The challenge they faced:
Michelin makes tires but doesn't sell them directly to customers. While competitors with tire stores could observe how people shopped, Michelin was making educated guesses about customer behavior—and spending millions on those guesses.
Our approach:
Michelin was marketing to consumers, but our research revealed the real decision happened at the tire shop counter where salespeople could easily steer customers toward cheaper alternatives. Following real customers through their buying journey across three countries, we found Michelin needed to give consumers enough conviction before they walked into the store—so they'd resist the counter-sale. This insight shifted the entire marketing strategy from brand awareness to purchase confidence, resulting in 35% better performance with 10% less spend.
The business impact:
- Michelin reorganized their entire North American marketing team around what customers actually do
- Decreased marketing spend by 10% while getting 35% better results
- Built a new way to track customer data that keeps them ahead of competitors
