| Katayama understood the special bond that
exists between man and machine. Cars were his life. And as the son of an affluent
businessman, he came to understand that by being truthful and honest one could
successfully sell cars. In fact, Mr. K's consumer-first approach is at the very heart of
the company's mission to put perspective and current Nissan owners first. More than 35 years after Mr. Katayama first came here, the U.S. is
still a nation of "car lovers." Nissan's new, two-minute "Dream
Garage" commercial, and indeed the entire $200 million campaign, taps directly into
this deep-seated emotion.
In "Dream Garage," a mystical Japanese
character in a Datsun cap magically introduces the automaker's classic model entries,
accomplishments and company spirit to a wide-eyed young boy -- who embodies the car lover
in all of us.
This mystical character, representative of the company's
rich heritage, shares the same zest for living and the same love for cars as Mr. K.
Katayama holds a lofty place among auto industry greats.
He was the driving force behind the success of the 240Z. The stuff of industry legends, it
was the first dependable, affordable performance sports car ever sold in the U.S. and it
was Mr. K's baby. He designed it, got it built and sold it. The car, in the words of many
veteran dealers, made the franchise.
The "sports sedan" concept was virtually
invented by Mr. K, who introduced the Datsun 510. This car blew the doors off of
comparable BMWs in its day. And, now that pickups are routinely the biggest-selling
vehicles in the U.S., it is important to note that Mr. K and Datsun pioneered the small
pickup truck and King Cab more than 35 years ago.
An industry legend, Katayama is known for many things:
his skill at the gaming tables; love of kite-flying and dancing; his talent as a
watercolorist; and his need for speed -- he regularly received tickets for violating the
limit and, for years, was on a first-name basis with members of the local police force.
He is a people-person and his charisma is legendary -- as
is his love of Americana, from Stetson hats to barbecue and professional sports.
Most of all, Mr. K's many friends and associates admire
his respect for people, and his honesty and sincerity. Despite the demands of running a
major business, Mr. K personally signed his holiday cards each year -- all 22,000 of them.
Dealers received desk plaques from him, engraved with the words: "Truth and
Honesty." His credo was known to all: "Love cars. Love people. Love life."
|
