Goodyear Name Swap Invites All Comers to Retread Their Names

In a twist on last year’s Dunlop tire promotion, Goodyear is inviting all Canadians to change their name to Dunlop-Tire.
A little over a year ago, four Canadians with the last name Dunlop changed their surnames to Dunlop-Tire as part of the Dunlop “Tired of Your Name” Challenge. Today, Dunlop Tires, owned by Goodyear, launched the second phase of the unique campaign by daring Canadians with the surname Goodyear, or any other tire name, to join the family and legally become Dunlops too.
Those who make the “Dunlop Name Swap” are eligible to win up to $25,000.
“Our commitment to growing the Dunlop family is, well, tireless, and this time we’re going big-game hunting,” said Ian McIntosh, general manager of advertising & marketing services, Dunlop Tires (Canada). “Dunlop Tires is a brand for people who are adventurous, ambitious and fun, and that’s what the Dunlop Name Swap is all about.”
Dunlop has appointed the four original Dunlop-Tires – Bill (Toronto), Traci (Calgary), Peter (Barrie, Ontario) and Jason (Winnipeg) – as honorary Dunlop Name Swap Bounty Hunters, each eligible to receive a $1,000 reward if they personally convince a Goodyear to make the name switch.
The four became instant celebrities last year when they changed their surnames to Dunlop-Tire for an equal share of $25,000. None have changed their names back, though this was not a condition of the original challenge. “All my life people have jokingly associated my name with the tire brand, so I was delighted to formalize the relationship, make some money and have some fun,” said Bill Dunlop-Tire.
“We’re a tight-knit group, but we’d welcome any Goodyears who want to become Dunlops with open arms.”
Dunlop gets things rolling this week by sending an information kit to approximately 500 Canadian residents with the last name Goodyear, though the Dunlop Name Swap is open to everyone with a tire surname, except Dunlop, who is a resident of Canada (outside of Quebec) and 18 years of age or older.
Those who meet these criteria and are interested in participating are encouraged to e-mail their intentions to Dunlop Name Swap Headquarters at dunlopnameswap@environicspr.com or fax in a letter to 416-920-4328 “Attn: Dunlop Name Swap” or call 1-888-863-3377 ext. 2723.
Dunlop Name Swap participants must indicate their intentions in writing by June 10, 2003. Those who make this deadline will have until August 12, 2003 to legally change their surname to Dunlop.
The $25,000 prize purse will be split equally among the new Dunlops across Canada, to a maximum of the first 25 who make the swap.
Each prize winner will also be reimbursed up to $200 for any mandatory government fees involved in the name change.
“Last year we paid out $6,250 to each new member of the Dunlop family, and we’re hoping to reward a few good tire people again this year,” said McIntosh.