When the Genesis brand was first introduced to Canada, it strived to set itself apart from the traditional dealership experience with an out-of-the-box approach to customer service and the sales process. Fast-forward to 2024, and Genesis plans to distinguish itself even further with the launch of its “Centred Around You” campaign.
“We’re a seven-year-old brand, so we’re still very young,” says Eric Marshall, Director of Genesis Motors Canada. “But when we did launch the brand, our intention was really to create something different in the automotive space and to focus on the guest experience.”
Marshall says that Genesis was determined to understand consumer pain points and then eliminate them by setting higher standards for their retail stores. “We don’t have dealers,” he explains. “We have a direct-sales business model. Genesis Canada owns all the inventory, and this allows us to price the product, display it online, and be very transparent.”
This transparency, Marshall argues, is what allows Genesis to offer a better customer experience. “You don’t have to spend time negotiating,” he adds. “Instead, you spend more time learning about the product and the great experiences that come with it.”
On the service side of the ownership experience, all Genesis vehicles come with five years of complimentary maintenance and valet service. This means Genesis staff picks up and drops off vehicles whenever they need to be serviced, which saves Genesis owners a lot of time.
Centred Around You Campaign
The brand’s recently announced “Centred Around You” campaign is an educational endeavour that aims to amplify a core message: Genesis is different from other automotive brands.
“We want to educate the general public that Genesis Canada isn’t just a traditional automotive company,” Marshall explains. “We want to make sure people are aware that they should expect more from the brand. They should expect an elevated experience. We want people to know that we will treat them differently and try to give them back their time. That’s what it’s all about.”
Forbes Travel Guide
Genesis has partnered with Forbes Travel Guide in a bid to continue improving customer service. “They’re experts when it comes to hospitality,” Marshall explains. “We wanted to create a different experience for our guests in our facilities and we wanted to transform the environment, including what our guests hear and smell.”
Working with Forbes Travel Guide, Genesis wants to improve the retail and service experience to the point where it mirrors the level of hospitality consumers enjoy and expect when staying at a five-star hotel, dining at a top-rated restaurant, or flying in business class.
Forbes Travel Guide is providing Genesis retailers with a list of standards they need to implement and the training they need to raise the bar on customer experience to the point where they can be considered Forbes Travel Guide-approved. “It’s going to make us stand out versus the competition,” Marshall adds, “and deliver something different for our guests.”
Genesis GV80 Coupe
Genesis announced the debut of the “Centred Around You” campaign on the same day it introduced the 2025 GV80 Coupe to the Canadian market. “The GV80 Coupe is really part of this message because the product is always centred around the guest,” Marshall explains. “And in this case, it’s also a design statement on behalf of the company, announcing that we are now stepping into a more emotive and emotional design.”
According to John Krsteski, Senior Chief Designer of Genesis North America, the sleek GV80 Coupe is based on the GV80 SUV. “When we designed the SUV, we knew there was always going to be an opportunity at some point to do a coupe version of it,” he explains. “Just because you need an SUV, you don’t have to give up the sense of sportiness. With the GV80 Coupe, we wanted to give consumers a sports car within an SUV.”
Available later this year, the GV80 Coupe promises to be as sporty as it looks, thanks in part to a new engine that produces 400 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, which peaks at a mere 1,300 rpm. “This 3.5-litre engine is exclusive to the Coupe,” Krsteski adds. “So you’re not just buying great looks. You’re buying performance as well.”
