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Motor Ombudsman wins TyreSafe accolade for winter tyres education campaign

23rd July 2019

The Motor Ombudsman wins the TyreSafe Online and Social Media award for its winter tyres campaign…

The Motor Ombudsman receives the Online and Social Media trophy at TyreSafe’s annual
awards ceremony, held at St George’s Park in Staffordshire.
The yearly accolades recognise individuals and businesses that have made a significant
contribution to raising awareness about tyre safety-related issues.
The automotive dispute resolution provider was rewarded for its recent campaign on the rules
governing winter tyres when travelling abroad, following a YouGov study which highlighted a
gap in consumer knowledge…

The Motor Ombudsman, the automotive dispute resolution provider, is pleased to
announce that it has won the TyreSafe Online and Social Media award. The tyre safety charity’s annual
prize giving ceremony, which was recently held at Staffordshire’s St George’s Park, the home of the
National Football Centre, acknowledges businesses and individuals, across eleven different categories,
who have made a significant contribution to raising awareness about tyre safety-related issues during the
past 12 months.
The Motor Ombudsman was presented with the highly sought-after trophy by sponsor, Hankook Tyre (UK)
Ltd, and Stuart Jackson, Chairman of TyreSafe, in recognition of the body’s winter tyres campaign,
launched in the run-up to the 2018 Christmas holiday getaway. It followed the findings of a Motor
Ombudsman-commissioned YouGov poll, which revealed that nearly 90% of UK motorists were not
familiar with the differing rules governing this type of tyre when driving in Continental Europe. The study
also showed that only one in ten people knew that they would need to change their car tyres to be legally
compliant at their destination. The results of the research were widely publicised in the press, whilst the
associated posts on social media equally reached a large audience.
To help plug this “gap” in consumer knowledge, The Motor Ombudsman developed new online resources
for consumers, including a frequently asked questions page (TheMotorOmbudsman.org/winter) which
explains the benefits of winter tyres versus summer equivalents, as well as the merits of cold weather
accessories, such as snow chains and socks. In addition, the informative and narrated “Getting to grips
with winter tyres” video was also introduced on The Motor Ombudsman’s website and on YouTube to take
consumers on a journey through the world of winter tyres, in an engaging and non-technical way. Stills
from the animation, including stopping distances in the snow, how to find a garage to have winter tyres
fitted, as well as a map of where they are mandatory when across the English Channel, were also shared
on Facebook and Twitter to reinforce the importance of safety when on the road.
Explaining the decision to award the Online and Social Media trophy to The Motor Ombudsman, from the
shortlist of four organisations, Zoe Baldwin, Marketing Manager of Hankook Tyre (UK) Ltd, explained:
“The judges had a tough time in separating the entries in this category as they were of a very high
standard. However, the winner’s campaign was outstanding and highly visible, specifically targeted at
driver education, and had a very professional appearance to their materials. It’s good to have The Motor
Ombudsman on board to help raise awareness of issues across the sector.”
Stuart Jackson, Chairman of TyreSafe, added: “The role of online channels is crucial in spreading the tyre
safety message and provides a unique means of engaging with audiences.”

Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “We are
extremely proud to have won the award, and it is an honour to be recognised for our hard work that went
into the campaign. The subject of consumer knowledge on winter tyres when driving abroad hadn’t been
widely publicised, and the results of our study clearly demonstrated that further education was needed in
this area. This gave us an opportunity to introduce new resources to enhance the knowledge of motorists
on this topic and to underline the importance of using a garage which is accredited to a recognised Motor
Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair, for both winter maintenance and all year round. Going
forward, tyre safety will continue to play an important role in our marketing programmes, and we will
continue to share the valuable guidance issued by TyreSafe.”

To view The Motor Ombudsman’s video on “Getting to grips with winter tyres”, and to find out more about
some of the frequently asked questions about winter vehicle maintenance, visit The Motor Ombudsman’s
dedicated page at www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org/winter.

About The Motor Ombudsman

The Motor Ombudsman is the automotive dispute resolution body. Fully impartial, it is the first
ombudsman to be focused solely on the automotive sector, and self-regulates the UK’s motor
industry through its comprehensive Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved
Codes of Practice. Thousands of businesses, including vehicle manufacturers, warranty
product providers, franchised dealers and independent garages, are accredited to one or more
of the Codes, which drive even higher standards of work and service, and give consumers
added protection, peace of mind and trust during the vehicle purchase and ownership
experience.

For more information about The Motor Ombudsman, visit www.TheMotorOmbudsman.org.

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