We want to establish Kia as a brand with young and vibrant spirit: Head of Marketing and Sales, India
Kia Motors will launch their first product in India in 2019. Manohar Bhatt talks about the brand’s plan for the country, its marketing strategy and more
Kia Motors India is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation, the South Korean Automobile manufacturer – the 8th largest in the world. The brand, which has a presence in over 180 countries, will bring their first SUV in India by the second half of 2019.
According to the company, “India is the only market that they had not explored.” And now, with their entry in India, the company aims to become the third largest car manufacturer in the world by 2020. Kia Motors has manufacturing facilities in the strategic markets of China, Europe, USA and Mexico.
To understand the company’s plan for India, we caught up with Manohar Bhatt, Head of Marketing and Sales, Kia India. Here’s the edited excerpts of the conversation:
Do you consider yourself a late entrant in the Indian market?
Yes, we may be a late entrant, but as our President H W Park says: ‘der aaye durust aaye” (we may have come late, but have come fully prepared). We view India as the next untapped market with huge potential and are confident that our US $1.1 billion investment in the 3 lakh-capacity car plant at Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) will result in a success, establishing Kia as one of the leading auto brands in India.
What will be your strategy to compete with Indian automobile giants like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai?
Worldwide, Kia has a clear product identity of being stylish, dynamic and smart. We are known for our stylish design and good quality that appeal to the young at heart. We will be leveraging these strengths to establish ourselves as a trend leader and innovative brand in India with a young and vibrant spirit. Our high-tech and stylish cars will occupy a premium positioning in India, which will be differentiated from the positioning of our competitors.
What growth potential do you see in India and what are your short-term goals?
The Indian market is growing rapidly and is forecast to be the world’s third largest market shortly. The idea behind setting up a plant here is to produce 3 lakh cars per annum for the domestic market. This will enable us to be one of the top players in India.
Right marketing and advertising approach is very crucial for any new brand. What will be your go-to marketing strategy for India?
Kia’s India debut at the Auto Expo created a lot of curiosity about the brand. We are building awareness through our experiential car drives and marketing campaigns. We are also leveraging our global tie-ups with international sports properties such as FIFA World Cup and Australian Open. For example, we just ran the Official Match Ball Carrier campaign during FIFA World Cup. We will keep engaging with the Indian consumers via a host of other similar interactive marketing initiatives.
Are you planning to rope in a brand ambassador as the face of the company to build trust among Indian consumers?
It is too early to comment on it.
The India government is aiming at full electric mobility by 2030? Do you see this goal turning into reality? If yes, how are you going to support the mission?
Kia already have competitive hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicle technologies. We are already selling electric and PHEVs in advanced markets such as Europe and America. Globally, Kia will continue to expand its range of environment-friendly cars in the coming years. We plan to offer a total of 16 electrified vehicles by 2025, including a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2020. We can introduce PHEVs, HEVs or electric cars in India depending on the customer demand, infrastructure availability and government policies.
According to the company, “India is the only market that they had not explored.” And now, with their entry in India, the company aims to become the third largest car manufacturer in the world by 2020. Kia Motors has manufacturing facilities in the strategic markets of China, Europe, USA and Mexico.
To understand the company’s plan for India, we caught up with Manohar Bhatt, Head of Marketing and Sales, Kia India. Here’s the edited excerpts of the conversation:
Do you consider yourself a late entrant in the Indian market?
Yes, we may be a late entrant, but as our President H W Park says: ‘der aaye durust aaye” (we may have come late, but have come fully prepared). We view India as the next untapped market with huge potential and are confident that our US $1.1 billion investment in the 3 lakh-capacity car plant at Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) will result in a success, establishing Kia as one of the leading auto brands in India.
What will be your strategy to compete with Indian automobile giants like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai?
Worldwide, Kia has a clear product identity of being stylish, dynamic and smart. We are known for our stylish design and good quality that appeal to the young at heart. We will be leveraging these strengths to establish ourselves as a trend leader and innovative brand in India with a young and vibrant spirit. Our high-tech and stylish cars will occupy a premium positioning in India, which will be differentiated from the positioning of our competitors.
What growth potential do you see in India and what are your short-term goals?
The Indian market is growing rapidly and is forecast to be the world’s third largest market shortly. The idea behind setting up a plant here is to produce 3 lakh cars per annum for the domestic market. This will enable us to be one of the top players in India.
Right marketing and advertising approach is very crucial for any new brand. What will be your go-to marketing strategy for India?
Kia’s India debut at the Auto Expo created a lot of curiosity about the brand. We are building awareness through our experiential car drives and marketing campaigns. We are also leveraging our global tie-ups with international sports properties such as FIFA World Cup and Australian Open. For example, we just ran the Official Match Ball Carrier campaign during FIFA World Cup. We will keep engaging with the Indian consumers via a host of other similar interactive marketing initiatives.
Are you planning to rope in a brand ambassador as the face of the company to build trust among Indian consumers?
It is too early to comment on it.
The India government is aiming at full electric mobility by 2030? Do you see this goal turning into reality? If yes, how are you going to support the mission?
Kia already have competitive hybrid, plug-in hybrid, battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicle technologies. We are already selling electric and PHEVs in advanced markets such as Europe and America. Globally, Kia will continue to expand its range of environment-friendly cars in the coming years. We plan to offer a total of 16 electrified vehicles by 2025, including a fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in 2020. We can introduce PHEVs, HEVs or electric cars in India depending on the customer demand, infrastructure availability and government policies.
