Ad of the Day: Kia uses speedy baby hamster to turbocharge new Soul campaign
The Kia hamsters have been dancing and driving their way into pop culture over the last eight years with a mix of fresh beats and digital animation prowess. For the latest campaign, Kia is introducing a very fast baby hamster to promote the new turbocharged Kia Soul.
With a 201-horsepower engine, Kia has upped the ante on its Crossover vehicle, and the latest installment of Kia’s ad campaign finds the hamsters welcoming the new addition to the Soul family in ‘The Arrival’.
Set in a hospital, the spot opens on a young nurse making her rounds in the maternity ward when she happens upon an empty bassinet. Bursting into the hallway, she is joined by other staff members in a futile attempt to catch the nimble newborn hamster and minimize the chaos he leaves in his wake. Emerging on the rooftop helipad, the youngster makes a dramatic leap off the building, and utilizes a makeshift parachute to safely float to the street below where a Turbo Soul driven by the hamster family is waiting.
“Turbocharging gives consumers a new and more powerful way to experience one of Kia’s most popular vehicles, and we are announcing its arrival by infusing Kia’s iconic hamster campaign with newfound speed and aggressive style,” said Saad Chehab, vice president, marketing communications, Kia Motors America.
“The Kia Soul has never had any trouble standing out from the crowd, and with Motörhead’s ‘Ace of Spades’ as the soundtrack, ‘The Arrival’ delivers hard-charging swagger and a healthy dose of mischief and chaos.”
Created by David&Goliath, Kia's advertising agency of record, ‘The Arrival' will debut online and on more than 25,000 movie theater screens nationwide this weekend through the National CineMedia and Screenvision movie networks.
Kia’s latest hamster campaign includes 90, 60, 30 and 15-second versions for both general and Hispanic markets across in-cinema, digital and online channels.
The hamsters first burst onto the scene in 2009, when they utilized popular songs ranging from the Black Sheep’s classic hip-hop track 'The Choice Is Yours' and LMFAO's smash hit 'Party Rock Anthem' to Maroon 5’s 'Animal' and Lady Gaga’s 'Applause' to spread the word that the Kia Soul offers "a new way to roll".
Most recently, a universal take on the classic riff “Dueling Banjos” was created for 2016’s “Soul Jam,” which incorporated more than 20 different musical instruments.
The hamsters have been recognized by the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame and named the first-ever "Rookie of the Year" after being chosen the "Automotive Ad of the Year" for two straight years by Nielsen Automotive.
