Horia Tarzi

After several endeavors and personality tests in grade school, it was apparent Tarzi would pursue a degree in the field of Communications. Tarzi then entered California State University, Fullerton which is ranked top-3 associations for her major Communications, Advertising. She has a minor in Public Speaking with a career in Marketing Communications. Beyond the classroom, she augmented her studies with several notable marketing executives at leading advertising agencies who mentored and provided insight on their field of expertise. Tarzi knew then she had chosen the career path of her dreams and upon graduation was working at VMLY&R (formerly Young & Rubicam), member of the WPP group, the world’s largest communications services group where she worked on Ford’s Lincoln division in North America, responsible for national and retail advertising, direct marketing, point-of-sale and media planning and activations.

In 2001, Tarzi refocused her career and shifted her interest to work on the client side at Kia Motors America, a global automotive company offering a range of gasoline, hybrid and electrified vehicles sold through a network of nearly 750 dealers in the U.S. recognized as one of the 100 best global brands and the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and the LPGA. Here is where Tarzi played a key role in the company’s brand transformation positioning Kia as the fastest selling car-brand in the US to now the 3rd largest automotive manufacturer in the world surpassing the likes of GM and Stellantis where she was a Senior Manager, Advertising and Brand Strategy.

• Results-driven global brand strategist and operations leader with 15+ years of experience in the automotive industry.
• Directed and conceptualized product launches across multiple channels while working closely with internal and external cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration and execution of award winning marketing campaigns.
• Cultivated NBA and LPGA partnerships with leading athletes including LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Michelle Wei and the likes of several A-List athletes for advertising initiatives while negotiating contract terms and ensuring intellectual property rights.
• Oversaw the development of 13 Super Bowl campaigns ranking #1 and top 5 in the automotive category on the USA Today AdMeter while working on contractual agreements with several A-List celebrities including Melissa McCarthy, Pierce Brosnan, Steven Tyler, etc.
• Developed campaigns recognized with hundreds of awards and accolades for both creativity and effectiveness including Cannes Lions, multiple Effies, and “Advertising Walk of Fame on Madison Avenue”, celebrating the most creative, treasured, and enduring work.

Having articulated an organization’s brand promise for many years and finding the balance between consumer behavior and economic trends, Tarzi opened her own minority woman-owned operation in 2014 while she was at Kia. She successfully managed both roles.

Current Life

Residing in beautiful Rancho Mission Viejo, California, a proud parent of 2 daughters, a college student pursuing her MBA at St. John’s University in NYC and a driven student in high school on her way to success in attending college. Tarzi spends her free time mentoring children at local youth organizations and is interested in philanthropy and keeping our oceans clean.