Profits for the tire manufacturing industry were down in 2008 (the most recent profit data available) due to a hike in rubber and steel prices that was too quick to effectively pass off to consumers, according to Bruce Davis, special projects reporter at Tire Business. Michelin's profits dropped to $1.3 billion, down 44.1 percent year over year, while Bridgestone's profits fell to $895.7 million, down 52.5 percent from 2007.

Between gulps of tea and quick sideways exchanges in French with her assistant, Dorland-Clauzel explains that as global standards for pavement and roadway maintenance emerged in the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia, Michelin began eliminating old products that were made to ride on terrain in just one region, and developed replacements that serve the globalizing marketplace. "We needed a unified global message for our products that are sold all around the world," she said.

Dorland-Clauzel approached New York-based advertising firm, TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, a division of TBWA Worldwide, to develop a creative scheme for Michelin's global print, television, online, and point-of-sale audience. TBWA tapped New York-based animator Psyop (makers of the Coca-Cola happiness campaign) to do the graphics.

"An upbeat voice can narrate this story in any language anywhere in the world," says Mark Figliulo, chairman and chief creative office officer at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York.

Michelin couldn't launch its new campaign without measuring how it would be received by various cultures, so Dorland-Clauzel and her team called on Paris-based global market research agency, Millward Brown.

Christophe Bouillon, project leader at Millward Brown's Paris office, found that a few slight adjustments could improve Michelin's chances of getting consumers to identify with the brand and choose Michelin products over those of its competitors.

For instance, the animated video ads are based on a problem-solving scenario, but early tests on consumers in France, Germany, China, and the United States showed that the problem and solution didn't have enough visual contrast. Millward Brown advised Michelin to add darker colors to the problem portion and lighter colors once the problem has been solved to emphasize the positive change that Michelin products bring. The advice resulted in Michelin, TBWA, and Psyop adjusting the ads to present a more noticeable happy end under a clear, blue sky with slightly remixed music.

Millward Brown also suggested that Michelin "remove the very American-style urban elements, like big buildings and SUVs," says Bouillon. Tests showed that global audiences related better to more neutral city settings and smaller, more cartoonlike cars.

Analysts agree that it's too soon to tell whether the new campaign, which is still being introduced in most markets around the world, will have the desired affect of boosting Michelin back into the top-selling spot, though it should at the very least reduce expenses. While generating and testing the new brand concept was expensive (Michelin won't disclose its exact investment in the initiative), Dorland-Clauzel says she expects ongoing expenses to be 10 percent to 15 percent less than maintaining regionally specific branding messages.

"Consumers see a lot of messages, and unlike with, say, luxury goods, it's difficult for them to distinguish between brands in the tire industry," says Dorland-Clauzel. "We're aiming to stand out by using our internationally recognized character, the Michelin Man, to help build brand awareness."