Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc. got a jump start on the new year by holding its 2012 Kumho Tires Dealer Meeting in Costa Rica, Central America, Dec. 8-12, 2011.
No new products were announced. Rick Brennan, vice president of marketing, told the dealers in attendance that electronics are changing the world and changing the way people shop. As a result, Kumho is looking at ways to tap into that as a retailing tool.
He also says a number of things bode well for tire dealers. "Consumer confidence in the economy is going up. November 2011 was the best auto sales month since the 'Cash for Clunkers' program in August, 2009. The U.S. economy grew 2% in 2011, and the same is expected for 2012."
Brennan added that the number of SKUs is going up, "and people are keeping their cars longer,' which are also positives for dealers.
Kumho's marketing efforts are evolving. The company plans to continue relying on sports marketing in a big way in 2012 (see "Kumho campaigns for more dealer interaction in 2012").
"In 2010, we began a new focus on sports marketing," says CEO and President J.B. Kim. "Our commitment to change is not over."
