FIVE QUESTIONS WITH...

Ken Bracht, Land Rover North America's New Communications Manager

Ken Bracht reckons he was "dipped in green" – that’s Land Rover “green” – back in the late 1990s when he was able to drive Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover models as part of his market research job with then‑owners, BMW of North America. Now, after 14 years with the German car maker, that included stints in product planning, media buying and event marketing, Bracht, joins Land Rover North America as its new Communications Manager.

1. So what does this new job involve?

My new position with Land Rover pretty much involves every facet of marketing communications. It’s influencing all the national advertising – the print campaigns, the TV and the digital work. It’s working on the creative for our retailers and it’s also about coming up with fresh ways of reaching out to new Land Rover customers and deciding on which mediums we use to communicate with them.

2. So, this is a good time for you to be joining Land Rover?

There couldn’t be a better time to join the brand. My team really has the opportunity to influence the way the all‑new 2012 Range Rover Evoque is launched in the U.S. this fall. I’m also joining a team that’s essentially new to Land Rover. We have managers who, like me, have joined the company literally in the past couple of months, from the likes of Porsche, Lexus, BMW and Mercedes‑Benz. They’re bringing a fresh perspective to the brand.

3. What do you feel is the biggest story to tell about the new Range Rover Evoque as a marketer?

I think we have a lot of great stories to tell. Naturally, there’s the design story; this is a very cool and unique looking vehicle. There’s the performance story; 240 hp with class‑leading fuel economy. There is also the sustainability story, with the use of composites and recycled materials and there is the story of its immense breadth of capability. In only my second week at this new job, I was able to go to the UK and drive a new Range Rover Evoque prototype and came away hugely impressed.

4. There’s a lot of competition out there in the premium compact SUV market. Do you have the budgets to make a noise?

We’re a relatively small company so we have to outsmart our competition, not outspend them, however in the auto industry, its all about the product. The designers have given us such a brilliant design with the new Range Rover Evoque, that we're confident we'll break some new ground in the luxury SUV segment.

5. We hear you have some history with British car brands.

My father was always into British cars and I was literally born into them. As a new‑born, I was brought home from the hospital in the footwell of my dad’s Morgan Plus 4 sports car. I took my driving test in a classic Jaguar XJ6C coupe and, of course, one day I would like to drive a Land Rover Defender 90 off‑road and use it as it was meant to be used.