Google AI search ads expanded to 27 countries

Ad efficiency, customer behavior metrics improve by double digits

[Provided by Hankook Tire & Technology]
[Provided by Hankook Tire & Technology]

Hankook Tire & Technology announced Thursday that it has won the advertiser track in the "Global Growth" category at the 2026 Google Ads Impact Awards, an annual competition organized by Google.

The awards recognize advertisers and agencies that have achieved measurable results using Google's AI-powered advertising solutions, with prizes given across five categories. Entries are evaluated on advertising performance, scalability, AI technology utilization and campaign measurement frameworks, and winners are selected through an initial review by an external body followed by a final assessment by a Google Korea judging panel.

Hankook Tire said it was recognized for expanding into global markets and delivering business results through AI-based search advertising. The company tailored its search ad strategies to the market conditions and consumer characteristics of 27 countries, operating country-specific keywords and ad content that reflected each market's major vehicle types, climate, driving environment and seasonal tire demand.

The AI-driven advertising approach was first introduced in the United States, where it identified new demand and potential customers that traditional search methods had struggled to capture, securing roughly 20,000 long-tail keywords. Building on results validated in the US market, the company expanded the approach to 27 countries. As a result, global advertising efficiency and customer behavior metrics improved by double digits compared with the same period a year earlier.

Hankook Tire also reached the finalist stage in the "AI Excellence" category. That recognition reflected the company's development of a proprietary monitoring platform that analyzes brand mentions and official website citations appearing in generative AI search results. Insights gained through the platform were also integrated into the company's existing search engine marketing strategy.

Hankook Tire previously won three awards at the 2025 Korea Digital Advertising Awards, including the grand prix.

"We will continue our marketing efforts through official digital channels," a company official said.


eyre@heraldcorp.com