This is the latest news coming from Kia Motors America. It’s kind of shocking and not good for Kia Motors at all!
Acording to Addweek article, Ian Beavis, Kia’s top marketer, has left the company, along with CEO Len Hunt.
Kia’s Top Marketer Beavis Leaves
Kia vp of marketing Ian Beavis has left the company, along with CEO Len Hunt.
No reason was been given far their joint departure. Company officials did not return calls. Sources said the two did not depart voluntarily.
The move comes several days after Byung Mo Ahn was named to the newly created position of chairman and group CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, the automotive plant currently under construction in West Point, Ga.
Ahn served as president and CEO of Kia Motors America, Fountain Valley, Calif., from 1999 through 2001.
Kia has spent more than $200 million in domestic measured media in each of the past two years, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
Beavis came to Kia in May 2005, six months after leaving Mitsubishi. He was responsible for all marketing, advertising and product planning.
Beavis’ first move was to form an integrated marketing unit with its primary agency, davidandgoliath, Los Angeles, called dngideation. Then he launched a campaign stressing the value proposition of Kia. That was quickly followed by a contest in which consumers could submit video “automotive bill of rights” ideas at a dedicated Web site encouraged in broadcast spots by a hyperbolic pitchman.
Most recently, he cemented a partnership with the NBA that, he said, took two years to get done.
Beavis above all brought humor to the brand, which was fighting a perception of inferior quality as well as a reputation for bland styling when he arrived.
“At the top, it is kind of an assumption at Korean automakers that your tenure will be short,” said Todd Turner, principal analyst at Car Concepts, Thousand Oaks, Calif. “But for a marketing executive to get blown out is very unusual, because his talent was so obvious. Everything he did was humorous, fun, intelligent, and never bowed to a level of cheapness. Those things were all critical for Kia to build the value of its brand.”
New models with more design flair such as the Rondo and Sorento crossovers and the upcoming Berrago SUV aimed to attract new buyers to the brand, also lured by a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty and a low price point.
Kia sales rose 11 percent to 305,473 under Beavis, per AutoData, Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
In an interview with Brandweek last month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Beavis outlined plans for the year, which included an increase in the ad budget, including broadcast, while keeping print spending flat.
“We have discipline for what we want to do,” he said. “There are so many emerging platforms, and we will fine-tune our offerings. I’m a media agnostic. I don’t have to have anything, and people’s consumption changes.”
He also outlined a remodel of the Kia Web site and a dedicated Hispanic site. Of his approach to the consumer, Beavis said: “We don’t scream at you. We bring charm and a light touch.”
Hunt came to Kia in October 2005 from Volkswagen, where he was evp for the brand’s North American operations.
Beavis’ agency background includes stints as president and CEO of FCB in San Francisco and Seattle. He also worked as an svp at Bozell, Detroit, on the DaimlerChrysler account and at Saatchi & Saatchi on Toyota. A native Australian, he started as a marketing communications manager at Lincoln Mercury. [Source: Addweek]
February 11th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Damn…that’s no good! I mean how can you fire such a great CEO as Len Hunt is???
February 11th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I guess that leaves Butthead to run the company. I have a 2007 Kia Sorento that is a steaming pile of fail. I’ve never had a worse car in my life, including the 10+ year old car that I traded in to get this sack of crap.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:07 am
I think this warrants a much stronger response than “damn”, himi ! Although we don`t know too much, and perhaps never will, this smacks of real dissension and strongly divided opinion at Exec levels of the company . Holds potential for REAL PROBLEMS going forward. I personally thought that Hunt in particular contributed strongly to the leadership team, Really wonder what is going on ? Not goog at all.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:27 am
It’s been now officially announced that KMA has got a new president: http://www.kiamedia.com/secure/corporate020508.html
February 12th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I concur. Bad news. pretty much cancels my plan to buy a Soul
February 12th, 2008 at 12:53 am
This is news that I would call disturbing. I was under the impression that Kia was on a roll. Is Kia’s CEO in S.Korea gonna explain this gargantuan explosion to all of us within the next 48 hours? Maybe? Man, I thought things were rolling well enough along, too.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:17 am
w wilson: Why would you cancle to buy the SOul???
It’s still the same great vehicle as before.
Don’t get me wrong wilson, but your statement sounds uncommon. It’s like I’d say: “I’ll stop writing a blog because of this”…
February 12th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Yeah Bryan, I thought that too. Kia had a perfect team before this move was made.
Len Hunt and Ian beavies were the right persons Kia needs at the moment. Someone with great experiences in an automotive business and a strong character that is capable of leading the KIA team.
Let’s just hope Kia Korea doesn’t fire Peter Schreyer out of the blue one day!!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Who the hell would fire Peter Schreyer? And Gerri, what is wrong with the Sorento?
February 12th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Himi, I don`t follow your thinking here. Correct me if I`m wrong – don`t think Kia has YET announced who the new Pres of KMA will be ? Appears to me that Mo Ahn needs to make that announcement yet as part of his new oversight position in America ? Unless Ahn intends to consolidate so that there are no sparate Pres for HMA and/or KMMG ? Maybe that`s what`s going on- a conslidation, power grab loosing two Pres positions ?
February 12th, 2008 at 9:42 am
i am absolutely pissed off at kia right now and im not going to hide my feelings. period. what the f*** were they thinking?!? they had better come up with a good reason by TOMORROW or else they have lost a very loyal fan. they are absolute idiots and i wish len and ian luck in their future careers.
they better not burn and crash becauseof this.
February 12th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Yesterday news was a bit confusing and shocking at the same time. If you want to know more about managment moves I have posted updated story on our forums. Just follow the link to get the latest news: http://www.kia-world.net/forum//showthread.php?tid=288&pid=4511#pid4511
February 12th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
What the F***? Kia was doing so good in america coz of these guys. wonder what they were thinking???
February 12th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
If Kia had bad sales, then I’d understand the need for new CEO and other staff, but hey, Kia is on rise in America. The company has never been better positioned in the US market and with those new exciting models coming out in the near future they can do even better.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
yeah, guess you’re right. we need someone like len hunt for Kia here… to participate in dubai’s motorshows and advertise Kia well.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I can’t believe they got rid of a former exc. from Audi and he choosen to work with Kia over Rolls Royce.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:51 am
whoa! didnt know that.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:35 am
This is not good. They seemed to have big plans for KIA. I still would work for KIA, but these guys brought hope to a brand that many overlook and them joining KIA kind of made me consider them even more.
February 18th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Insted of appointing new CEOs every 3-6 months, Kia needs stable leadership to achive their high goals. I still think this was a big mistke from Kia Korea…. but let the new KMA’s CEO prove me wrong!
February 18th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
And those commercials were funny, most them anyway. I guess when you appoint British or American CEO’s to a company that is flat-out South Korean, there exists a chance that misunderstandings can develop. Cultural differences is all. But that IMHO, is not a good reason to can good leaders. I agree, himi, this Top Dawg lost it big-time on this move and to be honest, it diminishes my love towards Kia and lands my interest on fave Mitsubishi of Japan. Think about it, talk about needing to lighten up. That is rude and nasty treatment of two hard working guys and firings and layoffs are seriously overrated sometimes.