Kia Marketing Strategy
ABSTRACT
Rapid advancement of technology (media, communication and transport) plays a crucial role in connecting the world’s economy. This had leaded the consumers today to have a higher expectation than ever before. Consumers can now experience the products manufactured by another country from another part of the world which made the competition of an industry to go global. Consequently, the task to penetrate into a new market had become tougher. Marketers confront disputes as they try to establish a strong brand name. This can be obviously seen in established markets like the UK automotive market. UK automotive market consists of numerous well established brands. It requires a lot of efforts and capital from new organizations to overtake the awareness and brand loyalty that exist for the established brands. This case study illustrate how a South Korean auto maker Kia Motors Corporation, has used its strategic marketing planning to develop its brand recognition in the UK automotive market.
Kia Motors Corporation founded in the year 1944 and one of the oldest manufacturers of motor vehicles in South Korea. Kia Motors initiated with manufacturing of bicycles and motorcycles, grow as a part of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group to become the world’s fifth largest vehicles manufacturer. Kia Motors has 14 manufacturing and assembly plants in 8 countries. These vehicles are sold and serviced through a network of more than 3,000 distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia invested one billion Euros in the construction of a brand-new manufacturing plant in Zilina, Slovakia. This plant became operational at the end of 2006. Today the manufacturing plant manufactures 292,000 units annually (KIA, 2012) compared to 144,078 in the year 2007 (KIA, 2007).
Position of KIA Motors in the market via SWOT Analysis
Strength
-Attractive design
Kia Motors had established exclusive family-look vehicles by enhancing Kia’s unique and brilliant design. It gives Kia an instant
Rapid advancement of technology (media, communication and transport) plays a crucial role in connecting the world’s economy. This had leaded the consumers today to have a higher expectation than ever before. Consumers can now experience the products manufactured by another country from another part of the world which made the competition of an industry to go global. Consequently, the task to penetrate into a new market had become tougher. Marketers confront disputes as they try to establish a strong brand name. This can be obviously seen in established markets like the UK automotive market. UK automotive market consists of numerous well established brands. It requires a lot of efforts and capital from new organizations to overtake the awareness and brand loyalty that exist for the established brands. This case study illustrate how a South Korean auto maker Kia Motors Corporation, has used its strategic marketing planning to develop its brand recognition in the UK automotive market.
Kia Motors Corporation founded in the year 1944 and one of the oldest manufacturers of motor vehicles in South Korea. Kia Motors initiated with manufacturing of bicycles and motorcycles, grow as a part of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group to become the world’s fifth largest vehicles manufacturer. Kia Motors has 14 manufacturing and assembly plants in 8 countries. These vehicles are sold and serviced through a network of more than 3,000 distributors and dealers covering 172 countries. Kia invested one billion Euros in the construction of a brand-new manufacturing plant in Zilina, Slovakia. This plant became operational at the end of 2006. Today the manufacturing plant manufactures 292,000 units annually (KIA, 2012) compared to 144,078 in the year 2007 (KIA, 2007).
Position of KIA Motors in the market via SWOT Analysis
Strength
-Attractive design
Kia Motors had established exclusive family-look vehicles by enhancing Kia’s unique and brilliant design. It gives Kia an instant