All brands strive to get people to stop in their tracks (or in this case, cars) by way of engaging stunts.

That was exactly the goal behind Fountain Tire and FCB Canada’s “Safest Highway,” a data-driven program that engaged with unknowing Canadians to convince them to stock up on new tires from the retailer.

Replacing tires can be an annoyance, so much so that 50% of people will drive with at least one worn-out tire. Yet, worn tires account for over 26% of accidents in poor driving conditions. So to encourage drivers to change their tires before it’s too late, the team placed digital boards along a dangerous stretch of Alberta’s Highway 44. The signs displayed the ice, snow, visibility, winds, and collisions using data from Waze, Twitter and Weather Network.

But it was the tire tread reader, which was installed at a gas station near the highway’s entrance to 3D-map vehicle tires, that really got driver’s attention. The tech alerted those with unsafe tires and a Fountain Tire rep gave every driver a customized tire safety report: 31% of tires failed, which were replaced, free of charge.

The serious message worked, with local sales increasing 8% locally and 4% nationally. The campaign also won a Gold Original Idea, Gold Tech Breakthrough, Gold Experiential, Silver In-Store Engagement and a Silver Integration.