Goodyear Tire Social Brand Guide

BRAND EXPRESSION GUIDE 1.

THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT’S MEANT TO BE USED Keep it at your desk. Print key pages, such as the Core Messaging Statement, and the voice and tone guidelines. It will help keep you, the content creator, tethered to the most authentic expression of Goodyear Retail while keeping our most important audiences top of mind.

This guide is a living document meant to reflect the brand (as interpreted through the social lens) in its current and near-future state. It is meant to be reviewed and revised should any major changes happening within Goodyear Retail.

The insights and anecdotes included in this document are a direct result of the collaborative session held in September 2014 between LaneTerralever and Goodyear Retail. Participants included representatitives from across the entire Goodyear brand, from the C-level to the store level.

PREPARED OCTOBER 2014 Goodyear Retail / Brand Expression Guide 2.

WHAT IS A BRAND EXPRESSION GUIDE? A Brand Expression Guide personifies your brand, enabling us to give depth, character and personality to what might otherwise be considered, “just another brand.” Essentially, it’s a welldocumented foundation for Goodyear Retail (Goodyear Auto Service Centers & Just Tires), that includes all conceptual, verbal and visual elements.

THIS BRAND EXPRESSION GUIDE SERVES FOUR KEY PURPOSES It provides the guidance and usage standards for all social media content creation, highlighting unique attributes and key messages that support Goodyear Retail.

It ensures consistent usage across all social marketing platforms.

It helps make corporate communication relatable to the Goodyear Retail audience by merging audience needs with brand goals to create purposeful content.

It sets the stage for content analysis and creation, ensuring that the unique brand voice is communicated via key differentiators while reflecting audience needs.

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WHY DO WE NEED A BRAND EXPRESSION GUIDE? An effective voice helps our audience feel a sense of comfort and familiarity with our brand. A Brand Expression Guide articulates that voice, and more importantly, it allows content creators and managers to explore the personality of Goodyear Retail without “jumping the shark.” It ensures we’re all pointed in the same direction, working collaboratively to create and establish a consistent and favorable brand experience, whether it manifests online or offline.

AUDIENCE NEEDS

GOODYEAR RETAIL GOALS

PURPOSEFUL CONTENT 4.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 06 OUR AUDIENCE Customer Profiles Customer Perceptions

14 OUR BRAND Communication Goals Values Differentiators Core Messaging Statement

24 OUR STYLE Voice & Tone Personality Visual Guide Grammar Guide Social Media Guide

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OUR AUDIENCE If we want our content to be conversational, and earn authentic engagement, we need to understand the people on the other side of that conversation. We need to understand their behaviors, needs, pain points and perspectives if we can truly achieve a connection.

Because we’ve determined that our social strategy is focused predominantly on acquisition, we’ve identified the following customer profiles. These profiles are based on a blend of primary and secondary research.* The purpose of audience review in the Brand Expression Guide is to paint a picture of who they are and what motivates them. The forthcoming Content Marketing Plan will delve deeper into audience-specific messaging recommendations, channel planning and content types.

OUR CUSTOMER PROFILES INCLUDE CHRISTOPHER | representing Millennials JASON | representing Generation X MARY | representing Baby Boomers *These customer profiles are simply meant to provide us with an educated starting point. We believe our social program could prosper from additional audience profiling work as the program evolves, resulting in complete personas based on unique Goodyear Retail customer data.

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“I WANT THIS TO BE EASY, BUT I HAVE A BUDGET, AND WANT TO GET VALUE WHEN I MAKE A PURCHASE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MY MONEY IS GOING TO A BRAND WITH PURPOSE.” VALUES

Christoper wants to get the most value for his money and have a positive experience. Community is important to him and he wants to see companies making a difference.

PAIN POINTS

With a lack of disposable income, Chris follows a strict budget while trying to live his life and spend whatever discretionary income he has on social things.

CHRISTOPHER PROFILE

Millennial

AGE 29

LOCATION Midwest

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s Degree

CAREER

Actuary

FAMILY

Single, Living with Significant Other

HOUSEHOLD INCOME $52,000

VEHICLE

Honda Civic

7.

MILLENNIAL CUSTOMER PROFILE AGE 20-37 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME $52,000

IMPORTANT INSIGHTS ABOUT MILLENNIALS SEGMENTING Two distinct groups: Young Millennials (20-26) and Older Millennials (27-37). Never a “one size fits all” approach.

MESSAGING Its important to target messaging based on relevant life stage experience as they are in a life stage of firsts and significant change.

SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD 2.7 people

Reciprocity is prevalent with this target — 43% only want emails from companies if they offer something in return.

UNMARRIED 63%

BRAND PERSPECTIVE Reward “corporate altruistic” companies and can authentically connect with them emotionally, leading to higher levels of loyalty.

NON-HOMEOWNERS 58% RACE - CAUCASIAN 60% ATTENDED COLLEGE 53% % OF TOTAL POPULATION 24.5%

AUTOMOTIVE BEHAVIOR Think of themselves as “users” of cars rather than “owners.”

Likely to purchase a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle; They’ll get the latest styling and features of a new vehicle but spend less.

FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE Concerned with short-term financial situation vs. long-term. They adhere to a stricter budget vs. planning for retirement.

More risk averse than other generations and are less likely to spend beyond their means.

TECHNOLOGY USAGE Similar in terms of multi-channel shopping, but more likely to redeem coupons and influenced by mobile or Internet ads.

Use the Internet more for everything; would rather give up their broadcast TV than their mobile phone.

8.

“BE STRAIGHT WITH ME. THE MINUTE YOU’RE NOT, YOU’VE LOST MY TRUST AND I WON’T BE RETURNING, NORE WILL MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY.”

JASON PROFILE Gen X

AGE 38

LOCATION West

VALUES

Family is everything to Jason. He proudly views himself as the protector of the family unit, so dependable car maintenance and safety is vital. He’s naturally skeptical, so he’s very particular when it comes to finding “his guy” - the right mechanic.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s Degree

CAREER

Restaurant District Manager

FAMILY

PAIN POINTS

Jason works hard, and while he values work achievements, he values time with his family more.

Nothing irks him as waiting around for something that should take a short amount of time, like routine auto service. He knows his way around the card from tinkering, but prefers to have auto work done professionally to ensure it’s done right.

Married with two children

HOUSEHOLD INCOME $85,000

VEHICLE

Chevy Tahoe

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GEN X CUSTOMER PROFILE AGE 38-49 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME $65,000 SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD 3.3 people MARRIED 64% NON-HOMEOWNERS 65% RACE - CAUCASIAN 70% ATTENDED COLLEGE 41% % OF TOTAL POPULATION 16%

IMPORTANT INSIGHTS ABOUT GEN X SEGMENTING They embrace the family core and in many ways represent mainstream America.

MESSAGING Family is top priority and messages that communicate that their time is important work well with this generation.

Work is important to this group and brings them a sense of balance.

Feel advertisers don’t have people’s best interest in mind and ignore messaging that doesn’t seem absolutely truthful or have relevant meaning to them.

BRAND PERSPECTIVE Slightly over half like to purchase familiar and trusted brands and products made in the USA. Suspicious of advertising, especially if it doesn’t feel directly relevant to them.

They’re particularly harsh when it comes to companies that don’t act responsibly, and tend to appreciate those that act for social good.

AUTOMOTIVE BEHAVIOR Commute on average five hours per week and listen to podcasts/ books on tape during drive.

FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE About half are concerned about finances and often hold their purse strings tight.

TECHNOLOGY USAGE Use the Internet largely for deals and then for entertainment.

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“I WANT TO HAVE A QUICK, PLEASANT INTERACTION AND BE ON MY WAY. I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING SO DON’T TRY TO TRICK ME.”

MARY PROFILE

Baby Boomer

AGE 59

LOCATION

VALUES

Mary has a practical outlook on life and she is looking for quality and value. She likes purchasing American. Mary wants to maintain an active lifestyle and youthful vigor. She doesn’t feel secure about her financial future, so she looks for ways to save money as a result.

PAIN POINTS

When Mary is looking for auto service, she wants to get what she needs and leave. She and her husband have some knowledge of how to fix mechanical issues and will do research before going in. Time is far more important than money, so she wants to know she’s making a good decision, getting value and getting done.

Southeast

EDUCATION

Some college

CAREER Nurse

FAMILY

Married with two adult children

HOUSEHOLD INCOME $108,000

VEHICLE

Ford Escape

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BABY BOOMER CUSTOMER PROFILE AGE 50-68 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME $76,500 SIZE OF HOUSEHOLD 2.1 people MARRIED 65% NON-HOMEOWNERS 76% RACE - CAUCASIAN 82% ATTENDED COLLEGE 49% % OF TOTAL POPULATION 26%

IMPORTANT INSIGHTS ABOUT BABY BOOMERS SEGMENTING Overall, Baby Boomers are a very practical group. They hold themselves to high standards and expect the same of others.

MESSAGING Purchase products they perceive to be of greater value and quality Price is not the most important factor. Value time over money.

Willing to buy things considered out of character, especially if wrapped in nostalgia.

Think of goods and services as an “investment” in the future.

BRAND PERSPECTIVE Like to purchase familiar and trusted brands and products made in the U.S.A. Like to purchase products from companies that are ethical or have cause marketing tie-ins.

AUTOMOTIVE BEHAVIOR Likely to take domestic vacations and more likely to travel by car than airplane.

FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE Not very secure about their current financial situation.

TECHNOLOGY USAGE Less interested in social media, but like to learn about new technology/web.

Use the Internet more for information than for entertainment.

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THEIR PERCEPTION

In order to better understand how the previously-defined customer profiles connect with and relate to our brand, we participated in an empathy exercise. Our goal was to understand how each customer profile might perceive Goodyear Retail positively (“On a Good Day”) and negatively (“On a Bad Day”). The data below is an anecdotal benchmark (each quadrant leading with the predominant anecdote), based on the collective expertise of the assembled workshop attendees.

BAD DAY

GOOD DAY

HOW DO THEY THINK ABOUT GOODYEAR RETAIL? CHRISTOPHER

JASON

MARY

I don’t feel like they took advantage of me.

That wasn’t so bad.

I love working with the same people… I trust them.

[Tweet] “Just wanted to thank my official new mechanics @GoodyearAuto.

I’m pleasantly surprised. Thanks!

My issue is fixed and I paid less than expected.

The service is always good.

Thanks so much for a great experience!

They were approachable and helped me understand what my car needed.

They got my car in and out quicker than I would have expected.

CHRISTOPHER

JASON

MARY

I’m never going back there again.

I’m late now because of Goodyear!

You’re trying to take advantage of me.

I don’t have time for this.

Why is it every time I come in for a simple oil change, they always try to upsell me?

They treated me like a kid; they talked down to me because I’m inexperienced.

They charged me too much money.

I should have gone to Fred’s Tire.

I need your boss’s number — this is ridiculous!

It’s going to cost how much?!

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OUR BRAND COMMUNICATION GOALS In order to gauge the success of content created for Goodyear Retail, we must first establish key content objectives so that we can measure and track success effectively. These goals should build off of and support the overarching business and social media goals.

BUSINESS GOAL

SOCIAL MEDIA GOAL

CONTENT GOAL

INCREASE CAR COUNT

Increase brand equity.

ACQUIRE NEW CUSTOMERS

Develop a scalable social media program that outperforms competitors.

Set the expectation on what will happen during the first visit

Increase awareness and consideration among Millennial audiences.

Make it interesting enough to earn attention and share

RETAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS

Provide a channel for two-way transparency and feedback at a local, regional and national level.

Content should feel local despite being a national brand

IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Bridge the divide between customers and the complexities of their cars — pull them into a more active, empowered role in their vehicle maintenance.

Humanize the brand in a way that’s more “about people” than it is product.

Prove return on investment of social media as a vehicle that influences and assists direct response channels.

Content should look like our customers (to prevent auto care stereotyping)

Use content to connect the customer to the store

Personalize content in a way that familiarizes local stores/staff to consumers

Empower the audience so they feel confident and reduce stress and anxiety Educate consumers about vehicle maintenance

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VALUES WHY DO VALUES MATTER? While the intended audience should be a core driver of content creation, it’s important to understand the unique values we bring to our customers, and more importantly, what drives us to deliver for our customers. As American scholar and author, Simon Sinek, has so eloquently captured, it’s not necessarily the what we do that matters, but rather why we do it.

We’ve taken the existing brand values for Goodyear Auto Service Centers and Just Tires, and unpacked them to determine how those values look and feel, why those values matter to us as a brand and how they ultimately impact the customer. These elements comprise our cultural DNA and drive everything we do.

“PEOPLE DON’T BUY WHAT YOU DO; THEY BUY WHY YOU DO IT. AND WHAT YOU DO SIMPLY PROVES WHAT YOU BELIEVE” - SIMON SINEK 15.

GOODYEAR RETAIL VALUES

PROFESSIONAL HOW DOES THAT LOOK AND FEEL? Uniform; Clean; Complete; Confident, Well-Spoken Brand Representatives

WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO GOODYEAR RETAIL? Enables us to deliver on consistent expectations; Promotes brand confidence

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT CUSTOMERS? Puts the customer at ease; Customers feel confident about their decisions; Builds trust

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GOODYEAR RETAIL VALUES

HOW DOES THAT LOOK AND FEEL? Transparent and accessible; Consistent, Mistake-free work; Busy, Thriving stores

WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO GOODYEAR RETAIL? Builds trust; Protects our brand reputation; Increases retention

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT CUSTOMERS? Reduces customer anxiety; Bolsters customer confidence; Increases willingness to try (or return)

TRUSTWORTHY 17.

GOODYEAR RETAIL VALUES

RELIABLE DEPENDABLE HOW DOES THAT LOOK AND FEEL?

Familiar staff that remembers customer names; Quick, consistent, quality work

WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO GOODYEAR RETAIL? Showcasing our ability to train and retain good people lends itself to our ability to better serve customers

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT CUSTOMERS? Peace-of-mind for the customer; A comfort in knowing what they can expect, every time 18.

GOODYEAR RETAIL VALUES

HOW DOES THAT LOOK AND FEEL? Sincere, happy and engaged associates

WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO GOODYEAR RETAIL? A positive, friendly customer experience equates to a human brand that earns repeat visits

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT CUSTOMERS? Lowers customer anxiety and stress, turning a potentially negative experience into something positive

FRIENDLY 19.

GOODYEAR RETAIL VALUES

EXPERT KNOWLEDGE HOW DOES THAT LOOK AND FEEL?

Issues presented with solution readily available; Explanations in plain language

WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO GOODYEAR RETAIL? Our focus on relationships elevates the experience from transactional to trust building; Reinforcement of our commitment to innovation & technology

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT CUSTOMERS? Customers are able to make empowered choices rather than respond to pitches 20.

DIFFERENTIATORS

When it comes to automotive care, our customers have many choices. It’s imperative for us to define what makes our product/service offering unique in a way that’s verifiable and authentic. The answers to the following statements help us determine our unique positioning, which in turn drives our messaging strategy.

OUR CUSTOMERS RELY ON

WE ALWAYS DELIVER

WE DESERVE TO WIN BECAUSE

Accuracy, delivery on time

Knowledge: We educate our customers to their level of comfort and curiosity

We’re customer-focused: We consider the customer need first, give them options and help them make a decision that makes them feel empowered

Quality work from honest professionals Issue presented with workable, realistic solutions

Honesty: We say what we’re going to do, then do exactly that Expertise: We know everything there is to know about our family of brands, and how to compare them against others

We are the manufacturer: We believe in our products and stand behind them — we’re customers ourselves

Passion: We love what we do, and it shows

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CORE MESSAGING STATEMENT Every successful brand has a strong, clear point-of-view; the promise that they offer to create affinity, drive loyalty and spur advocacy. Effective brands start with audience needs, making certain that their goals and unique requirements are reflected in the overall promise. We refer to this promise as the Core Messaging Statement. This statements acts as the North Star of our content program, ensuring that no matter what marketing activities we engage in, we’re always driving back toward a common messaging hierarchy.

THIS STATEMENT CONSIDERS Which personas are we trying to reach?

What consistent brand promises do we feel comfortable stating?

What promises construct the core of what we deliver?

What goal are we trying to help our personas achieve?

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CONVINCE CHRISTOPHER

JASON

MARY

THAT GOODYEAR RETAIL DELIVERS COMMITTED EMPLOYEES THAT BELIEVE IN THE PROMISE OF THE GOODYEAR BRAND

SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE, REPRESENTING MORE THAN 90 YEARS OF COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE

PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES THAT BELIEVE IN SERVING CUSTOMERS ABOVE ALL ELSE

HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON THE OVERALL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

SO THEY CAN GET THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED ON TIME, CONSISTENTLY AND ACCURATELY 23.

VOICE & TONE The purpose of the Voice & Tone Guide is simple but important. If we were to personify Goodyear Retail, it would embody certain traits and characteristics in conversation in the same way we do as people. During the Goodyear Retail communication workshop (on Sept. 18, 2014), we uncovered these traits through a card sorting exercise, surfacing the five most predominant traits that comprise our communication style.

Keep in mind that these are not brand values. They are personality traits that affect tonality. It’s one thing to talk about being a customer-focused, knowledge-driven auto and tire service brand. It’s another thing entirely when deciding how you choose to talk about those things. This guide answers the how.

Based on the following guidelines and best practices, every piece of content created for Goodyear Retail should align with these standards. In practice, content should sound cohesive and consistent, regardless of the author/creator. What customers appreciate offline should translate to the digital space, every time.

Use the following voice & tone traits as inspiration and guidance for branding, design, social media and marketing, and more.

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CONSERVATIVE BUT NOT STUFFY

WRITE LIKE THIS

NOT LIKE THIS

The brake pad is an integral element of your braking

Brake pads, part of the disc braking system, are one

system, and is akin to a built-in security system,

of the most important components of your vehicle’s

notifying you when there are real problems at play. Our

system. They should be replaced every 20,000 to

master tech, Tom, walks you through the highlights of

60,000 miles, and should be remedied immediately if

replacement. Now you’ll know what questions to ask to

you hear squealing or metal-on-metal grinding — this

ensure you’re receiving the best possible care. Watch:

can lead to severe damage. The maintenance and

[VIDEO – 1(m):30(s)]

replacement of brake pads should be handled with true expertise and care. Watch certified master automotive service technician, Tom, walk you through the step-bystep process in this comprehensive tutorial. [VIDEO – 10(m):30(s)]

HERE’S WHY We need to walk the fine line of helping our audience to understand their vehicle without giving them the unnecessary play-by-play commentary. Our purpose is clear — help our audience feel more empowered when it comes to making automotive care decisions, without offering a discourse on the history and importance of particular components of their vehicle. This example shows that we’re qualified experts that are committed to explaining the how’s and why’s of repair at a logical level.

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KNOWLEDGEABLE BUT NOT ARROGANT WRITE LIKE THIS

NOT LIKE THIS

Wondering if you should get winter tires? There’s a

Thinking about hitting the snow-covered road with

strong case to be made for the important role they play, especially as we head into inclement winter driving conditions. This chart that compares summer to allseason to winter tires. Stay safe out there. Take a look: [INFOGRAPHIC]

your summer tires? Think again. You’d be surprised how many drivers neglect to get winter tires each year because they don’t feel it’s worth the cost. Can you really put a price on safety? The infographic below makes that apparent. [INFOGRAPHIC]

HERE’S WHY Just because a choice seems obvious to us doesn’t mean the choice is clear for our audience, especially when it comes to purchasing a product they may deem as a “nice-to-have.” It’s vital that we take on the role of being the helpful educator rather than using language that minimizes our audiences’ opinion, or at worst, makes them feel foolish.

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CONFIDENT BUT NOT COCKY

WRITE LIKE THIS

NOT LIKE THIS

Rotate your tires? Sure, we love a challenge! With 90 years in the business, our team has what it takes to get the job done. We’re happy to be of service.

With more than 90 years of experience in the tire and automotive service industry, there’s no challenge too big to stump our team. Bring it!

HERE’S WHY There’s a clear delineation between confidence and cockiness, and it all boils down to one trait that permeates the entire Goodyear culture — humility. We need to instill confidence in our employees by illustrating our abilities in a way that’s not off-putting. As long as we keep humility at the core of our content, we’ll never stray too far.

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FRIENDLY BUT NOT INFORMAL WRITE LIKE THIS

NOT LIKE THIS

Hitting the road this summer? Before you kick off the fun, stop in for a tune up service. We’ll have you and your family on the road to your great American #RoadTrip in no time. Schedule your appointment today: [BIT.LY LINK]

Hitting the road this summer? Stop in for a tune up before you do, and by all means, don’t forget Fido! [BIT.LY LINK]

HERE’S WHY

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It’s easy to veer off course in the social space. Many brands succumb to the pressure to simply earn engagement with memes, silly photos and cartoons. While humor can be appropriate on occasion, it has to make sense for the situation and still match the brand style. A friendly tone can take many shapes, but for the purpose of the Goodyear Retail brand, it’s more centered on connecting with the audience with helpful information, education and nostalgia.

TRADITIONAL BUT NOT COMPLACENT

WRITE LIKE THIS

NOT LIKE THIS

While we’re not as secretive as Willy Wonka, we don’t

With nearly 100 years of service spent under the

often open up our facilities to the public. Last week, we

hood, we’ve developed some pretty unique tires and

invited five of Instagram’s best photographers to treat

technologies. Take a look at them now.

our facilities like their personal playground. The results were pretty remarkable. Take a look at this behind-thescenes pictorial: [ALBUM]

HERE’S WHY It’s easy for long-established brands to develop a perception of being old and stodgy. Our foray into social media enables us to pursue unique partnerships with innovative and captivating individuals to tell that story for us. It harkens back to the tried-and-true concept of show don’t tell. It will be important for us to continue finding ways to reframe tire and automotive care in a way that earns attention, authentically while still competing with all other people, brands and entities vying for our audiences’ attention.

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BRAND PERSONALITY People don’t fall in love with businesses, they fall in love with personalities. Brands are a lot like people, so we can use a lot of the same techniques we us for defining ourselves to define our brand.

The Goodyear Retail brand personality is based on the qualities of these characters, which makes it easier for our customers to discern what we’re all about.

THE

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THE

TRADITIONALIST

EVERY MAN

Goal: To restore the world through a return to old-fashioned values

Goal: To bond with others by being humble, hard-working, and friendly

WE’RE INSPIRED BY

THE TRADITIONALIST

The Traditionalist relates to our values of professionalism, expertise and knowledge, as well as our approachable and honest style.

The Traditionalist is a symbol for people who want to restore the world through a return to old-fashioned values. They’re nostalgic of the simplicity and kindness of the good old days. Traditionalists prefer one­-on-­one attention and meaningful relationships (akin to a small town) over anonymity and hustle and bustle (like a big city). They always strive to do the right thing and believe in serving others in their neighborhood and community.

WHY WE’RE INSPIRED It’s not hard to see the natural connection between the commonly understood Traditionalist and the Goodyear Retail brand, given our style of doing business and the way we always put our customers first.

our customers in a way that helps them make empowered decisions permeates everything we do, from the type of content we share to the style in which we deliver that content.

HOW WE MIGHT USE THIS INSPIRATION A warm and accessible verbal style that embodies an optimistic perspective, inspiring our customers to take action on their terms.

Encouraging language and uncomplicated sentence structure that rides the line between genuine helpfulness without straying to far to patronizing tactics.

Simple and clean visual details like using photography with a single focus, and avoiding ornate and detailed illustrations.

All visual elements, photography, and typography should be warm, friendly, and inviting.

Our commitment to genuinely helping and educating

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WE’RE INSPIRED BY

THE EVERY MAN

The Everyman relates to our values of trustworthiness and reliability, as well as our cultural style — honest-to-goodness work ethic.

Symbolic of people who believe in earning everything they receive through earnest actions and commitment to craft, the Everyman harkens back to a time when trust was high. There was a sense of kinship with those — even strangers — whose lives and values mirrored their own. The Everyman puts forth 100 percent effort, every single day, because the work they do matters, no matter how significant it may seem in the grand scheme of things.

WHY WE’RE INSPIRED Our connection to the Everyman plays on a deep, emotional bond that isn’t forced, but genuine. Our brand was built on the hard work of dedicated employees with a commitment to doing the job right the first time, every time. There’s a layer of nostalgia at play with our brand, which will provide

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a meaningful foundation for the evolution of our social program.

HOW WE MIGHT USE THIS INSPIRATION Impassioned and authentic language and terminology that effortlessly illustrates the level of detail and care that goes into our work Sentence structure that feels honest and conversational — verbal prompts that earn a response Using bold and simple typefaces with a stronger color scheme for contrast Images that are down-to-earth and relatable, and show people in a natural setting vs. posed or staged photography

VISUAL GUIDE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media content is highly visual in nature. As a result, it’s important to keep photography standards in mind when pairing content with imagery. The Goodyear Brand Guidelines provide a strong foundation for us to follow.

EXAMPLE POSTS

Quote graphic

Post with image Goodyear Auto Retail Center

I WAS ABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT SAME DAY, GET THE TIRES I WANTED, GET A SWEET REBATE, AND WAS ON MY WAY WITHOUT MISSING A TICK OF WORK.

October 20

Because tires need TLC, too. #MaintenanceMondays

CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE REGULARLY TWICE A MONTH IS IDEAL.

BRAD S., CLEVELAND, OHIO #ServiceYourWay

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GRAMMAR GUIDE

Keep these standards and guidelines in mind when creating all Goodyear Retail content:

GENERAL GUIDELINES Marketing communication should act as a seamless extension of the experience audiences expect from Goodyear Retail offline. We’re not creating a new brand from scratch. We’re borrowing from what works offline and transferring that to the online space.

Remember your audience. Always ask yourself, “Is this appropriate for our audience? Does this help answer their questions, meet their needs, achieve their goals or alleviate their pain points?”

Put the marketing hat aside and think more like a creative writer. According to USA Today, the average consumer is hit with 3,500 to 5,000 messages each day, which they’ve quickly learned to tune out. They’re looking to be enlightened, entertained and educated. Keep that in mind when creating content of any kind.

We’re comfortably uncomfortable in our transparency. Savvy online users know that they 34.

have strength in numbers because anything a brand publishes online is vulnerable to the court of public opinion.

Quoting policy and using boilerplate language will only fuel potential fires. Be real, be authentic and show respect.

Be human. Being “real” doesn’t necessarily mean resorting to humor. Online audiences are looking for the right information at the right time — but deliver it with a flourish of clever, memorable personality and you’ll make a lasting impression, and possibly a lifelong customer.

Be consistent with hashtag usage across all social platforms — it will help improve overall brand consistency as well as discoverability.

To improve readability, capitalize the first letter of each word in hashtags. (e.g., #GoodyearGreats, #MaintenanceMondays)

INDUSTRY GUIDELINES

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GRAMMAR & SENTENCE STRUCTURE Sentences are short, concise and easy to comprehend. No more than two to three sentences per paragraph to promote higher levels of readability.

Slang and acronyms should be avoided; however, if it is being used, it should be easily understood in context.

In addition, social content benefits from brevity.

If there’s an appropriate way to say it with fewer words, do so.

Use of exclamation points can come off “sales-y” or patronizing — keep these to a minimum.

For consistency, a colon precedes links and calls to action (CTA), or CTAs are written as stand alone sentences. Arrows, carets or other indicators should be avoided in an effort to unify content presentation.

Contractions are acceptable. Avoiding contractions evokes a formality that works against the friendly Goodyear Retail personality established in this document.

Goodyear Retail refers to itself in first person plural, not singular: “we” and “our,” never “I” or “me.”

When referring to the audience, use “you” and “your” — this helps make the content more personal.

All content is written in the present tense, unless there is a specific reason otherwise.

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Colon vs. Em Dash Colon: Used to introduce something, often a list.

Use only after a complete sentence. Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence.

E.g., Our 29-Point General Inspection covers lots of important ground, leading off with: tires, brakes, alignment, and suspension.

Em Dash: Longer than a hyphen, an em dash is used to interrupt a sentence, much like parentheses.

(Simply type two hyphens on the keyboard and Word will automatically create an em dash once you start the next word.)

E.g., If you’re already in the midst of planning your road trip — or even if it’s in its very early stages — we can help get you rolling with a Tune Up service.

DETAIL GUIDELINES TIME Include space after the number, periods with no spaces between the lowercase letters. When denoting a period of time, include the word “to” between.

E.g., The event goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If at the end of a sentence, no extra period is needed; however, if it’s an exclamation point or question mark, add it after the abbreviation period.

If the times are happening both in the morning or both in the evening, only one denominator is needed.

E.g., The event goes from 10 to 11 a.m.

Use “midnight” and “noon.”

When discussing time zones, use only the time zone relevant to that particular area. For instance, don’t use EST when writing a post for Colorado (which is MST). Time zone abbreviations are not set off by commas.

E.g., This offer expires at 3 p.m. MST!

If a year is required, write out the full year, comma after the date.

E.g., Sunday, September 22, 2012. ]If the sentence continues after a month/day/year, a comma is required after the date.

E.g., She departed the store on July 1, 2014, after having her oil changed and tires rotated.

ADDRESS Abbreviate cardinal directions with a period (N., S., E., W.). Same with St., Ave., Blvd., Rd., etc. (it saves on number of characters).

Put a comma after the address and before the city; a comma after the city and before the state; and a comma after the state and the rest of the sentence.

E.g., Head to our new location at 222 Goodyear Blvd., Akron, Ohio, for a 29-Point General Inspection.

NUMBERS Never begin a sentence with a number.

E.g., “We have more than 30 different types of services available.”

DATE Write out day and month; do not include abbreviated ordinal indicators (th, rd, st, etc.).

E.g., Sunday, September 22.

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SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDE TWITTER Avoid multiple CTAs in a single tweet. However, because Twitter is primarily a link-sharing platform, multiple CTAs are permissible.

Example: “Not sure which service is right for you? Look at our service guide <BIT.LY> or chat with <BIT.LY> Keep content conversational and inviting.

Avoid placing hashtags or links directly next to one other to ensure they don’t “bleed” into one another.

Use relevant hashtags and partner handles when available and appropriate.

Character limit is 140; however, if you’re hoping or asking for a retweet, limit character count to 120.

Make sure to write times in AP style (a.m., p.m.).

Avoid all caps.

Avoid carets and arrows.

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Use of ampersand is acceptable to cut down on character counts when needed, but should be avoided if possible. However, don’t use text speak (“Big news 4 u,” etc.) or unprofessional abbreviations.

FACEBOOK Facebook CTAs should no longer be explicit (per algorithm insights). Asking for “Likes,” “Shares,” etc. should be natural and not forced. In addition, avoid writing words in all caps. This can come off gimmicky.

Avoid multiple CTAs in a single post. Consider: What’s the single most important thing I want the audience to do with this content?

Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, text speak and ampersands. (e.g., GASC) Delete the text URL from your post before publishing a link.

If using hashtags, keep them consistent and to a minimum; however, some evidence suggests that hashtags could actually hurt content reach, so only use them if it’s part of a widely recognized hashtag (#TriviaTuesday), or a consistent, branded campaign effort.

Tag Facebook pages instead of using hashtags (e.g., tag “@Goodyear Blimp” Facebook page, as opposed to “#GoodyearBlimp.”)

Avoid asking more than one question in a single post, especially if a response is expected.

While Facebook doesn’t have a character limit, shorter posts are preferred.

However, quality content can sometimes be longform. It’s a a rule that can be broken when it makes sense as longer content can sometimes add authenticity and stand out. It also triggers an action by clicking “more” which registers as an indicator of engagement with Facebook.

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SOCIAL MONITORING GUIDE SALUTATIONS Whenever possible, address the person being responded to by name. The first sentence should lead with “Hi,” and end with their name, followed by a period. Example: CUSTOMER (Jane): Why wasn’t my vehicle washed during my service?

GOODYEAR AUTO SERVICE CENTERS: Hi, Jane.

PROPER TEAMS/DEPARTMENTS Capitalize specific teams when they’re specific, not general.

E.g., We’ll pass that along to our Human Resources Team.

When teams are more general, use lowercase.

E.g., We’ll share that with the store management team.

NOTE: Unless there is a specific store manager, use “store management team” because it implies more than one person.

E.g., We’ll let our internal teams know.

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RESPONSE STYLE Use the customer service empathy model.

1. We hear you

2. We understand

3. Here’s our next step

4. Closing E.g.,: CUSTOMER (John): I was told your store was pet friendly but was turned away when I showed up with my dog. What gives, Goodyear?

GOODYEAR AUTO SERVICE CENTERS: Hi, John.

Thanks for reaching out. We’re sorry to hear you weren’t able to wait with your dog — inconsistent information is certainly frustrating. Can you please let us know what store you were at so we can look into the matter? We appreciate you taking the time to let us know.

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