Featuring faces from Nashville’s GLBT community, Bridgestone celebrates another year of diversity in marketing by launching a new series of national print and Internet advertising for its Fuzion tire brand.

Katie Franz, Lorenzo Clark, Doy Gardner and Ty Hickman were just a few of the “beautiful people” selected from an open-casting call of more than 200 held at Play Dance Club and Lucky's Garage. 

Bridgestone Firestone selected three females and two males that will appear in Fuzion print ads directed toward its youth market. Models selected from the casting call were paid $2,500 each for the modeling assignment. Fuzion is a tire brand that Bridgestone Firestone markets to a youth audience and it is designed specifically for the “enthusiast and tuner” markets. The brand includes the Fuzion ZRi, HRi and XTi. 

Franz, a 19 year old from Cincinnati, Ohio, came to Nashville to dance for the Nashville Ballet.  

“I went to the casting call for Bridgestone mostly because a lot of my friends were going to it, and I just figured why not? I never really thought that I would get called back for a second look, let alone land up getting the job. I've never really done any modeling jobs before, except a billboard and ad campaign for the Cincinnati Ballet when I was a little kid, so when I got there it was all new to me,” Franz states.

Twenty-five year old Clark moved to Nashville nine years ago from Novato, Cal., and was shocked to have been named one of this year’s models.

“Hopefully this will open many doors and provide an opportunity for me to model again and meet new people. But if not, it was a wonderful experience,” Clark beams. 

Twenty-six year old Gardner hails originally from Alabama and moved to Nashville in ’99 to attend Belmont University.

“I left Belmont in 2002 when I got an opportunity to go on the road playing drums with a new female pop rock artist. I've been touring and backing up artists since then. In the long run I would love to open a custom tattoo shop here in Nashville,” Gardner states. “Winning the Bridgestone model contest was exciting for me. It was my first time to do any type of formal modeling and everyone involved made the experience very enjoyable. I would love to do more like this in the future. I'm in the process of putting together some headshots and looking at different agencies.” 

Hickman, a 21-year-old from Knoxville, moved to Nashville about a year ago to attend MTSU as a public relations major. While attending MTSU, Hickman bartends for Lucky’s Garage on Church Street.

“Initially when I won the model search I was in complete shock, but once the shock wore off, I was kind of nervous/excited. However, I never should have been nervous; everyone I worked with at the shoot was fun and professional and it was probably the coolest experience I have experienced thus far. I hope to continue modeling and I hope this shoot could be a jumping off point to more jobs in the future. So, if anybody knows anybody from Dolce & Gabbana tell them to give me a holler!” Hickman said, smiling.

O&AN readers will find the new ads in magazines like HCI,Eurotuner, Sport Compact Car, StreetTrenz, Super Street, DUB, Speed, Style & Sound, Honda Tuning, Import Tuner, Modified Magazine and more. Bridgestone Firestone is widely known for their support of the local HRC dinner, Too Unpredictable Fashion Show, GLBT Life and Business Expo, Nashville Pride and many other local charities and events.