In this feature on building brand awareness and securing those early sales features, we meet Hussein Chahine. Hussein runs 20-outlet franchise operation Ozzy Tyres. When he decided to give away a classic car in a competition for his customers. The campaign wasn’t built on ad spend – it was built on how Instagram’s algorithm actually works. I spoke to Hussein about the initiative, and its outcome.
Inside Small Business: Can you tell us a little bit about the business — why, when and where you launched it?
Hussein Chahine: Ozzy Tyres was founded around 30 years ago by my father, Ali Chahine, as a wholesale tyre distributor importing from Asia. After he passed away, my siblings and I transitioned the business towards a greater retail focus. My brother Mohammed began importing premium Japanese wheels like AME, Work Wheels, and Enkei that became iconic.
I joined the business after school, starting in the warehouse and working my way into sales before taking over as my siblings chose different paths. I was always passionate about advertising, initially considering a career in creative TV ads. So, that background really shaped everything for me from the beginning. I always believed how you present the brandmatters as much as what you sell, and I think that instinct is what’s driven Ozzy Tyres forward.
ISB: What marketing strategies did you employ to establish the business?
HC: Back when we started, marketing meant print. We ran double-page spreads in the car magazines – Hot4s, Fast Fours, Rotary’s. I used to design those ads myself. That’s really where my instinct for how to present the brand came from.
Today, everything runs through social media. And while the format has changed, the thinking hasn’t: you have to entertain people, not just sell to them. Every campaign is tied to automotive culture in some way, whether that’s giving away products people actually want, like dash cams and fuel cards, or sharing real vehicles we’ve built for real customers so they can see what their car could actually look like. The throughline is entertainment and consistency – giving people a reason to stay connected to our brand, not just our stores.
ISB: How do you foster and maintain customer loyalty?
HC: Loyalty comes down to the experience – not just the product. We treat every customer the same, whether they’re in for a puncture repair or a $20,000 4WD build. That means clean premises, careful workmanship, and small details that people remember: polishing the alloy wheels before we return the car, leaving an air freshener inside, adding a branded giveaway that makes them feel genuinely valued.
Loyalty is a reciprocal relationship. Our customers choose us, and we work to show them that choice matters. When they leave happy, they tell people. That word-of-mouth has built more of this business than any paid advertising ever has.
ISB: Can you tell us about your recent giveaway promotion and the reaction it prompted on social media?
HC: I had a 1999 WRX that I’d owned for years- limited edition, beige leather interior, immaculate condition, worth around $25,000. I decided to give it away. Not as a stunt. As a genuine thank-you to the people who’d supported the brand, and as a way to connect with new ones.
The mechanism was simple: comment on our Instagram and Facebook posts, and an automated system would send you a direct message asking for your name, email, and number to enter the draw. No purchase required. What we didn’t anticipate was the depth of conversation it would open up. People weren’t just entering, they were sending personal messages about their lives, what the car would mean for their family, the challenges they were facing. We read them and we responded.
We held the draw live on Instagram so people could see it was real. By the time the winner was announced, we’d reached 1.3 million people across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok – with zero paid promotion. More than 20,000 people entered. We gained thousands of new followers who became customers. The campaign did something paid advertising rarely does: it made people feel something, and that connection outlasted the giveaway itself.
ISB: What is the key piece of advice you’d share with other small-business owners who have a very restricted marketing budget?
HC: I’d say make social media your entire toolkit, but you must use it properly. The algorithm rewards content that generates an emotional reaction, because engagement signals to the platform that your content is worth showing to more people. Likes, comments, shares, repost – each one expands your reach.
Before you post anything, ask yourself: what will make someone feel something? Then post consistently, study what performs, understand why it worked, and replicate it. There’s no cap on how often you can post. Experiment relentlessly. The data is right there in your analytics. Learn from it, refine it, and keep going. Consistency and emotional resonance will outlast any advertising budget.
First published on Inside Small Business, this article is part five of a six-part series from the Inside Small Business magazine, Issue 53, feature titled “Make the most of your socials”
