Nissan steals Hyundai's Marketing Guru

[YEH]

Nissan -- which is simultaneously trying juice sales its current lineup and sell Americans on its upcoming Leaf all-electric ride -- has stolen Hyundai's marketing guru, Joel Ewanick. He'll oversee all marketing for Nissan brand vehicles and starts Monday. Nissan predecessor Christian Meunier was shipped out to run Nissan Brazil (OK, that's not exactly being sent to run the Fargo office).

Ewanick brought us the Hyundai Assurance Plan -- lose your job, you can return the car -- which hit directly on what potential buyers most worried about in the recession and helped

Hyundai grow sales last year while the industry collapsed. Last summer, again thinking of the customer's wants, he offered buyers buck-49 gas for year.

Most of all, he aggressively kept trying to sell cars -- what a plan! -- when most everyone else went to the mattresses in bunker mode. When the other guys pulled back on big-event, high-profile advertising, Ewanick put Hyundai center-stage in the Super Bowl -- where the Assurance Plan rolled out -- and the Academy awards.

Result: Hyundai grew market share (from about 3% to 4.4% as of February, according to Autodata) and sales through the industry depression in 2009 and it's still on a roll in 2010. As sales grew so did Ewanick's rep: He was named 2009 Market of the Year by trade journal Advertising Age. To be fair to the competition, it didn't hurt that Hyundai was giving him a steady stream of significantly improved and brand-new models.

"We'll definitely miss him. He made a lot of great contributions, but having said that we have good bench strength in our marketing department," Hyundai spokesman Chris Perry told Automotive News as the company named Ewanick deputy Chris Perry interim head of marketing.

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...teals-hyundais-star-car-seller-joel-ewanick/1

W/ Nissan and Mercedes (to name a couple) hiring away key Hyundai personnel, Hyundai must be doing something right.

 

[dataguy]

That's too bad, but he did his job well and set Hyundai on good footing in the marketplace. He also has made the rounds to many firms, so I suspect that he wasn't going to stay at HMA for long.

 

[ajls09873]

Wtf.

 

[flyboy2]

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...teals-hyundais-star-car-seller-joel-ewanick/1

W/ Nissan and Mercedes (to name a couple) hiring away key Hyundai personnel, Hyundai must be doing something right.

YEH I still have my tux on. When are we going to refresh your Dad so you can buy a Genesis? 242 posts and counting? Everyone's anxious. In 2010 the World is ending. Hope you buy one by then. Please respond. everyone's talking--

 

[flyboy2]

Please call your representatives in Washington to stop this unconstitutional Health Bill. Obama is insane and must be stopped.

YEH-- Sorry for stealing your thread.

 

[ASHDUMP]

Please call your representatives in Washington to stop this unconstitutional Health Bill. Obama is insane and must be stopped.

You got this part right.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

This doesn't belong in the Genesis Sedan forum...
Please...
Post topics in the proper forum...

 

[YEH]

YEH I still have my tux on. When are we going to refresh your Dad so you can buy a Genesis? 242 posts and counting? Everyone's anxious. In 2010 the World is ending. Hope you buy one by then. Please respond. everyone's talking.

See there is a resident Jay Leno (about as funny as Leno as well).

You should get someone else to write your material b/c it blows.

Please call your representatives in Washington to stop this unconstitutional Health Bill. Obama is insane and must be stopped. .

Apparently, you don't understand the Constitution as well.

This doesn't belong in the Genesis Sedan forum...
Please...
Post topics in the proper forum...

Maybe a separate Hyundai/Kia or auto news section is in order (or at least changing the name of this section)?