From fashion to sports and F&B, we at Hankook Tire have expanded beyond tires targeting diverse activities and experiences for our consumers. Seeking to establish ourselves as an approachable brand that can be used every day in a multitude of ways, we have been collaborating with brands in various sectors as part of these efforts.
Bringing style to tires
Realizing the eco-friendly value: ‘HK Groovy’ upcycled sneakers
‘Tread&Groove’ produced upcycled sneakers ‘HK Groovy’ in collaboration with Hankook Tire in 2022. 'Tread&Groove' is a brand that focuses on creating new shoes out of discarded tires. These shoes became the most representative item among our collaborations. Recycling tires to make shoes can reduce carbon dioxide by approximately 9kg per pair which means for the 300 pairs of ‘HK Groovy’ produced, 2,700kg of carbon emissions were reduced.
In addition, the tread, which is the surface rubber part of the tire, was separated and manufactured into the sole of the shoes without any chemical processes. This has various advantages not just in terms of environmental protection but also in terms of shoe functionality. ‘HK Groovy’ boasts about 2.9 times higher grip and about 1.5 times better abrasion resistance than ordinary shoe soles. Anyone wearing the shoes can feel the technology contained in the tires. Another interesting aspect of the shoes is that the shape of the sole is different depending on the type of tire used.
'HK Groovy' uses Hankook Tire's SUV tire 'Dynapro HP2', premium comfort tire 'Ventus S2 AS', and ultra-high performance sports tire 'Ventus S1 Evo3' for their soles.'
This is not our first collaboration that utilized old tires. In 2021, we produced upcycled shoes using discarded tires with the footwear brand ‘Yase,’ and released sneakers that featured enhanced stability on rain and snow covered roads with the sports brand ‘Prospecs’ in early 2022. Both of these collaborations are projects that give a glimpse of our sense of responsibility for the environment and innovative expression. Additionally, these collaborations are in line with the consumption trend of the 20 and 30 year olds, who enjoy so-called ‘value consumption,’ which considers not only the design of a product but also the environment and the meaning of the product.
A three-dimensional brand image: System FW clothing collaboration ‘New Movement’
The launch of FW collaboration ‘New Movement’ with casual clothing brands (SYSTEM) and SYSTEM HOMME provided stylized movement. By combining Hankook Tire's core values of innovation and bold movement with the clothing brand's modern expression, an innovative and bold clothing line was created. This clothing collaboration can be described as a three-dimensional representation of the young and dynamic image that we aim for and showcases the uniquely innovative image that can be felt in our 81-year history.
Structural designs,materials, and tire patterns embodying tires were incorporated throughout the product line.
A new way of communicating with the MZ generation: HANKOOK's culture brand
‘MADE IN HANKOOK'
‘Peaches Dowon', a cultural space prepared to lead the future mobility culture beyond manufacturing and showcase Hankook Tire's values and culture, presents unique content through mobility, music, video, F&B, sports, and experiential pop-up exhibitions while also providing a space for pleasant brand consumption experiences. In this way, ‘Peaches Dowon’ has become a must-visit space in the popular Seongsu-dong district of Seoul. The MADE IN HANKOOK campaign utilized the culture complex to actively communicate with the MZ generation.
‘Wheelbot’ technology demonstrated at ‘Made in HANKOOK’
The main theme of this campaign centers on communicating our high-end technology with the public, as well as showcasing Hankook Tire’s facilities (Technoring, Technodome, Technoplex), the title as official supplier to Formula E, and the launch of “iON,” a tire exclusively for electric vehicles. In addition, our technology for future mobility innovation, including the electric vehicle tire brand 'iON' was on showcase at the concept exhibition that visualized our company's present and future. In particular, we have been focused on ‘Design Innovation’, a technology research project for future smart city and mobility vision research, design solution proposals, and actual commercialization since 2012. The technology of the robotics wheel system ‘Wheelbot’, which emerged at ‘Urban Reshaping 2022’, was also on showcase at ‘MADE IN HANKOOK’.
Track depicting Hankook Tire’s state-of-the-art test track ‘Hankook Technoring’
An immersive space allowed those in attendance to experience the exhibition rather than just seeing it. License cards certified by Hankook Tire and Peaches were provided to participants who completed all four experiential missions. With this, it provided a different kind of amusement to the visitors at the exhibition hall and increased their level of immersion. In particular, the 'Mini Car Race', which reproduced the actual motor sports venue, and the 'Gymkhana Experience Center', where participants completed the course on a traditional tricycle-type mini cart, not only stimulated the participant's interest, but also allowed them to feel the joy of movement while indirectly relating to the history of motor sports that we have built.
Gymkhana experience center / Fashion goods produced in collaboration with Peaches / Tire-shaped donuts created in collaboration with Knotted / Influencer pack in collaboration with hard case brand “Pelican”
Visually Stimulating Storytelling
Instagram Digital Creatives Collaboration
A meeting with digital illustrator Neer (NE_REU) was held to share Hankook Tire's brand sensibility with Gen Z, who are familiar with digital content, in a relatively easy and fun way. Artist Neer has gained popularity in a wide range of fields such as K-pop, movies, magazines, and automobiles due to his unique sense of color and design.
In this collaboration, illustrations were created with inspiration from ‘iON’, our exclusive tire brand for electric vehicles. Reflecting the characteristics of ‘iON’, a premium brand that maximizes the performance of electric vehicles in any driving environment, vehicles equipped with ‘iON' summer tire ‘iON evo', winter tire ‘iON Winter', and all-season tire 'iON evo AS' expressed the appearance of driving through every season of the year.
► See more on Hankook Tire’s Instagram page.
To discover a person, we might look at their life, see what they see, see where they go, or see what kind of people they meet. This same idea applies to brands. A brand’s values and orientation are revealed through its activities. In particular, collaborations with brands with similar goals and brand positioning are apart of that. Through these collaborations, we at Hankook Tire are solidifying and realizing our vision beyond enhancing safety and driving technology to the essence of tires. What story will unfold in 2023? The future looks prosperous for Hankook Tire.
