Dunlop has once again won the Tyre Brands Category for the 2020/2021 Ask Afrika Icon Brands Survey.

“This win, during such a difficult time is so encouraging to our team,” said Riaz Haffejee, CEO of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (Sumitomo Dunlop), manufacturers of the Dunlop brand for Africa. “Consumers have again shown their loyalty and connection to the Dunlop brand, now for the eighth consecutive time. We are the brand that consumers trust to keep their families safe on the road and we want them to know that this trust is something we take very seriously.”

The Ask Afrika Icon Brands Survey, powered by Target Group Index data, surveyed over 24 000 consumers representing nearly 25 million adult South African consumers during 2019. An icon brand is a brand that unites South African’s as a nation, a brand that is used regularly and chosen, again and again by South Africans across age, income, race, and language spectrums.

“Brands used on a daily basis are ones South Africans are committed to, and they put their money where their mouths are,” said Maria Petousis, Industry Lead: TGI. “South Africans will even seek these brands in countries outside South Africa, and in the case of Dunlop, which has a 130-year global legacy, they are able to do so throughout Africa and anywhere in the world.”

“At Dunlop we literally take every road to ensure that our tyres are safe and that consumers using Dunlop tyres have the best experience – from purchasing the most suitable tyre for their vehicle and road usage needs at a Dunlop Zone or Dunlop Express fitment centre, right through to the end of their tyres lifespan,” says Haffejee. “We prioritise keeping our customers safe and happy.”

Ongoing research and development ensure that the newest, most ground-breaking innovations are incorporated in product design, resulting in enhanced performance, safety, and longevity of Dunlop tyres. Sumitomo Dunlop is invested in not only meeting but exceeding global standards with stringent manufacturing processes in place.

Going the extra mile for tourism and safety, Dunlop recently embarked on Grandtrek Uncharted, taking on roads that even Google Street View had not explored. The campaign saw Dunlop upload 360 degree images from off-the-beaten-track routes such as Doringdraai in the Western Cape, Hole-in-the-Wall in the Eastern Cape, Thongaland in KwaZulu-Natal and stretches of the Karoo in the Free State to name but a few.

“This expedition was not only important to help re-open the hard-hit tourism sector, but also to ensure that when planning trips, road users can go onto Google Street View, check the condition of the roads they will be travelling on, and make sure that their vehicle is fitted with the correct tyres for that terrain,” Haffejee said. “Safety is always our top priority, it is part of our DNA at Sumitomo Dunlop.”

Despite having what is considered undeniably the most comprehensive range of SUV and 4X4 tyres in the Grandtrek range, an impressive new product that can literally ‘Do More’ was added to the range in April 2020. The Dunlop Grandtrek AT5, with a new formula compound that increases tread block rigidity, promises to give consumers the best of both worlds from improved performance and lifespan to affordability.

The Grandtrek AT5, AT3G and AT25 were all used on Grandtrek Uncharted and according to adventurers, Peter van Kets and Jacques Marais, they did not disappoint, handling muddy, rugged, or sandy roads and terrain with ease.