Kia sees itself as a brand for the young at heart and it’s applying that youthful exuberance to “Drive Change.”
The carco felt the time was right to launch a national campaign centred on the brand itself, how it’s changed in terms of quality and design, and how social responsibility is being woven into its core beliefs. The last Kia corporate image effort was in 2007.
“The goal is basically to get out there with this new campaign, drive change, communicate to the public that Kia has changed on so many different levels, and do it in a unique way that will get people’s attention,” says Mark McCash, national marketing manager, Kia Canada.
To that end, the wave of advertising accompanying “Drive Change,” which Kia developed and rolled out with the Toronto offices of David & Goliath and Innocean Worldwide Canada, is weaving two CSR projects into the creative.
The campaign kicked off in July with a TV spot establishing Kia’s upgrades by extolling the virtues of the words “drive” and “change,” and how they’re powerful when used together. It was followed by two time-lapse spots documenting community refurbishment projects. The first sees a virtually unplayable basketball court at Second Base Youth Shelter in Toronto get completely revitalized. The second features the restoration of grounds at Toronto Community Housing’s Gilder Avenue location, including the creation of a common green space with a sitting area and sustainable gardens.
This month, Kia is set to implement a similar project with Toronto FC and launch a fourth spot promoting the release of the 2011 Sportage.
Online ads and social media via a Facebook page, Twitter profile and YouTube channel, as well as billboards, cinema, newspaper and magazine ads are also part of the media mix, which was managed by Toronto-based ZenithOptimedia.
Kia wants “Drive Change” to be a corporate focus moving forward and plans on maintaining the platform indefinitely.

advertiser: Kia Motors
agency: Innocean Canada
senior VP: Dave Carey
account director: Geoff Taylor
agency: David & Goliath
executive CD: Israel Diaz
AD: Basil Cowieson
copywriter: Greg Burl
account executive:
Jeremiah Murlless
broadcast producer:
Melanie Lambertsen
assistant producer: Tara Hall
prodco: Soft Citizen
director: Drew Lightfoot
executive producers:
Eva Preger, Link York