Oskido, Bernice West, and Zoe Modiga join Firestone to celebrate 90 years in South Africa
Leading tyre brand Firestone is celebrating 90 years in South Africa.
It celebrated the impressive milestone just after Heritage Day with an event at Untitled Basement, Johannesburg.
The event tied the brand to local culture and music, and recognised popular South African artists as a celebration of the culture within which it operates.
During the event, Bridgestone EMIA Sales Director Thandeka Ngoma announced the reintroduction of several new tyres to the local market.
“We are reintroducing the FS100 touring range of tyres, including four different sizes,” said Ngoma.
“This ensures we have a tyre that covers everything that the consumer needs, whether you are talking about wet and dry conditions, tyre durability, or our tyre damage guarantee.”
The FS100 touring tyres are designed for all-round performance, focusing on control across various weather conditions, durability, and reduced vibration.
Ngoma also explained that the Firestone brand is geared towards young people who are entering the market for the first time, and they are excited to bring these South Africans into the Firestone family.
Leaving legacies
“Firestone has a long-standing global connection to music, rooted in its Nashville, Tennessee origins – the heart of country music,” said Bridgestone EMIA Managing Director, Jacques Rikhotso.
“As a tyre company, Firestone has always been about travel and reaching your destination, just as movement and music are fundamental human experiences,” he said.
He explained that Firestone has championed this connection for years, and that musical ties have always been part of the business because of its roots.
“If I know that a particular song gives me a vibe, I know for sure that I can rely on that song – I can go to that song, and I will get that vibe.”
“With Firestone, the legacy that we have built over the years is one of the same reliability. Today, if a young man fits Firestone on his [VW] Polo, I can assure you of good performance on that product,” said Rikhotso.
Rikhotso explained that while the soul of the brand has always existed, the 90-year celebration event in Johannesburg helped bridge the gap, bringing that soul beyond Firestone’s doors and back to South African consumers.
Music, heritage, and culture
In recognition of its roots and to unpack the link to local culture, Firestone hosted a panel discussion featuring several popular South African artists, including Oskido, Bernice West, and Zoe Modiga.
These artists shared their views on heritage and what it means to them in South Africa.
They also unpacked their legacies. Oskido unpacked the legacy he has built over three decades, while West and Modiga spoke about the legacies they are currently building.
“Today we are celebrating 90 years. This brand has gone through a lot of changes,” said Oskido.
“It’s a brand which keeps going because it shifts with the market,” he added.
On the theme of keeping legacies alive, West added that “we wrote a song last year celebrating the Afrikaans language and culture.”
“It’s important to keep legacies alive, and we have a responsibility to keep them alive,” said West.
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Event photos
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