Kal Tire is marking its 70th anniversary by showcasing the long and sometimes winding road it has been on with its customers.

In a new campaign developed with creative partners One Twenty Three West and called “KALometre,” the independent tire retailer has placed a lens on some of its customers, while also introducing audiences to one of its key measures of customer satisfaction: the distance people have driven on its tires.

“We track customer loyalty and satisfaction very closely, and we consistently find we outperform our competition on this measure as defined by return customer visits,” explains Greg Waring, VP of marketing for the retailer. “We like to say the ‘KALometre’ campaign is proof. It’s a direct reflection of our awesome, happy retail and commercial customers.”

The concept is introduced in a 30-second hero spot that introduces viewers to four different Kal Tire customers who have more than 200,000 “KALometres.” Accompanying the hero spot are four 30-second testimonial videos that feature each of those customers.

The campaign is a break from the standard messaging for the category. Rather than focusing on brand loyalty (as Waring says, “many Canadian drivers only visit a tire store every few years, so it can be challenging to create” that sentiment), the brand is honing in on performance instead.

But Kal runs other marcom to explain the performance of its products, he says. “It’s our history of providing the best service in the industry that sets us apart, and how better to tell this story than directly from real customers?”

The first phase of the campaign launched this week and will run until the end of the year, with a second phase already being planned for 2024, Waring says.