CYPRESS, Calif. (April 8, 2013) — Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. has launched an Ambassador program as the latest extension of its community building efforts.
Nitto said the program is part of its overall social strategy for 2013 and focuses on engaging with its community of followers and advocates. Nitto has recently hit the milestone of 3 million fans on Facebook, becoming the third most followed Japanese company, behind Nissan and Sony, according to the company.
"Our social media team has built an amazing community around Nitto fans and enthusiasts," said Tomoshige Mizutani, president of Nitto.
"As such, we are constantly looking for new ways to create opportunities for our fans to engage with us and benefit from their involvement with our brand."
Nitto said the Ambassador program offers Nitto's most loyal enthusiasts the opportunity to become leaders and influencers within their peer groups. Membership in the program brings access to special Nitto and automotive content like videos, articles, images, interviews and more. Members can then share that information through their personal social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, etc., and gain rewards points, with a leaderboard tracking the most influential members in the community, Nitto said. Members also can post their own content onto the site and share it with others in the community.
"Because the online social landscape is always evolving and there is no way of controlling EdgeRank, Facebook's algorithm responsible for brands' share of voice and reach, we have to explore new ways to facilitate communication with our 3.2 million loyal fans," Mr. Mizutani said. "Our Ambassador program helps take back a measure of control and at the same time strengthens our social presence."
Nitto said members with the five highest reward point totals each month will earn Nitto swag. Also, all members are entered for a chance to win a set of Nitto tires at year-end in addition to special limited edition prizes being offered throughout the year to encourage members to stay active and check back to the site to accumulate points.