Why This Tire Dealer Used Rain-Activated Art to Emphasise the Dangers of Wet Conditions
Canadians are no strangers to driving in bad weather conditions. The country has a well-earned reputation for being snowy and cold, which is a pretty apt assessment for much of the year. If you live up here, or intend to visit during the winter months of the year, you best be prepared for roads that aren’t the easiest.
However, as it turns out, ‘roads that aren’t the easiest’ is actually something that occurs all year long, especially for people living in rainier parts of the country, like British Columbia. There, in a city like Vancouver, an average of 169 rainy days take place per year – all of which pose a threat to drivers who aren’t well-equipped to handle those conditions… especially those without good tires. In fact, according to dealer and automotive distributor, Fountain Tires, good tires are crucial for rainy conditions as they provide better traction, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and accidents, as well as improved handling and braking on wet roads, enhancing overall safety and performance.
With that in mind, the brand wanted to be a little more vocal about the message, and so it teamed up with its partner creative agency, FCB Canada, to get the word out. The result? A set of rain-activated murals in Vancouver, designed to reflect the unique skid marks left behind by the worn tires that were no match for the conditions. Titled ‘Rainfall Warnings’, the work was also accompanied by spots of real accident victims sharing their stories – firm reminders that no matter what city you live in, if it rains there, you should probably make sure your tires are in good condition.
To learn more about how this came to life, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down the FCB team, including associate creative directors Caleb McMullen and Hussein Rumaithi, senior strategist Audrey Zink, group account director John Pace, and executive creative director Jeremiah McNama, as well as Fountain Tire’s director of brand and customer experience, Stephanie Proseilo, for a chat.
LBB> From the top, what was the brief for this campaign, and what immediate ideas came to mind?
Stephanie> Drivers often overlook the importance of good tires in rain. In Canada, the focus is typically on tire health for snowy conditions instead. However, we at Fountain Tire wanted to change that, particularly in places like Vancouver, which sees an average of 169 rainy days a year.
This initiative, proactively proposed by our agency partner, FCB Canada, seeks to shift behaviour. As a true extension of our marketing team, it understands our business and category. And, since this innovative idea aligned perfectly with our mission and values, we wanted to bring it to life.
Caleb> Believe it or not, this concept was first conceived in 2019. However, with a new platform launch for Fountain Tire followed by a pandemic, we had to save our proactive idea for a rainy day. So, we put it on the shelf until we came upon a business problem that it could solve. We learned last year that Fountain Tire wanted to give a little more marketing support to its West Coast locations. Well, the one thing the West Coast has plenty of is rain, so ‘Rainfall Warnings’ became the creative solution, four years in the making.
LBB> Specifically, creating something more PSA-oriented is not something you see a tire brand do every day. Why was this the right creative approach? And specifically, why was making rain-activated murals the right way to spread the message?
Stephanie> As a tire and auto service provider, we’re committed to keeping people safe. So, when we say ‘We’re on this road together’, it represents our company being built on partnership. It means shared fates, working together, taking ownership, and most of all, looking after each other. With 46% of accidents in Canada being weather-related, raising awareness about tire health in the rain could significantly reduce this number. While others in our industry may not focus on PSA-style campaigns, we believe it's our duty for the greater good.
Audrey> In Vancouver, rain is a way of life, and it’s easy to shrug off the dangers of driving in it. So, we had to deliver our message in an interesting and innovative way. Using rain as the medium to deliver a message is something that hasn’t been done before. The novelty of it captured peoples’ attention in a way traditional media couldn’t.
LBB> Building on this, can you tell us more about the importance of good tires for rainy conditions? How often should people update them, and as a whole, what should more Canadians be aware of?
Stephanie> Good tires are crucial for rainy conditions as they provide better traction, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and accidents. Quality tires ensure improved handling and braking on wet roads, enhancing overall safety and performance.
Canadians should replace tires every four to six years or when tread depth falls below 4/32 inches. Regularly checking tire tread and pressure, especially before long trips, is essential. Adjusting driving habits in rain, using appropriate seasonal tires, and maintaining tires through rotation and balancing are key practices for safety and durability.
LBB> Moving back to the murals, what was the creation process like? What technology did you use to ensure they would only be visible on rainy days?
Hussein> We used a hydrophobic solution (sourced from Rainworks in Seattle) sprayed through a stencil to create our rain-activated murals. The solution acts as an eco-friendly sealant keeping pavement beneath it dry, even as the surrounding surface gets wet. It’s what creates the duo-tone design of the ‘Rainfall Warnings’ – completely invisible when dry, and only visible when rained on.
LBB> And what was the artistic design process like? How did you ensure they would get the message across meaningfully?
Hussein> During the design process, we faced two main challenges. The first was legibility – given that we were working with an atypical medium, we needed to ensure that the message was legible at all times and felt like a warning. That led us to use a thick and bold font housed in a rectangle, taking design cues from the warning signs we’re used to seeing.
The second was to ensure that our message delivered an impactful and emotional narrative to the passersby. To achieve this, we tapped into the insight that whenever you see tire tread marks on a road or highway, a part of you questions what happened in that moment. What was the story behind those tire treads veering off the side of the road? So, we designed each mural with tire treads that accurately recreated and reflected true stories about rain-caused accidents.
LBB> From there, how did you decide on the placements?
Audrey> Our placements were informed by real data. Specifically, we searched for locations across Vancouver with the most rain-caused accidents, which was uncovered by looking at the correlation between weather trends and collision reports. This allowed us to identify the most dangerous intersections in the Greater Vancouver Area when it rains.
Stephanie> We also displayed our murals at Fountain Tire locations throughout Vancouver, as well as via an activation at a Vancouver mall, which we captured and amplified on social media.
However, to extend the campaign's impact, we also uploaded digital murals to Google Maps and pinned them at high-risk intersections across Canada. This digital extension ensures the campaign's message lives beyond the rainy season.
LBB> The campaign also features spots of people sharing their close calls. How did you find these participants, and what was working with them like?
Jeremiah> Hearing someone else’s stories about rain-caused accidents helps deliver the real impact these events can have. We found our storytellers with an open call on social platforms. Hundreds of stories were submitted – evidence of the wide-spread effect that rain has on Vancouver drivers.
We selected Jason and Kate to share their stories in a filmed interview near the locations of their accidents. Unsurprisingly, it rained throughout both their interviews. They were completely unphased… they live in Vancouver after all.
LBB> Building on this, what was the spot creation process like? How did these come to life?
Caleb> We were an extremely nimble team. One videographer, two creatives, two account people, and a storyteller on the side of the road. Collectively we captured our interviews and kept the equipment dry with a giant golf umbrella. Our shoes on the other hand, not so much.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
John> For this idea to work, we needed one day of sun to install our ‘Rainfall Warnings’, followed by rain to reveal them for our activation and shoot. Our producer (Kendra Platt) scheduled our four days and rolled the dice. She’d send us daily weather reports and sure enough, we got our one day of sun, followed by rain. The weather gods smiled upon us. Then, they rained on us.
LBB> What lessons have you learned from the making of this campaign?
Hussein> This campaign took four years to come to life. The lesson we learned here is patience. Sometimes an idea isn’t right for the moment. That doesn’t make it a bad idea – it just needs its moment, and more importantly, a business problem to solve. It’s not enough that it’s ‘cool and innovative’. Clients have problems. We have creative solutions. And sometimes those solutions are hydrophobic.
Stephanie> We continuously learn and optimise to enhance performance for future campaigns. This initiative provided us with valuable insights that will be instrumental moving forward. Activations involving weather-dependent elements present unique challenges and we now have a better way to anticipate and address those challenges. Integrating physical activations with our digital presence is also an area where we will continually enhance. And, we gained valuable knowledge regarding contest entry mechanisms and contest prize offerings. These will all guide us in creating even more impactful, one-of-a-kind campaigns in the future.
LBB> Since launch, how have people responded?
John> Well, this is the exciting part. Since our launch, Fountain Tire has seen a 38% increase in tire inspection appointments! What this suggests is that our message is breaking through and people are starting to understand that rain and worn tires don’t mix.
Stephanie> We had over 5,000 contest entries and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers, store owners, and the general public alike. The campaign resonated deeply, affirming its significant impact and reinforcing our brand's connection with our audience.
LBB> How does this campaign fit into Fountain Tire’s plans for 2024 and beyond?
Stephanie> ‘Rainfall Warnings’ is a demonstration of our brand purpose, and these types of campaigns help us build consideration in ways our standard retail campaigns can’t. Purpose-driven activations will always be part of our marketing mix.
LBB> Finally, has this campaign made you rethink the importance of having fresh tires?
Jeremiah> Throughout this process, we’ve heard hundreds of real stories about what happens when worn tires are no match for the rain. For our team, the message has been received, loud and clear (and wet).
