SUV sellers pin hopes on new hires ; Land Rover, Isuzu sign up big guns in marketing to boost sagging sales.(Jon Williams last week joined Land Rover of North America)(Brief Article)

Advertising Age, March, 2001 by Halliday, Jean

Two sport-utility marketers suffering sales declines have hired new top marketing executives.

Jon Williams, 33, last week joined Land Rover of North America as VP-marketing from parent Ford Motor Co., where he was North American truck and SUV strategy manager for the Ford brand. Rick Balsiger joins American Isuzu Motors as VP-marketing from Mazda North American Operations. He had been brand marketing director.

Mr. Willams succeeds Jim Selwa, who left in January. Mr. Balsiger follows Gary Tucker, who resigned last week.

Land Rover and Isuzu vehicle sales in the first two months of 2001 slid by 35% and 24%, respectively, vs. the same period a year ago. Both have limited ad budgets. In the first 11 months of 2000, Land Rover spent $38 million...

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