Cole Archer
Dr. Wolf
Marketing Management
17 February 2016
Repositioning to Success
Kia for years has been positioned as an affordable car brand. Recently in January 2015, it
launched a stream of ads in an effort to change their marketing position. Kia was where
value equaled affordability. Now they are positioning themselves with a different kind of
value to the consumer.
Kia Ads
Kia now uses phrases in its ads like “Premium feel” and “reliability, design, and
technology” . It is clear that the focus is not on price value but on quality. When Kia first
started producing cars in the US, the first thing most people thought was “cheap”. Why ?
Well, a brand new Kia car was about $7000 in the late 90’s when they first premiered per
se. I personally remember the ads on MTV in the 90’s back when MTV was cool and you
know, actually played music videos. The ads were for the little SUV they had and it was
aimed at teenagers. I think they were only about $12,000 in 1999 when I still watched
MTV.
The new Kia ads focus on “how does it feel to drive a Kia” and building an emotional
connection with consumers. It’s not just a car, it’s an experience ! Consumers perceptions
have indeed changed with the improvements in “styling” of the vehicle. However, this
higher quality means higher prices for the consumer at the end of the day. Will they pay up
? Can Kia leave the position it so comfortably held for years as an affordable car and move
