Kia Changes Global Store Designs to Reflect "New Brand"

Kia Store Dongtan Station Branch

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] Kia announced on the 17th that it will significantly change the design of its global sales bases, reflecting the new brand strategy unveiled earlier this year.

Kia explained that it established design standards by reflecting its new brand strategy, which aims to inspire and provide comfort to customers' lives through innovative products and services, in the customer touchpoint called ‘space’.

First, the company renamed the sales exhibition spaces previously called 'showroom' or 'exhibition hall' as ‘Kia Store’. In the era of electrification, Kia emphasized that the ‘Kia Store’ will be configured as an innovative customer experience space that offers personalized customer services and, furthermore, allows customers to experience various mobility options.

The Kia Store applies Kia’s new design philosophy, Opposites United, which is a creative fusion of contrasting concepts. Through Opposites United, the Kia Store is divided into an exhibition zone and a customer zone, creating contrasting atmospheres.

The exhibition zone, where customers can actually encounter Kia’s products, is designed with neutral colors to evoke a futuristic feel. Throughout the exhibition zone, steel-like materials are used to reflect light, making the vehicles stand out more and maximizing the sense of openness in the space.

The customer zone, where customers can comfortably relax and experience the Kia brand, is designed as a warm space with a minimal and natural sensibility by utilizing wood tones.

Inside the Kia Store, furniture and sofas are made of softer, textured materials. A premium lounge where customers can view vehicles within the exhibition zone and a multipurpose bar table where customers can freely find information about the vehicles are also provided.

Kia applied a pilot version of the Kia Store at the Dongtan Station branch in February and conducted a trial operation for about four months. Going forward, the design standards will be sequentially applied to approximately 7,000 domestic and overseas stores.

Artur Martins, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Customer Experience Division, said, “We developed these design standards to improve the inconveniences customers felt when visiting traditional car dealerships and to create a space where customers and the brand can communicate.” He added, “Through the ‘Kia Store,’ we will strive to provide customers with meaningful and convenient experiences throughout the car purchasing process.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.