Next Monday is President's Day, and a lot of workers will get the day off. Some other employees, like former Kia execs Len Hunt, CEO of Kia Motors America, and Ian Beavis, VP of marketing, will have more than just the day off: they recently ended their employment with Kia over what's being portrayed as a case of humor that got lost in translation.
To promote its President's Day sale, the company ran an ad featuring "unheard of" President Millard Fillmore, "best remembered as the first president to have a running-water bathtub." Cue the segue into the "unheard of" deals that Kia dealers would be offering during the long weekend. And to commemorate the event and the president, Kia made soap-on-a-rope busts of Mr. Fillmore, some of which were handed out during a press event at the Chicago Auto Show. And, uh... yeah... that's it. Unheard-of president, unheard-of deals, and soap.
But Byung Mo Ahn, chairman and group CEO of Kia Motors America and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia -- and the man who hired and promoted Len Hunt -- apparently didn't find the soap-on-a-rope commercial that funny. Word is that Ahn wants more serious commercials focusing on Kia's quality. So even though Hunt and Beavis presided over a solid sales story and growing brand awareness, and Hunt was especially well-liked by dealers, the two men are now probably on their way to other automakers. And Kia commercials are about to get very boring. Our sympathies to Hunt and Beavis, yet if nothing else, at least now Millard Fillmore has another claim to fame. Thanks for the tip, Keith!
[Source: Ad Age]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
SPG @ Feb 13th 2008 3:40PM
Sounds like it could be a fun advertising campaign.
Or, could of.
I hate it when people can't take a joke.
Tyo @ Feb 13th 2008 3:42PM
Yes, becuase Hyundai's budget brand is oh so serious of a matter. They better not do anything interesting in their ads
Brandon @ Feb 13th 2008 3:42PM
I just can't believe the guy's name is Beavis.
fawgcutter @ Feb 13th 2008 3:46PM
more like obscure versus out of this world, no wonder Ahn couldn't get it.
13th president, responsible for sending Commodore Perry to Japan to open trade relationships with the U.S. So he was responsible for Hondas and Toyotas coming here. A little more influential than I thought...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millard_Fillmore
Taylor @ Feb 13th 2008 3:48PM
I knew something would go wrong with that commercial.
Adam @ Feb 13th 2008 3:49PM
Yeah, I bet.
JaysonAych @ Feb 13th 2008 3:50PM
It's truly a shame that the highers-up have that attitude. I thought the commercial was actually pretty funny, and pretty memorable for a "sales event" auto ad. And that "Flashdance" ad got a lot of positive press.
"People are talking well of our cars and ads, but they're not talking well in the right way."
Whatever.
Koko @ Feb 13th 2008 3:52PM
Cue the Beavis and Butthead laugh "huh huh huh"
Louis Duran @ Feb 13th 2008 3:52PM
SPG:
"Or, could of."
It's "Could have". COULD HAVE!
Dude @ Feb 13th 2008 3:53PM
Those ads were pure genius. Kia needs all the clever ads they can get. They are the Mercury of Hyundai Motors and lack vehicles that can't be had from their big brother Hyundai with a different grill and tail lights.
Gregg @ Feb 13th 2008 4:49PM
Certainly used to be that way. However, the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima no longer even share the same platform, much less any body panels or window glass. Same is true with the Azera and Amanti (though the Amanti is remarkable for being a pretty hopeless styling exercise). The CUvs may share platforms but not bodies. The mini-vans are the closest to each other. All in all, Kia has progressed much faster than Hyundai ever did in its early days here. Mercury is now alone in the US as the only division with nothing of its own and no reason to be, beyond supplying a few dealers with satin-chromed Fords.
GTX141 @ Feb 13th 2008 4:01PM
Hunt can't catch a break.
He inherits lame-duck VW in the US right at the height of their "quality problems", (talk about a lose-lose) then gets let go by Kia because he has a sense of humor.
Shame
iSpec @ Feb 13th 2008 4:06PM
The $800 million Hyundai Automotive Group is paying their ad company is no joke....but their recent commercials on the Superbowl and their 'Duh' and 'Think About It' campaigns are the head-scratchers of the industry. 'Soap on a Rope'..that's the best you can do for an $800 million dollar payday?
Will @ Feb 13th 2008 4:09PM
I hear his new job is co-driving for Tanner Faust... oh wait, that's Chrissie Beavis.
Dustin @ Feb 13th 2008 4:19PM
Exactly. It's a business decision, and I'm sure the CEO doesn't care if Autoblog understands it or not.
Dustin @ Feb 13th 2008 4:20PM
Why does the Reply button never seem to work anymore?
Greg @ Feb 13th 2008 4:31PM
Click on the timestamp then write in the reply box on that page. This has been detailed several times in the past week.
Vexorg @ Feb 13th 2008 4:20PM
It's the Kia Unemployed Vice-Presidents' Day Sale!
Gardiner Westbound @ Feb 13th 2008 4:23PM
Koreans are really serious people. Germans are downright cuddly compared to them.
Mike Homeniuk @ Feb 13th 2008 4:23PM
Yeah, more like Beavis & Hunthead!