One-on-One
Kia Adds Family-targeted Entertainment Tie To National Portfolio
Automaker continues to use medium to position and showcase vehicles, interact with consumers and collect data for follow-up.
8/9/10: To borrow an over-used automotive metaphor, Kia Motors America, Inc. went from zero to 60 in terms of sponsorship two-and-a-half years ago, signing multiyear agreements with the NBA, WNBA and Vans Warped Tour in addition to NBA team deals and regional ties.
The company recently signed its first national partnership since that buying spree of 2008: presenting status of the upcoming 60-stop Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! tour.
The deal builds on the popularity of Kia’s “Joyride Dream” TV spot that debuted during last February’s NFL Super Bowl—a 60-second ad that featured Muno, a one-eyed character from the Nick Jr. network’s
Yo Gabba Gabba! program.
IEG SR spoke with Kathryn Cima, Kia’s national manager of sponsorships and promotions, about the automaker’s sponsorship strategy, its expanded partnership with the
Yo Gabba Gabba! franchise and the company’s ongoing ties. Below are edited excerpts from the conversation.
IEG SR: Kia became involved in some major sponsorships not too long before the severe downturn in the economy and in the automotive market. Has your sponsorship strategy changed at all because of this tumultuous period?
Cima: The biggest change happened a couple of years ago. We really tasked ourselves to go deeper with partnerships and sponsorships. We don’t simply look for title or “presented by” status. We look for much deeper integration into a property and multiple consumer touchpoints. We look for deeper levels of engagement with all our partners.
In any partnership, we look for the ability to let consumers touch, feel and see our products. We also look for experiential elements, media and follow-up elements so we can communicate with consumers after an event.
IEG SR: What would be a good example of deeper integration?
Cima: A good example, and one that’s going on right now, is the Vans Warped Tour. Kia is the official vehicle of the tour, but we don’t stop there. We’ve created a high engagement footprint at each tour stop to give concertgoers the opportunity to engage our brand in a way that is relevant to their lives.
That’s much more than saying we are the official vehicle and having our name on a logo. We look for 360-degree integration, online elements, broadcast elements and high engagement activities at the tour itself.
IEG SR: What’s behind the new partnership with Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!
Cima: The sponsorship came out of our successful “Joyride” commercial for our Sorento vehicle. Yo Gabba Gabba! draws the same kind of consumer as Sorento: parents with young children. The sponsorship allows us to speak directly to families and demonstrate the vehicle and its attributes at each tour stop.
IEG SR: Your NBA partnership is now in its third year. What is that deal bringing to the table?
Cima: We have a relationship with the league as well as 13 local teams including the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. The team deals allow our dealer groups to activate in local markets. It gives them tools for local market activation.
In addition to providing access to a large number of people, the NBA provides a good brand alignment with Kia. We use the words exciting, spirited and energetic to describe our brand, and those words can be used to describe the NBA as well.
IEG SR: What kind of tools do you provide dealers for local promotions?
Cima: We use test-drive-for-ticket promotions as well as seat upgrade promotions. It’s a surprise-and-delight element that builds goodwill among game goers. We also host player, dance team and legacy player appearances at local dealerships. Those are successful promotions.
IEG SR: At one time there were 16 NBA team deals in your portfolio. How did you settle on the 13 teams? Are they located in major Kia markets?
Cima: We went through a big analysis to determine which teams to align with. There were many criteria including market size and media presence. But there were many other criteria as well. (
Editor’s note: IMG works with Kia to develop sponsorship strategy and execute its NBA program.)
IEG SR: How does Kia measure success?
Cima: Measurement is tricky, which is evidenced by the large number of measurement companies out there. We track leads, contacts we make, as well as the number of people who touch, feel and drive our cars.
IEG SR: Seoul-based parent company Kia Motors Corp. sponsors several high profile tennis properties outside the U.S., including the Australian Open. Why doesn’t Kia sponsor tennis in the U.S?
Cima: The Australian Open is a global initiative. We do support tennis regionally, but it’s not a national initiative. We’ve done a lot of research and found the NBA gives us a much broader reach and the ability to touch more people.
Sources
Kia Motors America, Inc., Tel: 949/468-4800