The brand strategy under the sign of the umbrella:

Uniroyal plays a leading role

Hanover/Dijon, March 2004. Between the premium brands being fitted in the Original Equipment sector and the budget brands in the tyre business, there is room for the quality segment. This is where Uniroyal plays the leading role - offering best quality and attractive terms.

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France, Belgium and Germany are Uniroyal's major markets for summer tyres, whilst for winter tyres Germany, Switzerland and France are the most important. Uniroyal sees good future prospects for the brand in Scandinavia and the new countries joining the EU from the north right down to the south-east.

Uniroyal has therefore drawn up an ambitious plan to increase its market share in Europe from the current 3.5% to 5% by the year 2007. This involves heavier targeting of consumers up to the age of thirty-five in particular.

Commenting on the activities already under way, Uniroyal brand manager Pierre Guirard explains: "An important factor in Uniroyal's brand strategy is the involvement of former Formula One world champion Alain Prost as brand ambassador". The champion knows only too well the relevance of tyres on a vehicle and can present this credibly. Guirard: "The Uniroyal Team Challenge, which is a low-cost racing series for VW Beetle look-alikes equipped with solid technology, is a further effective marketing tool. The series is already well-established in Italy, Belgium, France and UK, and this year the first events will also be held in Germany." In Italy, Belgium, France and England there are also plans for a Uniroyal boutique offering merchandising products to reinforce the brand image.

All in all the well-known umbrella trademark helps to emphasise the positioning of the rain tyre manufacturer and enhance the appeal of the brand. Uniroyal has specialised in making exceptionally aquaplaning-resistant tyres for over thirty years. Taken together the brand, the safety factor and the fun aspect create a highly effective message.

The Belgian rubber goods manufacturer Englebert began producing tyres in 1895 and customers included Continental AG. From 1958, when the company merged with US Rubber, it became known as Uniroyal Englebert. In 1979 Uniroyal, the inventor of the rain tyre, became a European brand of Continental AG in Hanover, Germany.

The Continental Group is a leading supplier of tyres, braking systems, suspension components and technical elastomers. In 2003 the company achieved a turnover of 11.5 billion euros and currently employs some 69,000 staff worldwide.