabriel> A lot more Hank content is on the way, where we’ll see him explore even more hobbies. Beyond Hank, we’ve also planned a wide range of other content, all maintaining the same premium, entertaining tone, bringing fun to the world of tyres. So, watch out – more Hank episodes are coming soon.
