Leading global tire maker Hankook Tire announced that it will continue its multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) as the league’s Official Tire in the U.S. and South Korea. Hankook first entered into partnership with MLB in 2018 with the goal of showcasing Hankook Tire across Major League Baseball’s wide array of highly engaged media assets, which include MLB Network, MLB.com, the MLB app & MLB social media channels. The multi-dimensional partnership also provides Hankook with marketing rights during the most-viewed events of the baseball calendar – MLB All-Star Week and the MLB Postseason, through the culmination of the World Series.
Hankook Tire continues as the Official Tire of MLB for the 2021 season and extends its partnership with World Series Champion and 8-time All-Star Pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
“Our partnership with MLB over the last three years has enabled us to successfully reach key audiences and grow our brand in the U.S. market,” said Sooil Lee, president and CEO of Hankook Tire. “Just as MLB evokes excitement and enthusiasm in its fans and players, Hankook Tire seeks to enhance excitement and enthusiasm for driving among Americans. We are thrilled to continue this partnership and connect with MLB fans through the shared lens of passion.”
Hankook will also continue its partnership with World Series Champion and 8-time All-Star Pitcher Clayton Kershaw. Hankook first debuted its ad campaign with Kershaw during the 2020 season, which included two multimedia spots, Perfect Pitch and Long Catch.
Hankook Tire’s MLB partnership is one of the company’s many strategies to grow its presence as an industry leader in the U.S. market. In addition to its partnership with MLB, Hankook is also investing heavily in R&D to develop high-quality, technologically advanced products to be produced at its North American Plant in Clarksville, Tennessee. Hankook has also recently begun plans to expand its Tennessee Plant, which will double its annual production capacity from 5.5 million to over 10 million tires annually.
Through the partnership, Hankook will utilize MLB marks in marketing activities, giveaways, consumer promotions and events. The company will also engage U.S. consumers through virtual advertisements behind home plate in national broadcasts during the Postseason.