This Super Bowl season, Kia is about to enchant viewers with a 60-second business for the all-new 2024 Kia EV9. The business is designed to showcase the EV9 as a beacon of hope and a supply of energy to light up the lives round us. To delve deeper into the creation of this memorable business, Michael Kahn, Publisher at The Weekly Driver secured an unique interview with Russell Wager, Vice President of Marketing at Kia America. Wager shared behind-the-scenes insights, revealing the artistic course of and strategic considering that went into the making of the โPerfect 10โ business.
Featuring the collaborative monitor โWish I Was Hereโ by Cat Power and Coldplay, the advert tells the heartwarming story of a younger determine skater, her father, and grandfather, emphasizing the emotional connections and the revolutionary options of the Kia EV9.
Wager highlights the advertโs focus displaying a narrative so many viewers of the Super Bowl can relate to. The EV9 powers a magical second on a makeshift ice rink within the wilderness, making a particular efficiency for an viewers of 1 โ the determine skaterโs grandfather. The story contained in the business emphasizes Kiaโs dedication to electrification and the need to attach with audiences on an emotional stage.
As the 2024 Kia EV9 makes its debut in dealerships throughout all 50 states, this Super Bowl business not solely introduces viewers to Kiaโs revolutionary electrical SUV but additionally invitations them into the artistic world behind its manufacturing.
Take a second to observe Kiaโs business, after which dive into the interview under.
Michael Kahn: What made Kia select to focus on the EV9 EV SUV within the Super Bowl Commercial?
Russell Wager: The EV9 is in its third month of being on sale. We need to let folks know that we have now this new three row SUV. But extra importantly, weโre within the Super Bowl as a result of we wish folks to consider Kia in the event that theyโre enthusiastic about getting some form of electrified automobile.
Weโve received three EVs. Weโve now received seven different electrified, whether or not theyโre hybrids or plug in hybrid automobiles. So thatโs the larger story is to get folks which might be enthusiastic about performing some form of electrified buy and placing Kia on the checklist.
Michael Kahn: Just a little bit of brand name consciousness within the EV house together with the business.
Russell Wager: Exactly. I all the time say that thereโs three issues, for someone to contemplate being within the Super Bowl. One, launching a product. Second, telling them a bit of one thing concerning the model and third, telling them what the model stands for.
This one is doing one and two, serving to launch a product and telling a bit of bit extra concerning the model within the electrified house.
Michael Kahn: The advert was additionally displaying some potential of auto options reminiscent of lighting up an ice skating pond.
Russell Wager: Anytime weโre doing one thing apart from eager to have an emotionally partaking advert idea, we need to make the automobile, the star, the hero of the automobile of the advert. The automobile received them to grandpaโs home and itโs an SUV. It can drive by way of snow despite the fact that itโs electrical. Lots of people assume electrical automobiles canโt try this.
As you identified, non electrical automobiles canโt present energy like that. They donโt have an on level energy generator, to gentle up the speaker, gentle up the lights. It can do a pair further bonus issues.
Michael Kahn: Were these lights truly powered by the SUV within the business?
Russell Wager: Yes, the whole lot that was demonstrated we made certain that it had the fitting kilowatts to have the ability to do it.
Michael Kahn: Thatโs actually cool. I hoped that may be a sure.
Russell Wager: Yes. We donโt exhibit issues the automobile canโt do.
Michael Kahn: The EV9 is succesful to powering many strings of LED lights, however whether or not or not it might be occurring inside the businessโs filming? What all was powered by the EV and proven?
Russell Wager: So there was two issues. The father took out a big moveable speaker. It powered that, and the lights across the ice rink.
Michael Kahn: Were there every other symbolism or metaphors occurring in that business {that a} viewer would possibly need to return and rewatch on YouTube?
Russell Wager: The largest factor was, you bought it within the first 5 seconds. You received to see that when the determine skater finishes her routine on the rink and appears over and sees dad. That she sees an empty seat, proper? Somebody that she wished there, however couldnโt be there. And you donโt clearly discover out till later that it was Grandpa. sheโs depressed. She wished to do it, and she or he wasnโt certain that sheโd be capable to get to Grandpa.
Dadโs affords hope, this automotive can get us there, this automotive can gentle it up, you may recreate what you simply did and make grandpa really feel good.
Michael Kahn: The video did a extremely good job of demonstrating that with none dialogue.
Russell Wager: Thank you. And the opposite factor thatโs in right here, we donโt have any celebrities.
Iโm certain youโve been wanting on the Super Bowl commercials and final 12 months, all however 5 had some form of movie star in it.
Michael Kahn: Oh wow, I didnโt know that stat.
Russell Wager: Yeah, the thought is the story delivers a message.
Not a star.
Michael Kahn: Is there any significance between the daughter or the daddy? What is the story behind them?
Russell Wager: Yeah, itโs an amazing one. So often youโre attempting to forged someone that may do facial expressions or ship strains, after which if thereโs some motion, you gotta discover a stunt double, i.e. determine skater.
Abigail, whoโs within the movie, because the skater she does all of it. Sheโs doing 95 p.c of what she does. There was one triple soar that we did must get someone else to try this, however she did the whole lot else. And she didnโt even know that she was doing a Super Bowl business till after we have been performed filming. This is definitely her first business.
And sheโs from so we scouted areas and we scouted folks and we discovered her in Toronto, Canada.
We shot the movie up in Whistler Canada.
Michael Kahn: Was that pond already there or did that must be created?
Russell Wager: We had so as to add a bit of bit to create the pond. There was a small one on the again however not large enough for skating. So we expanded with some further water and freezing.
Michael Kahn: I noticed one of many hashtags is the Kia Perfect 10. Is that half of a bigger Kia marketing campaign?
Russell Wager: We havenโt found out the place we go from right here with this one. The good 10 is from when the grandfather drew the ten on the window when Abigail completed her efficiency.
We do tales about households. Last 12 monthsโs Super Bowl business we did was the story of the Telluride and the daddy forgot the binky pacifier. And needed to go residence and get it rapidly so the newborn didnโt lose it on the resort.
I believe whenever youโre speaking to over 100 million folks in a Super Bowl, you gotta make a narrative {that a} huge chunk of them can relate to. And I believe positively folks can relate to, father daughter and daughter grandfather relationships.
Michael Kahn: How does Kia measure success with Super Bowl promoting?
Russell Wager: Weโve received plenty of totally different KPIs. weโre going to look to see what kind of spike in site visitors will get to our web site. What kind of spike in site visitors goes to different procuring websites, auto websites. Not everybodyโs going to return to Kiaโs web site, however thatโs okay.
When they do come to our web site, we glance to see how many individuals are leaving some info for whether or not itโs us or a supplier to contact them. So a bit of deeper within the conversion funnel. We comply with the competitors and advert meters.
Some of them are subjective and a few of them, have some rationale behind them, however itโs all the time enjoyable to see how folks understand ours versus different autos and different manufacturers.
I’ll inform you that we confirmed the advert as a preview two occasions within the final week. I simply flew again from Chicago for the Chicago Auto Show. At the tip of the press convention the place we launched our new Carnival Hybrid and K5, I performed the advert.
Lots of people come as much as me and wow thatโs a extremely touching and itโs nice. Unsolicited, I didnโt ask them. Thatโs good of them to say that.
And then I performed it per week earlier than we had, as I discussed, I used to be in Vegas. We had our nationwide supplier conference. All the sellers from everywhere in the nation, all manufacturers go there We performed it there. I had a few sellers come as much as me afterwards. theyโre like, yeah, Iโm not crying, youโre crying. It introduced a tear.
And I believe itโs not nearly bringing a tear. Itโs about emotionally connecting with them. And I believe thatโs a very good signal.
Michael Kahn: Going again to the spike in site visitors to the Kia web site. How lengthy do you guys usually see a spike after the Super Bowl? Is {that a} at some point factor or multi day?
Russell Wager: This is now going to be our fifteenth out of 16 years in a row of being within the Super Bowl. We simply did one 12 months the place we took off to present a bit of further donation in 2021. Weโve received an amazing development of what occurs. The minutes earlier than the precise 10 minutes that the advert has run. The remainder of the day, the following week and we nonetheless see a enhance of site visitors for at the least seven days earlier than it begins to, normalize and it by no means actually normalizes as a result of we simply made 100 million folks conscious of this automotive or no matter weโre speaking about, proper?
So theyโre now telling others or theyโre coming again 30 days later, theyโre again out there. it does create a brand new base stage, so to talk that it by no means falls under, the lengthy reply to your brief query was most likely about seven days, at the least for a extremely giant enhance spike as a result of persons are nonetheless speaking concerning the advertisements the following day,
Michael Kahn: Whatโs your all time favourite Super Bowl advert?
Russell Wager: You know what? Apple recreated the entire pc enterprise with the 1984 advert. It modified Appleโs trajectory you need to discuss doing one thing disruptive.
It gave a transparent message and also you barely. noticed the product in it, Thatโs my all time favourite. you simply gotta work out what youโre doing and what youโre attempting to perform. The typical manner of doing commercials shouldn’t be the everyday manner you do Super Bowl commercials.
They take a bit of further care and creativity.
Michael Kahn: And my ultimate query for you is, what was the primary automotive you realized to drive on?
Russell Wager: my dad and mom truly labored for a automotive firm in Southern New Jersey referred to as Subaru, and I drove in one among their firm vehicles. It was a Subaru Brat, if you wish to go manner again.
A Subaru Brat was a mini pickup truck, however as a result of they put two seats within the again mattress, it was technically a passenger automotive. Lots of people referred to as it a tax dodge as a result of pickup vehicles imported from exterior the U. S. have a 25 p.c tariff. The Brat was made in Japan and by placing seats within the again, it was not a pickup truck.
It was a Vehicle, a passenger automobile.
Michael Kahn: Thatโs a reasonably cool automotive to Drive on a singular one.
Russell Wager: It was an amazing automotive to take to highschool, Everyone loves driving behind a pickup truck, particularly when thereโs a pair seats that you may truly strap your self into.
Michael Kahn: Thatโs nice. Are there every other belongings you wished to share about this advert or about Kia that you simply assume are value mentioning?
Russell Wager: Yeah I believe I talked briefly about it why are you promoting an electrical automobile? Everyoneโs speaking about electrical automobiles, itโs slowing down, Maverickโs going the opposite manner Has the expansion fee stopped? No, itโs nonetheless rising. Four years in the past 1% of all vehicles have been electrical automobiles, then it was 3%, then itโs 5%, 7%. Weโre as much as 9%. weโve had a few of our largest months in simply within the final two months as a result of ev 9 went on sale.
So thereโs folks that wanna purchase EVs. 60 days earlier than we began promoting the EV 9 in December we did a reservation program. We received a reservation, at the least one, in all 50 states. EVs will not be on the coast solely, or in, the northwest.
People have demand for EVs all over the place. And weโre a model that believes weโre going to assist fulfill that. Other manufacturers resolve theyโre concentrating in sure areas. We are dedicated to the electrified house.
Weโre constructing a plant the EV9 is even going to be made in our West Point, Georgia plant beginning this summer season. For the primary 5 months itโs being made in Korea. But they’re actually retooling the manufacturing line.
Our West Point, Georgia plant is simply exterior of Atlanta. They are working to get that line up and operating in order that by May, June, we are able to begin producing the vehicles right here.
We have a bit of inside mantra of when persons are enthusiastic about shopping for an electrical automobile. They go Iโm going to contemplate a Tesla and we need to be the following phrase after them. Tesla has over 50 p.c market share, down from the place it was at 80% as a result of thereโs extra decisions nowweโve received three decisions with our Nero, our EV6, and now our EV9 at CES, we had on show two different EV idea fashions our EV3 and EV4, displaying what extra reasonably priced, EVs might be sooner or later And weโve already mentioned that by 2027, weโre going to have seven all electrical automobiles in our lineup.
17 p.c of our gross sales in January have been electrified. Thatโs up 41 p.c YOY. Last month, we offered 41 p.c extra electrified automobiles than we did January a 12 months in the past.
Editorial notice: Interview questions and solutions have been edited for readability and to take away filler phrases.
Article Last Updated: February 10, 2024.
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Veteran author, photographer, and content material creator, Michael is the brand new writer of The Weekly Driver. He has a ardour for street journeys off the overwhelmed path, exploring the mix of expertise and vehicles, and driving everywhere in the world looking for good meals.
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