Sue Svatik, brand manager of the Lincoln LS series and Navigator, worked in advertising and marketing for Lincoln Mercury in Southern California from 1993-96. She spoke with Staff Reporter Frank S. Washington on Friday, May 1, in the Detroit of fice of Young & Rubicam, Lin coln Mercury's advertising agency.
What did living in California do for you?
Everywhere you go there is something new. There is a rich cultural diversity there that you don't have elsewhere in the coun try. It fosters an experimental state of mind.
How did living in California help you as a brand manager?
It is one of the great est automo tive markets in the world. The import penetration there is huge. So it really taught me a lot about what people feel about their cars.
Did you learn anything there that you applied to the LS?
I used to think in terms of tang i bles. What does this product do? It has air conditioning, it has leather seats and on down the list. Now, I have a better under standing of the intangibles that connect a person to a brand.
What do you need most for the success of the LS?
Patience. We need to establish ourselves and prove that we have the function that we say we do and that we're a viable and credible product.
