Hyundai – Santa Fe

Andrew Sable • Chitra Sewsagur • I-Kai Chen • Juan-Francisco Rodriguez • Mohit Vij

Hyundai History

phase I (1980s): Pony, Excel, and Stellar

Phase II (1990s): "it’s nice ... for a Hyundai“

Phase III (2000 – present):

Hyundai – Santa Fe

Hyundai's best seller in the States in late 90s.

Santa Fe falls between a compact and midsize

crossover SUV, also known as CUV.

Sleek design.

Segmentation Process

Hyundai generally employs LifeMatrix, NOP World’s

segmentation1 that details the consumer landscape using

values, lifestyle, life stages and demographics.

Such research addresses three general areas of

questioning. 

• A product perspective 

• A consumer perspective

• A brand perception standpoint

However …..

SANTA FE…..

was born differently!!

Segmentation Process

Hyundai employed “Touch the Market” concept to

successfully find the potential buyers’ needs and

integrate them in the product development.2

Segmentation Process

Hyundai screened

numerous women to

identify those who fit

the demographic and

lifestyle description of

Glamour Moms,

their target customer

for the second

generation Santa Fe.

Segmentation Process

The R&D teams at

Hyundai synthesized

the data and developed

the Santa Fe concept:

Assertive Grace

Target Market

Eventually, Santa Fe's target market constituted of • practical buyers with limited means

• 60 percent of whom were males

• who placed a high priority on hardware and appearance and

• who could not afford the premium brands but

• liked to make a statement.

Precisely it was a broad customer base of• in the age category of 25-40

• urban class with safety and comfort as prime orientation.

• young professionals or

• entrepreneurs who want a spacious yet elegant vehicle

Market PotentialSanta Fe, as a promising CUV is aiming at Masses

Positioning Statement

Shouldn’t we expect more from CUVs? Shouldn’t

they be as safe as they are practical, as fleet as they

are rugged?

Awards:• Insurance Institiute for Highway Safety’s

Top Safety Pick Award 2007

• JD Powers award for the top quality

non-luxury car 2007.

Santa Fe versus Land Rover

Communication

Clear and unambiguous in communicating their

positioning statement recently

Santa Fe versus a known prestigous and high quality

SUV in the Land Rover

Well rounded SUV with high quality at a reasonable price

You can’t win Everything!

Santa Fe's positioning statement and competitors

Toyota RAV-4: "No matter how you define performance,

Toyota Canada's 2008 RAV4 re-defines it"

Honda CRV: “Something new to crave.”

Hyundai Santa Fe: Same level of quality and best safety

feature for a lower price

Evolution of Positioning statements

2002 : “The thinking person’s SUV”

2004 : “Stylish SUV”

2006 : “Flexible, Agile and for whatever shape life takes”

“Refresh, rejuvenate and a welcome respite from the everyday”

2007 : "Presenting a new reference, recipient of the Insurance

Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award for 2007

and thoughtfully designed to pursue adventure while giving up

nothing to performance. Think about it.”

Recommendation

Be consistent with its positioning statement

• Standardized slogan and advertisement

Clear defined differentiating strategy

Apply “touch the market” qualitative method to new and

existing product

Q & A period

Appendix1. Source : http://www.mediamark.com/mri/TheSource/sorc2005_03.htm

2. Source: http://www.pdma.org/visions/june07/cover-story.php