Recently, companies have been getting smarter about partnering with YouTubers to reach teen audiences. Michelin decided to join the crowd by enlisting various YouTube stars for its “Beyond the Driving Test” campaign, which helps teens better understand responsible driving skills.
The first YouTuber tapped for the campaign was Fullscreen’s Brent Rivera, who has over 5 million Vine followers and more than 700,000 subscribers on YouTube. Rivera wrote and stars in “First Date Gone WRONG!!!!” where he’s drilled by his girlfriend’s father on filling up on oil, checking the treads on the tires, and other elements of proper car and tire safety maintenance.
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Michelin, which partnered with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) goal for the videos, is hoping to prevent as many accidents and deaths in the U.S. as possible. The company cites a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which found 12% of car accidents to be the result of inexperienced drivers who have tire-related conditions like low air pressure or low tread. Michelin and FIA also conducted a survey and found most U.S. teenagers lack the proper car knowledge and skills to keep them safe. They concluded that, if these drivers were more informed, around 300,000 deaths a year could be prevented.
“Michelin North America is taking the unusual step of engaging teen YouTube stars because we know the best way to reach teens is to communicate with them on their own turf,” said Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America, in a release. “We are very serious about transforming the way new drivers are trained and filling gaps in the essential knowledge and skills that can help keep them safe on the roads.”
Michelin’s “Beyond the Driving Test” campaign will feature more Fullscreen talent, with Alexis G. Zall’s video coming up next. Since Fullscreen’s network reaches over 465 million subscribers, Michelin should have little problem finding the younger audience it intends to reach.
