Abstract: An aqueous coating composition which can be applied to a cured rubber surface, such as the white sidewall, colored sidewall, raised white lettering or raised colored lettering of a tire, to provide a protective coating against staining and scuffing. The composition includes (a) polyvinyl alcohol, (b) ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and (c) one or both of (i) a silicon emulsion in an amount sufficient to provide increased scuff resistance to a coating prepared from the composition, and (ii) a thickening agent of a type and in an amount effective to render the composition shear-thinning.