Hankook Tire boosts global ad efficiency with AI, wins Google award

[Financial News] Hankook Tire won an award at a digital marketing ceremony organized by Google for its global search advertising strategy using artificial intelligence (AI). The company was recognized for identifying around 20,000 new search keywords with AI and applying them in 27 countries around the world, improving ad efficiency by double digits. It is seen as strengthening its push into global markets through marketing tailored to consumer characteristics in each country.
Hankook Tire & Technology Co., Ltd. announced on the 12th that it had won the advertiser track in the Global Growth category at the 2026 Google Ads Impact Awards. It was also named a finalist in the AI Excellence category.
The Google Ads Impact Awards recognizes advertisers and advertising agencies that have achieved business results and marketing innovation by using Google's AI-powered advertising solutions. Entries are evaluated comprehensively on advertising performance and scalability, use of AI technology, and campaign measurement systems, among other criteria. Winners are selected in five categories after an initial review by an external organization and a final review by a Google Korea judging panel.
Hankook Tire received high marks for using AI to analyze market conditions and consumer characteristics in each country and tailoring its search advertising strategy accordingly. In 27 countries around the world, it ran search keywords and advertising content that took into account key vehicle types, climate and driving conditions, and the timing of tire demand.
In particular, the company introduced AI-powered ad operations in the U.S. market to identify potential customers and new demand that had been difficult to detect using conventional search methods. A key example was its development of around 20,000 new long-tail keywords reflecting consumers' specific search intent.
Hankook Tire expanded its advertising strategy, tested in the U.S. market, to 27 countries around the world. As a result, global advertising efficiency and customer behavior indicators improved by double digits compared with the same period a year earlier. The shift away from one-size-fits-all advertising toward strategies responsive to demand in each country translated into tangible marketing results.
The company also built its own platform to respond to changes in the AI search environment. The monitoring system analyzes how often the Hankook Tire brand is mentioned and its official website is cited in generative AI search results. By linking the information it gathers to its existing search advertising strategy, the company is expanding its AI-powered digital marketing efforts.
Last year, Hankook Tire also won awards in three categories at the 2025 Korea Digital Advertising Awards, including the Grand Prix, the top honor. The company plans to further expand its digital marketing to reflect the characteristics of individual global markets and strengthen its capabilities in AI-powered advertising.
Meanwhile, Hankook Tire sells tires in around 160 countries worldwide and generates at least 85% of its total revenue from overseas markets. It continues to pursue local markets through four regional headquarters around the world and around 30 overseas branches.
[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter