The ads, which show a diapered baby riding or sleeping or seated in a Michelin tire, hits home the message that people can depend on Michelin's pricey radials to protect their families. But it's not a new concept. In the 1940s, Royal Tires used photos of families in cars, late at night, to convey the same message. In the 1950s, Kelly-Springfield used a mom wearing a dress, pearls and full makeup, bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital. But Michelin still gets credit for exploiting the message effectively.
People are concerned about their children.
And that allows Michelin to charge more than practically any other company. Michelin says its research shows that its brand gets the highest marks from customers in almost every category of testing. S.C. Goodyear says Michelin is not ahead, although the Akron, Ohio, company declined to discuss specifics of its market research. Other people close to Goodyear, however, agree with Michelin's assessment. The problem is that Goodyear has not done as much advertising as it should.