Leadership Change at Genesis Worldwide

[Curt@MSN]

Saw this just hit the PR wire: Hyundai Motor replaces head of premium Genesis brand

 

[Cactus99]

Well, g-d knows it needs a vision and a leader. It seems like it is on auto pilot with no apparent destination...

 

[RCH04]

Well, g-d knows it needs a vision and a leader. It seems like it is on auto pilot with no apparent destination...

Things sure do seem this way. It's a good thing they have very good cars, with SUV's coming sometime, otherwise, Genesis is still in the minor leagues as far as luxury dealerships and buyer experience goes.

 

[Ann L.]

Hyundai Motor <005380.KS> on Tuesday named its former North American chief, William Lee, to oversee its premium Genesis brand following the departure of Manfred Fitzgerald to pursue new opportunities.

Lee faces the challenge of rejuvenating Genesis sales in the U.S. market and making headway in Europe and China, both tough markets to crack for luxury car sales.

"The company expects Mr. Lee, in his new capacity, to lead the brand's further global expansion by leveraging his overseas business operations expertise," Hyundai said in a statement.

"North America is an imperative market for the Genesis brand," it added.

The news follows the appointment this month of Mark Del Rosso, a former president of Audi America, to oversee Genesis operations in North America.

Genesis U.S. sales halved to 10,312 last year, although sales have picked up this year. The United States is the biggest overseas market for Genesis, which generated 72% of its sales in South Korea last year.

Before his stint at Hyundai Motor North America, Lee oversaw Hyundai's Brazil operations and the U.S. unit of advertising arm Innocean Worldwide <214320.KS>.

Hyundai said in a recent earnings conference call that it has set up Genesis sales operations for China and Europe.

Hyundai Motor Group's heir apparent Euisun Chung introduced the Genesis brand in November 2015, bringing in Fitzgerald, a former Lamborghini executive, a few months later to help the automaker shed its value for money image.

 

[rxnov]

I highly doubt Genesis will succeed if they do not have their own independent dealerships. No matter how great their products are, or whoever the leader is, those mean nothing if Genesis still uses Hyundai dealerships to sell and service their cars.

 

[pulsar]

I highly doubt Genesis will succeed if they do not have their own independent dealerships. No matter how great their products are, or whoever the leader is, those mean nothing if Genesis still uses Hyundai dealerships to sell and service their cars.

Don’t disagree Genesis has its challenges. I’m irritated I have not even seen a Hyundai dealer with a Genesis sign on their building. If Hyundai dealers are too freaken cheap they won’t spring for a sign, they should not be selling the brand. It’s no wonder the brand doesn’t have the recognition it deserves when the average Joe won’t even know where to buy one.

 

[G-362567]

Don’t disagree Genesis has its challenges. I’m irritated I have not even seen a Hyundai dealer with a Genesis sign on their building. If Hyundai dealers are too freaken cheap they won’t spring for a sign, they should not be selling the brand. It’s no wonder the brand doesn’t have the recognition it deserves when the average Joe won’t even know where to buy one.

The BIG Hyundai dealer near me doesn't have any Genesis signs on their building either. Just a couple of sandwich board-type signs out in the parking near the street. Very easy to miss.

 

[RCH04]

Don’t disagree Genesis has its challenges. I’m irritated I have not even seen a Hyundai dealer with a Genesis sign on their building. If Hyundai dealers are too freaken cheap they won’t spring for a sign, they should not be selling the brand. It’s no wonder the brand doesn’t have the recognition it deserves when the average Joe won’t even know where to buy one.

The BIG Hyundai dealership near me doesn't have any signs on their building either. Just a couple of sandwich board-type signs out near the street that look like they were locally made . Very easy to miss.

 

[EdP]

It’s no wonder the brand doesn’t have the recognition it deserves when the average Joe won’t even know where to buy one.

Buy one? Many people have still not heard of the brand yet let alone want to buy one. They really have to step up the advertising so people at least become aware of the existence of the brand.

 

[Curt@MSN]

TL;DR - This poorly executed brand launch will make for a good MBA thesis.

The situation with the signage is exactly the same with our dealer in Madison, WI. In addition to owning the Hyundai (2 locations) and sole Genesis co-location they also own the ONLY Mercedes, Porsche/Audi and BMW dealerships in Madison. To some extent given the cash cow that that those three German brands represent to the owners I do wonder if they are concerned about cannibalization with the Genesis product. They have ZERO external signage at the co-location with Hyundai. I haven't walked around the inside of the (new) location yet but in a slow drive by there is nothing to indicate other than Genesis stock in the lot that they even sell something called a Genesis.

Full disclosure: I owned a Hyundai Genesis purchased from them but wrecked it unfortunately and now drive a 2016 A7 that they have all done on the service work on. My wife is very interested in a GV80 for her next vehicle and assuming we buy one I'm sure we'll buy it from them - but I honestly feel like I'm doing the majority of the work to research and buy the car (and maybe that's normal). I felt that same way on our original Hyundai Genesis. Other than the service writer who handled it the remainder of the dealership staff really didn't know anything about the car.

It COULD be worse....when I originally wrecked my Genesis I tried to buy a replacement G80 Sport at another dealership in the Milwaukee area as Zimbrick was not handling them at all back then when they transitioned to the Genesis brand. That dealer's "Genesis Brand Specialist" was an absolute joke....I eventually gave up and ended up in my current A7.

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[RCH04]

We were looking for a replacement for our 2016 A6 (great car BTW) and looked at the 2019 G80 but this was during the mess when dealerships weren't getting any cars. By the time more cars became available it was getting too close to the 2020's so we postponed our Genesis search and got something else. Next time though the G80 or GV80 will be on our radar.