Tires are as ubiquitous as they are, perhaps, misunderstood. Motorists and riders usually do not give them thought beyond the usual check on pressure and wear.
This should not be the case as, according to AP Blue Whale Corp., country distributor of CST Tires. It reported that “road accidents are still the leading cause of death and injuries, especially among younger people, according to the Department of Health,” and it maintains these numbers continue to surge commensurate with the increase in motor vehicle usage and ownership. “Luckily, the consistent upward trend is reversible and road safety can be achieved with proper road safety education. The goal, says the Department of Transportation, is to prevent accidents from happening. The prevention approach can reduce road accidents in the country by at least 35% by year 2028.”
AP Blue Whale Corp. is now commencing a safety awareness campaign that doubles as a marketing push for its CST Tires products. Front and center in this effort is “fact-teller” and motorcycle enthusiast “Kuya Kim” Atienza, who has been conscripted to produce short videos that each aim to educate motorists and riders alike about the ins and outs of tire safety and ownership.
AP Blue Whale Corp. Marketing Manager Christine Roque said that Kuya Kim is a perfect fit to achieve this goal because he has long been known for being a “credible and relatable” source of information. The one-year deal as brand ambassador will see Atienza “at the forefront of CST Tires’ newly launched ‘Know Your Tire’ campaign.” This will be comprised of a series of videos presenting “fascinating, lesser-known facts and essential tips about tires.” She added, “Our usual concern is how to explain tire tech to average customers. It might get too technical. Kuya Kim is known to very simply explain even the very technical.”
At the press conference to formally announce his appointment as CST Tires endorser, Kuya Kim narrated: “We shot our initial videos already. This campaign will be focused on safety, more than anything. The qualities of CST Tires will come out as we focus on how safe it is to use them.” He revealed that beginning 2015, he switched to largely riding his motorcycles or bikes come sun or storm. Atienza underscored the importance of choosing the right tires which enable him to come home to his family safely every day.
“Tires are the most important safety feature in four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles. They are the vehicles’ connection to the road, and they affect safety, braking, handling, steering and ride quality,” he continued. “Know Your Tire” will delve on “the importance of choosing the right tires, tire maintenance, and tire safety. As we were shooting initially, I saw so many things that ordinary people may not know but can dictate (on safety on the road). As much as we could, we tried to explain terms and bits of information to the general public in a very exciting, reachable, and understandable way – and the qualities of CST will come out. My responsibility is to be able to explain in layman’s terms how safe it is to use CST Tires, and explain their quality. Again, the prime concern is safety.”
Replying to a question from this writer, Atienza said, “You know what I see, especially among motorcycle riders? Lots of them have worn-out tires. They might say, they’re too expensive to replace, or that they can’t afford to buy new ones. But the important thing is to invest in quality tires which have the right tread. It’s actually easy to read tires if you know how – like, what do the numbers on the sidewall mean?” Atienza will tackle these and more.
Cheng Shin Rubber Ind. Co. Ltd. (or Cheng Shin Tire) employs more than 20,000 people and is, incidentally, the largest bicycle tire manufacturer in the world. It boasts a daily tire manufacturing capacity of 300,000 units for motorcycles and bikes, 10,500 tires for trucks and buses, and 26,000 for passenger cars – with production facilities in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, and China. With a global footprint in 157 countries, CST has tech centers in Changua, Taiwan; Xiamen, China; Noorddammerweg in the Netherlands; and Atlanta, Georgia in the US.
Kuya Kim’s series of videos kicks off this month.
