Kia brings homes the 263kph tennis serve in new ‘Game On’ campaign via Innocean Australia
Kia and creative agency Innocean Australia are today launching six new television commercials that provide the catalyst for a unique home-based experience in playing tennis against a professional athlete.
Timed to run in parallel with the Australian open tennis tournament, which starts today in Melbourne, the new TV campaign will complete the connection between a professional player serving a tennis ball and the ability for people to return the serve in front of their TV set using a world-first app that was developed specifically for the campaign.
Innocean creative director Scott Lambert said the campaign would bring tennis fans a level of participation in the professional game that they have never experienced in the past.
Says Lambert: “Kia has been sponsoring tennis into Australian homes since 2002, but now with the combination of the TVCs and the app on either Apple or Android platforms, people can test their skills against the world’s fastest server. It is a level of engagement never seen before and a great connection for people with the Kia brand and the levels of technology in Kia vehicles.”
Australian tennis player Sam Groth, our 6th top men-singles player, is featured in each of the six TVC’s where he serves a different action to keep people guessing where the ball will go. One of his shots, called The Bomb, is listed as the world’s fastest serve at 263 kilometres per hour.
The app for the campaign, called Game On, was developed by mobile solutions agency Mnet and media agency Initiative. The campaign will run the length of the Australian Open Tennis and at the conclusion of the tournament a lucky person will win a Kia Cerato Koup Turbo.
In addition to the action people can experience in their own homes, online via any computer screen or tablet, the opportunity to play will be available at the Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne, at an activation at Federation Square in Melbourne and across 17 shopping centres nationally. Kia and Yahoo 7 are also hosting a court online for enthusiasts to master their return of serve and earn more entries into the competition.
Client – Kia
Creative Agency – Innocean Australia
Client – Steve Watt – General Manager Marketing
Creative Director – Scott Lambert
Business Director – Rick Whaite
Production – Chief Entertainment
Media Agency – Initiative
Mobile solutions – Mnet