Kia Motors Australia offered Australian Open fans free Uber rides in its new Seltos SUV and the initiative was promoted through a social-first campaign fronted by comedian Joel Creasey and Australian tennis star Sam Groth.
Kia, the Australian Open’s longest-running major partner, partnered with Uber to offer Open fans free rides to the grand slam in its ‘Fan Fleet’ which includes 30 new Seltos small SUVs.
Fans were offered complimentary lifts from the Melbourne CBD or Melbourne Park through the Uber app: whenever a complementary promotional car was available it will appear as an option to potential riders in real-time.
The free utility was promoted through an integrated campaign created by agency Hello Social which aimed to create a buzz around the Uber x Kia Fan Fleet and drive usage.
Comedian Creasy, a former tournament ball kid, kicked-off a set of ‘Surprise Sunday’ celebrations on 26 January to promote the service and he handed out tennis passes – including 12 double passes to Rod Laver Arena – at 9am in the morning at landmarks across Melbourne.
Indeed, Kia’s own social content urged Uber account holders to keep an eye on its Instagram feed where it teased clues to Creasy’s whereabouts on the day.
This social treasure hunt resulted in fans scouring Melbourne CBD to find Creasey and get the chance to win tickets to the tennis.
Then Kia offered its ‘Fan Fleet’ to Uber customers until the Australian Open concluded on 2 February.
Working with both Uber and Kia, Hello Social scripted, shot and produced a social content suite of film and images to run across Uber, Kia and the talents’ social channels.
The work, which was designed to trigger media and PR opportunities off the back of the narrative, featured Creasy and Groth sharing a free ride in the Kia Fan Fleet via the Uber app to the AO.
The campaign rolled out via a targeted media buy to relevant audiences within Melbourne CBD and surrounding areas to hit AO ticketholders.
Talking about the activation, Sam Kelly, Director Of Client Services at Hello Social said: “Uber is iconic for its clever sponsorship integrations and partnerships and this concept is no different. The Kia Fan Fleet provides a way for Uber and Kia to enhance experiences through a meaningful needs-based connection. By providing fans a surprise and delight experience in the form of a free ride we not only reward loyal Uber riders but also get to show off the new Kia Seltos first-hand. Our social lead creative featuring strategically sourced talent, backed by a geo-targeted media strategy has provided a fantastic platform to promote this clever initiative.”
Comment:
This seems like a fun and useful free upgrade for tennis lovers and Uber users offering a stylish and convenient way to arrive at the tournament.
Kia has sponsored the Australian grand slam since 2002, making it the tournament’s longest-running major partner of 18 years
The Australian Open’s other long-serving partners include Emirates, in its fifth sponsorship year; ANZ, with a sponsorship stretching back to 2010; Rolex, in its 13th sponsorship year, contracted to last until at least 2027; and Lavazza, which started its sponsorship in 2015.
Links:
Uber Kia Fan Fleet
https://www.uber.com/en-AU/blog/aus-open-free-rides/
Kia
https://www.instagram.com/kiaaustralia/
https://www.youtube.com/user/KiaAustralia
https://twitter.com/kiaaustralia
https://www.facebook.com/KiaAustralia
Uber
https://www.uber.com/en-AU/blog/
https://twitter.com/Uber_Australia
https://www.youtube.com/user/UberWorldwide
https://www.instagram.com/uber/
Hello Social
http://www.hellosocial.com.au/
Tennis Australia
https://twitter.com/TennisAustralia
https://www.facebook.com/TennisAustralia/
https://www.instagram.com/tennisaustralia
https://www.youtube.com/user/TennisAustralia
Australian Open
https://www.facebook.com/AustralianOpen
https://www.instagram.com/australianopen/
https://twitter.com/australianopen
https://www.youtube.com/user/australianopentv
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