Kia Australia has unveiled a new television commercial featuring 20 prominent Australian sporting figures to introduce its latest offering, the Kia ute.
Set to hit the market in 2025, the latest campaign draws inspiration from the time-honoured Australian custom of obligatory nicknaming.
The TVC made its debut during the broadcast of the NRL Rugby League games in Las Vegas.
Set in an Australian pub, the ad showcases personalities like Ash Barty, Dylan Alcott, Alexander Volkanovski, Steve Waugh, and others engaged in a debate about what the upcoming vehicle should be named.
The assembled group represents a collective tally of 29 Premierships, four Paralympic gold medals, and 26 Grand Slams, among other notable achievements, spanning diverse sporting backgrounds. Iconic figures such as Darren Lockyer, Buddy Franklin, and John Aloisi add to the lineup.
Kia Australia ambassador and former wheelchair tennis player, Dylan Alcott, said filming was a “surreal” experience, highlighting the camaraderie among the participants.
“I can’t believe we’re all in the one spot, in the same room. It’s pretty sick,” said Alcott.
“I hope the viewers have fun watching it because we all had fun making it. And all of us from different sports and different decades, it’s a pretty cool thing to be a part of.”
Dean Norbiato, Kia Australia’s general manager of marketing, described the concept behind the TVC:
“We were looking for a unique and quintessentially Aussie way to launch Kia’s most Australian product ever – our ute – and what better way than to bring together our country’s most iconic themes – sporting heroes, nicknames and an old-fashioned Aussie watering hole.
“To be able to get some of Australia’s most decorated sporting stars from different eras and sports to be in the same place, debating why their nickname is the best for the Kia ute is about as distinct and different from the category norms as we could concoct.
“The sporting star’s stats speak for themselves and this group is highly qualified to have the ute named after them; but we’re still undecided on what to call the ute so stay tuned for that announcement.”
See also: Kia marks 22 years as the major partner of the Australian Open with ‘Kia Wave’ activation
Credits
Creative agency: Innocean Australia
Director: Ariel Martin
Production: Scoundrel
PR: Enthral
Media agency: Ad Associates
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Top Image: Dylan Alcott