Mitsubishi Motors North America Names Kimberley Gardiner Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer

January 7, 2019 by Mitsubishi

CYPRESS, Calif. – Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today announced the appointment of Kimberley Gardiner to the newly created role of Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

Gardiner will have full responsibility for all marketing communications activities for MMNA in the United States, including print and digital advertising, creative development and deployment, strategic short- and long-range planning, and integration of global marketing messages for the brand's critical U. S. market. She will report to Mark Chaffin, chief operating officer for MMNA, and be located in the company's U. S. headquarters office in Cypress, Calif.

'Kimberley brings an enviable blend of analytical prowess, digital foresight and traditional advertising experience,' said Chaffin about the appointment. 'Mitsubishi Motors North America is coming off its best sales year since 2007, and our company is on a roll. New vehicles are coming quickly to our showrooms and our dealer partners are engaged and investing in their customers' experience; now is the time for creative, data-driven ways to tell our special brand story. There's so much good news at Mitsubishi today, and I know that Kimberley's impact on our marketing activities will be immediate, strong and lasting.'

Gardiner brings to Mitsubishi nearly 20 years of automotive industry marketing communications experience at Toyota, Scion and Lexus, and most recently with Kia. She has a proven record of delivering focused global digital strategy for the automotive industry, in order to align brands with the evolving purchasing habits of a tech-savvy customer. Since the launch of the Eclipse Cross and Outlander PHEV crossover SUV models, Mitsubishi dealers have seen younger and more affluent customers in their showrooms, and Gardiner's experience with these customers will be critical in crafting the brand's marketing messages for the future.