Kia Rewrites the Rules for the Marketing Launch of Amanti

Advertising Campaign Unveils Kia's New Large Sedan and Introduces Kia Brand to a New Consumer

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 22 -- Where is it written that a big car has to be boring? That's the question asked by Kia Motors America in a new integrated advertising campaign from independent ad agency davidandgoliath supporting the launch of the Amanti, Kia's first entry into the large sedan segment.

The broadcast break of the advertising campaign for Amanti, which launches on Dec. 26, is part of a broader sales, marketing and public relations push which also includes a cross-country mall tour and grassroots initiative.

"Kia is confidently entering a segment where it's never played before, and doing so with a car that appeals to an audience that has never considered the brand before," said Wally Anderson, vice president of marketing communications. "Over the years, Kia has found its place in the automotive marketplace. With Amanti, Kia is showing that the brand has not only grown, but it has matured, and we believe the advertising and marketing initiatives reflect that."

The advertising campaign is designed to make an assertive statement about Kia's entry into the full-size market, as well as create awareness and drive purchase consideration. It positions the Amanti as a roomy sedan designed to excel in the areas that matter most to mature Boomer car buyers -- such as contemporary styling, numerous luxury and advanced safety features and best-in-class warranty -- making it not only a great value, but a vehicle they will be proud to own as well.

The TV component of the campaign breaks Dec. 26 with a teaser spot titled "Intro" that shows sleek tracking shots of the Amanti racing across the desert as on-screen graphics ask viewers whether what they are looking at is a luxury import -- or even if it is a luxury car at all.

"Intro" is followed up by an even more visually striking commercial that makes a bold statement for the Kia brand. "Books," breaking in early January, represents a new look and feel for Kia advertising. Shot on an expansive desert set in California, the ad highlights the new 2004 Amanti as it negotiates its way around an obstacle course of monolithic, building-sized textbooks. Old and worn, they represent the archaic rules that have hamstrung the full size automotive category for years. As the Amanti blows past and the books tumble to the desert floor in its wake, the voiceover asks, "Where is it written that luxury is only for the few? If it is written somewhere, we couldn't find it."

Print ads for Amanti that capture the same iconic imagery will break in January editions of such consumer publications as Time, Newsweek, USA Today, Money and Southern Living, as well as in the car enthusiast titles Car and Driver, Road and Track, Motor Trend and Automobile.

"We chose the 'books' metaphor because we see the Amanti as throwing out the old rules for big cars and writing its own, in terms of what these cars should look like and who they're targeted to," said davidandgoliath Chairman and Chief Creative Office David Angelo. "In the process, Kia is bringing a breath of fresh air to a rather staid category with the Amanti and we believe our research shows that we have done just that with this new campaign."

Retailing at around $25,000, the Amanti comes equipped with a wide range of features usually found on cars costing much more, including a 3.5L V6 engine with 5-speed automatic. Amanti also comes with a level of safety features normally reserved for performance imports costing much more, including dual front airbags, front and rear side airbags side curtain airbags, front active headrests and ABS. It also comes with a 10 year/100K mile warranty with five-year roadside assistance.

Target buyers for Amanti hold professional or managerial jobs and are in their mid-forties to late-fifties and want a stylish large sedan. Most buyers in the target demographic group have never considered a Kia vehicle before, but as the leading edge of the baby boomers, many have owned international brands and they appreciate great value.

The Amanti is the newest addition to the growing Kia product range and the most recent fulfillment of the company's plans to reach out to a broader spectrum of American consumers. With its distinctive styling and impressive list of standard equipment, the Amanti will attract new, more affluent customers to the Kia brand, and will also continue to evolve the automaker's image from that of a small, entry-level manufacturer to a company offering consumers value, quality and safety in a full product range.

The 2004 Kia Amanti debuts at Kia retail showrooms throughout the United States in December 2003. Kia Motors America is the U.S. sales, marketing and service arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea.

About davidandgoliath

davidandgoliath (dng) is a national full-service independent agency of hand-selected professionals with outstanding creative, media, marketing, account planning, account management, TV and print production capabilities, and an outsourcing network of national and global resources. Founded in November 1999, davidandgoliath is headquartered in Los Angeles with a satellite office in New York City. To learn more about dng, visit www.dngla.com .