Chicago’s Vogue Tyre and Rubber Co. has implemented an online showroom to highlight its high-end tire lines. Potential patrons can use the company’s EnTyre 360° program to virtually envision exactly how a given set of tires – or any other custom accessory item sold by the company – will look when installed on their vehicle.
“The 360-degree viewer takes the guessing work out of purchasing the perfect product for your car,” says marketing director Ken Brockway.
“We found that our customers needed a way to visualize what their car would look like with Vogue tires, wheels and grilles,” he explains. “We wanted a program that was easy to use for our customers that would enhance the reality of the vehicle.”
Developed by QA Graphics of Ankeny, Iowa, the program thus far includes adjustable images of the 2010 Cadillac CTS and Lexus RX350. Cadillac’s SRX Crossover and Escalade EXT are to be added soon, with two more Lexus models to come later this year.
The system “helps increase both sales and customer appreciation,” reports Jim Kemp, sales manager at Metropolitan Cadillac in Milwaukee. “It gives them the final touch for their vehicle,” he adds. “It is like trying it on before you buy it.”
Vogue was established in Illinois in 1914 by Harry Hower and the Woodbury family to cater to the well-heeled chauffeur-driven vehicle trade. The company is known for inventing the whitewall tire, complete with a patented gold stripe design, in 1919.
By 1926 it had opened a division in Los Angeles, where sales were targeted at wealthy Duesenberg owners among the Hollywood elite.
According to Brockway, the company “has been at the cutting-edge of performance design and technology,” becoming the brand of choice for customs and luxury vehicles plus the discriminating motorists who own them, such as celebrities and professional athletes.
Vogue has branched out to include a wide range of applications for today’s market, including the Infiniti G37, Lexus LS, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and the new Dodge Challenger.
“Catering to all automotive owners, Vogue tires are not just designed to perform, but to look good while doing it,” the company notes. “Each tire is designed to provide the perfect look and fit while not compromising performance or comfort. ‘Vogue Tyre’ owners want to make a statement, and owning a set of custom-built tires is an investment in your vehicle that separates you from everyone else.”
For more information, visit www.voguetyre.com and www.qagraphics.com.
