Kia Corporation, which announced an extension to its long-term partnership with the Australian Open (AO) and Tennis Australia until 2028 in January, put the on-site ‘Kia Wave’ installation at the heart of an AO23 tournament marketing programme which spans on-site branding, initiatives with ambassador Rafa Nadal, immersive gaming, digital content, a vehicle fleet and a hospitality programme which includes hosting kids from the Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Kia Clubhouse and which is built around highlighting its vision for and commitment to sustainable mobility whilst simultaneously inspiring tennis fans through its ‘Movement inspires ideas’ brand purpose.
Kia Wave
The Korean car company marked 22 years as a major AO partner through an integrated, multi-strand activation which featured the on-site ‘Kia Wave’ installation which was built at the newly created Grand Slam Oval booth and which features its new halo model – the electric EV6 GT.
To drive home its ‘new heights’ positioning’, Kia Australia’s installation featured the vehicle suspended nine metres off the ground on an illuminated ramp to affirm its position as the brand’s new performance halo and to give the allusion that the EV6 GT is flying.
Kia is marking 22 years as the major partner of the Australian Open. To celebrate its milestone, the car manufacturer is launching its, Australian-first ‘Kia Wave’ activation.@kiaaustralia https://t.co/5x6CJWBIFc
— Mediaweek (@MediaweekAUS) January 16, 2023
The installation dovetails with the EV6 GT’s umbrella, global ‘Enjoy your Flight’ launch platform.
The ‘Kia Wave’ was also designed to ‘capture the natural beauty of the Australian landscape’ and its bespoke LED ramp features an ‘ever-evolving lighting display’, while the ramp itself transitions from the depths of the Bass Strait, through to the colours of the salt lakes of South Australia and Aurora Australis and up to the clouds in the Victorian high-country sky.
The Wave also features a secondary display offering Australian Open fans a more intimate experience with the EV6 GT. Framed by a geometric arch, LED insets on either side of the arch feature Kia Ambassador and current Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott explaining the vehicle’s long list of performance features.
The ‘Kia Wave’ and collection of EV6 GT vehicles will be on display at Grand Slam Oval at the Australian Open from Monday 16 January for two weeks.
“Each year we look to raise the bar when it comes to our AO display or activation and this year the team have literally taken it to new heights,” commented Kia Australia general manager of marketing Dean Norbiato.
Make Your Move
Another activation strand was the ‘Make Your Move’ interactive game beside the 5,000-seat Kia Arena (the Melbroune Park tournament venue’s fourth-largest court space) which offers tennis fans a chance to follow in their hero’s footsteps by trying to copy the moves of defending AO men’s champion and long-time Kia ambassador Rafael Nadal.
The immersive gaming initiative features Nadal in action on a large screen and challenges fans to attempt to copy his moves to generate electricity with their footsteps via a special floormat which will be later used to help power the Kia EV6 models in the AO23 fleet.
Vehicle Fleet
The carmaker’s tournament partnership also includes providing the AO23 official fleet and the 2023 vehicle handover ceremony took place in Melbourne’s Federation Square on 10 January.
Kia and Tennis Australia executives, as well as two-time Australian Open champion and Kia Global Ambassador Rafael Nadal attended the event at which the car company presented tournament officials with a fleet of 130 vehicles – including the Carnival MPV, Sorento SUV, Sportage SUV and fully electric EV6 crossover – the vehicles provide transport for players, match officials and VIPs around Melbourne for the full duration of the tournament which runs from 16 to 29 January.
“The Australian Open 2023 marks a special moment in Kia’s longstanding relationship with the tournament, as we delightedly announce the renewal of our partnership for another five years until 2028,” said Head of Kia’s Global Brand and Customer Experience Artur Martins. “The event provides the perfect global showcase for Kia’s corporate vision of becoming a sustainable mobility solutions provider.”
“The unique partnership between Kia and the Australian Open has proven to be one of the most successful in the sporting world and pivotal to the event’s ongoing success. We are honored that Kia has chosen to extend its role as the Australian Open Major Partner through 2028,” added AO Tournament Director Craig Tiley. “It is fascinating to see the latest sustainable technical innovations our friends at Kia bring to the AO every year, and we are excited to see what they have in store for fans at this year’s event.”
Comment
The Kia EV6 GT will be available in Australia from late January 2023.
The activation programme aims to bring the Kia brand and its new flagship vehicle to life in an attention-grabbing way and in experiential form.
Sport is a key pillar in Kia’s marketing mix and this year’s AO activation programme follows its late 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup ‘Every Four Years’ work and its previous tournament marketing iterations such as those in 2022 (including ‘Nadal’s Make Your Move’ and ‘Dylan Alcott’s Digital Aces’, plus 2021’s ‘Sources Of Inspiration’.
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