Kia Canada Celebrates the Design Story Behind its Award-Winning Vehicles

Automaker launches new design-focused multi-media campaign featuring a YouTube takeover Super Bowl Sunday and five new TV spots

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Visitors to YouTube in Canada on Sunday, February 3^rd were rewarded with a unique experience: seeing the world through a vehicle designer's eyes in an immersive experience presented by Kia Canada Inc. Throughout Super Bowl Sunday, YouTube featured an interactive masthead that allowed visitors to explore the world through a Kia designer's eyes. Developed by Kia Canada's creative agency Innocean Worldwide Canada, the online experience marks the launch of the automaker's new communication platform celebrating the design story behind every Kia vehicle.

The YouTube masthead showed users the world from a Kia designer's perspective, inviting them to try on a pair of interactive glasses for a look at how everyday experiences can inspire design ideas and help bring them to life - for example, the shape of a tiger's nose inspiring Kia's signature front grill or a warthog wearing a backpack as the chief inspiration behind the Kia Soul. The design-focused campaign will feature five original television spots in support of a wave of new Kia vehicle launches in Canada, and is set to air within the weeks following the Super Bowl.

"Over the last four years, Kia has remained committed to bringing world-class vehicles to Canadians that demonstrate a passion for innovative design," said Robert Staffieri, Director of Marketing for Kia Canada Inc. "Without that passion, we would not be in the award-winning position we are today - we have one of the strongest design stories within the automotive industry, and we're excited to tell it through this new platform."

Kia Canada's design story began in 2006 when parent company Kia Motors Corporation Inc. hired internationally renowned automotive designer Peter Schreyer. Under Schreyer's tenure, Kia adopted a 'simplicity of the straight line' design philosophy, and that transformation has been resonating with consumers ever since, reflected in Kia Canada's sales growth of 121% DPin the last five years. Its approach to design has led to notable award wins such as the red dot design award in 2011 and 2012 and several iF design awards in 2012.

"We're inspired by Kia's commitment to design and we wanted to help bring that creative process to life to give Canadians an experiential understanding of how Kia is transforming its vehicles through its world-class styling, safety and technologies," said Gerald Schoenhoff, Senior Vice President and Executive Creative Director for Innocean Worldwide Canada. "It's truly an honour to work with Kia and celebrate its design story with this platform, and we are confident it will reposition the Kia brand in the hearts and minds of Canadians."

Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca - www.facebook.com/kiacanada) a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) which was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality, class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte, Optima and Sorento through a network of 180 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 162 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada, with an all-new state-of-the-art facility to open in Montreal shortly. Kia's brand slogan "The Power to Surprise" represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting & inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

 

SOURCE: KIA Canada Inc.

For further information:

Jack Sulymka   T: 905.755.6266
National PR & Corporate Partnerships Manager   C: 905.301.6207
Kia Canada Inc.   E: [e-mail]

Cathy Laroche 
Public Relations Manager   C:  514.554.0843
Kia Canada Inc.   E:  [e-mail]