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There’s no doubt – South Africans have a special kind of confidence. We take the bull by the horns, tackling uniquely Mzansi realities like making 2-minute noodles one minute before load shedding, gathering for Family Meetings, and doing taxi math at 5am on a Monday. And when we’re out on our roads? Well, we’ve got that covered too, navigating potholes, roadworks, dirt roads and more, given that 80% of our road network is now older than the 20-year design life and 30% of our roads are considered to be in poor to very poor condition.

Tyre brand Dunlop South Africa is showcasing the funny side of that Mzansi confidence and has gone large with a first of its kind – the first ever radio studio to be set up inside a giant pothole.

The new “Pothole FM” campaign features South African comedian Robby Collins. It was recorded in Howick, KZN, where the uMngeni Local Municipality has been hard at work carrying out much needed pothole repairs in the aftermath of the KZN floods earlier this year. 

Kneeling inside the 50cm deep pothole during recording, Collins said: “Let’s be honest, potholes aren’t fun. They aren’t fun to drive into, and they aren’t great fun to broadcast in. In fact, we should use all the money we spend on putting up pothole warning signs to actually fill in the potholes. Nonetheless, I had a great time shooting with the Dunlop crew who are doing their part to give South Africans some confidence on the road.”

Contractors ensured the hole was repaired after the recording.

CEO of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, which manufactures Dunlop tyres in Africa, Lubin Ozoux said the “Pothole FM” campaign sets out to showcase the brand’s innovative Dunlop Sure tyre cover that helps South Africans be as confident on the road as they are off the road.

“We know the state of our roads is no laughing matter. But whether it's potholes, road works or lengthy dirt roads, we wanted to show that you can get that Mzansi confidence with Dunlop Sure tyre cover. And because we’re so confident about the quality of our tyres, we’ve made Dunlop Sure free,” he said.

South Africans can catch the “Pothole FM” spots on radio stations – Metro FM, East Coast Radio, Heart FM and Jacaranda, and across Dunlop’s digital platforms and more.

A snippet from the ad says, “South Africa is known for its breathtaking scenery. As well as it’s not-so-scenic road conditions. Because only in Mzansi will you find road works, that don’t work. Stop and goes that never go. Or a pothole so big you can record a radio ad in it.”

Comprehensive tyre cover

Ozoux said Dunlop Sure is a package of services that gives customers peace of mind when purchasing tyre products manufactured by Sumitomo Rubber South Africa. It’s available at no additional cost when customers purchase selected tyres and activate the Dunlop Sure benefits.

Within the stable of offerings is a Product Life Warranty of 8 years on all Dunlop, Sumitomo and Falken branded tyres, that protects customers against defects in material and/or workmanship. On selected Dunlop Grandtrek tyres within the brand’s SUV and 4x4 range, customers can also activate a Mileage Warranty of up to 100 000km, that covers them against premature wear and tear.

FREE Dunlop Sure tyre insurance on ANY Dunlop tyre

But probably the most attractive in the South African road context, is the Dunlop Sure Tyre Insurance available exclusively from Dunlop Branded retail outlets including Dunlop Zone, Dunlop Express, Dunlop Commercial and Dunlop Container stores in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.  It’s free for 12 months and provides full replacement for irreparable damage caused by all road hazards within the first year of purchase (12 months) and is available on ALL Dunlop tyres including passenger, SUV/4x4 and light truck tyres. Previously this was only available on selected Dunlop tyre ranges. This new feature kicks in from 1 August 2022.

Issued by Logicocreative on behalf of Dunlop