SHANGHAI, China, December 5, 2014 -- A public relations campaign supporting the launch of a premium Goodyear-brand tire in China has been honored as ”One of the World’s 50 Best PR Programs” at the 2014 Global SABRE Awards, winning the Specialist Audience: Marketing to Men category.

“The Goodyear Assurance TripleMax tire was launched in 2013 and is designed to deliver significantly shorter braking distances, particularly when driving on wet roads,” said Ben Chao, vice president of marketing for Goodyear China. “To introduce the tire to the market, Goodyear China launched the ‘Enjoy the Rain’ campaign and chose the iconic yellow rubber duck as the symbol for safer driving in wet conditions.”

More than 1.3 million Goodyear-branded yellow rubber ducks were distributed to drivers in six major cities across China. By scanning a QR code on the rubber duck, audiences connected to a mobile website with comprehensive information about the new tire.

In addition to the distribution of the rubber ducks, the Goodyear campaign was anchored by an ‘Enjoy the Rain’ music video, and utilized a combination of new media channels including online video sites, a mobile site and radio broadcasting. The ‘Enjoy the Rain’ music video of a driver happily dancing in the rain with yellow rubber ducks was shared extensively on social media with more than 13 million views.

Hosted by the Holmes Report and judged by a panel of marketing experts, the SABRE awards are one of the world’s premier showcases of achievement in marketing strategy and public relations. Attracting more than 5,000 entries from more than 60 countries, they aim to recognize PR campaigns that demonstrate the highest levels of creativity, integrity and effectiveness.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company entered China in 1994, becoming the first global tire manufacturer to invest in the country when it established Goodyear Dalian Tire Company Limited to produce a wide range of radial passenger and light truck tires. Goodyear Dalian became a wholly owned Goodyear subsidiary in 2008. Goodyear China’s distribution network includes almost 65 distributors and close to 1,600 branded outlets throughout the country.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs approximately 68,000 people and manufactures its products in 50 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.