Creating a new brand and cementing it in the mind of a consumer is one of the most challenging tasks a marketer will face. Now imagine creating that new brand in THE highest spending and most competitive category.
That was the challenge facing Kia Motors. And in this episode, Michael Sprague, Kia’s VP of Marketing, shares their strategy along with some of the key challenges they faced along the way.
I agree that you must create a long-term plan but sticking to it might not be that feasible. There’s just too many uncertainties that may require deviating from that plan all together
Understanding who the customer is cannot be reiterated enough. Recognizing the psychographics and not just the demographics as Michael pointed out needs to be more focused on.
This is a very honest and open podcast. I really appreciate Michael immediately just putting out there what some of the specific challenges that Kia faced – having a poor quality reputation for example – and importantly, what steps were taken to tackle them head on.
Really good, detailed questions in this interview!
Listening not only to the consumers but to your team plays such a crucial role in deciding how you’re going to position your brand. You have to get everyone’s perspective.
Sometimes the focus is too much on creating a “spin” rather than focusing on the product itself so it’s refreshing to hear Michael recognize that a good product will speak for itself. The rest is just bells and whistles.
© 2010Brand Fast-Trackers
January 7, 2010
I’ve always admired Michael’s work – he’s lead some impressive campaigns for equally impressive brands and has continued to stay ahead of the trend