Subaru Ex-CEO: How Tom Doll Transformed Subaru into a 'Cult Brand'

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Tom Doll, Ex-CEO of Subaru of America where we discuss: How Tom Doll transformed Subaru into a cult brand, Guiding explosive growth over two decades, Why a larger US population does not equal more vehicle sales and much more.

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Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:27 - Tom’s career and background
00:05:29 - What was Subaru’s perception when you started 40 years ago?
00:08:00 - How were you able to achieve such success within specific markets?
00:10:36 - Inside Subaru’s marketing strategy
00:15:34 - Do you consider Subuaru a marketing or manufacturing company?
00:17:50 - How do you view your retailers?
00:22:44 - Wanting retailers to win
00:27:04 - Why don’t other manufacturers view retailers as a partner?
00:32:16 - How are consumer preferences changing?
00:35:48 - What opportunities or threats do you see in the future for retailers over the next decade?
00:43:52 - Tom’s life post-Subaru
00:45:35 - Closing advice

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