Why People Are Searching for “Automotive Brand KN” Instead of “KIA”

Have you ever searched for an automotive brand and ended up with unexpected results? This might be the case for some people who are searching for “automotive brand KN” instead of “KIA.”

More than 30,000 people have searched for “KN” cars on Google, but there is no such brand; it is the new KIA logo that has caused the confusion.

KIA Motors, the South Korean car manufacturer, underwent a rebranding at the beginning of 2021 to give the company a new image as it began to specialize in the manufacture of electric vehicles.

Its new logo sought to show the innovation and technology of the units of the future and although it managed to look totally different from its predecessor, it also caused thousands of confusions among people.

Since 1994 and for more than 27 years, the brand’s logo remained practically intact. Because of its legible typography surrounded by an oval (mostly red), it was easily recognized among drivers and the general public.

In contrast, the company’s new badge has become so innovative that people cannot identify the brand it represents. There are even those who read ‘KN’ instead of ‘KIA’ and think it is a new car company.

On a monthly basis, it is estimated that at least 30,000 people in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom search for cars with the words SUV KN, car price KN or electric KN. Some also go as far as Googling: What is KN?

In March last year, when the rebranding had just been launched, search engines didn’t know what a KN-branded car was either. Today, however, they recognize the misspelling and return results for KIA Motors.
Do you think it was a mistake or a marketing strategy?