Hyundai Falls Out Of Love With U.S. Marketing Chief Evans - Hey Dean Wanna Join Our Team????

President's Note: Hey Dean Wanna Join The Auto Channel Team? bgordon@theautochannel.com

October 18, 2019; Hyundai Motor America’s announced that Dean Evans, is leaving the Korean automaker after “four highly successful years” .

Brian Smith, the COO of Hyundai’s U.S. arm, will take over Evans’ duties on an interim basis.

“Hyundai is greatly appreciative to Dean for his contributions,” the automaker said in an emailed statement. “Under his guidance we’ve consistently produced some of the best and most memorable Super Bowl advertising and have modernized our digital marketing and lead generation activities.”

In a July interview with Automotive News from his office at Hyundai’s Southern California headquarters, Evans said the rise of the Internet as a central force in consumers’ daily lives has shifted much the responsibility for generating auto sales to the marketing team. That’s because buyers go online before they decide which brands to consider and which showrooms to visit.

“I think it’s helped that I’m an old man now,” he said. “I’ve been in the business for 30 years, and I’ve had a very diversified experience at retail. I was lucky that I was at retail when digital just started. I’m not just the TV ad guy here. I’m over in the sales department telling them how to sell cars — or influencing that.”