There certainly weren’t any cars — or even SUVs — in Middle Earth, but Kia Motors America accelerated test drives 20% by borrowing equity from the wildly successful Lord of the Rings.
Kia Motors used the home-video release of New Line Home Entertainment’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring last summer to support the launch of its Sorento SUV at its 600-plus dealerships. The carmaker surpassed its record promotion (a 2001 tie-in with the Shrek home video) by awarding a redemption for the Fellowship DVD or VHS to consumers testing any Kia vehicle — not just the launching vehicle — as it had done with Shrek for its Sedona mini-van.
The tactic worked well: Kia awarded 60,000 videos during the promotion and saw a healthy spike in new car sales. In fact, hundreds of dealers (100% participated in the promotion) re-ordered certificates for the video offer and paid for it out of their own co-op funds.
“The success of Shrek helped us fully recognize the value of an association with an entertainment property,” says Tim Chaney, brand manager for Kia. Glendale, CA-based DreamWorks’ Shrek captured the Best Overall EMMA last year (May 2002 PROMO).
Los Angeles-based New Line gave Kia and Sorento mentions on video packaging, P-O-P displays and at lordoftherings.net. The studio also hosted a Journey to Middle Earth sweepstakes on videos giving away a Sorento and a trip to New Zealand (where the films were shot) among top prizes. Kia supplied four additional cars for New Line to use in account specific-programs at Best Buy, Albertson’s and Blockbuster. A second trip to New Zealand was awarded through a scratch-and-win game at more than 400 Blockbuster stores.
“The fact that there could be no product placement in the movie was a sticking point when we went out to pitch the property,” says Lance Still, executive director of promotions at New Line Home Entertainment. “But Kia is an innovative company and we really integrated the promotion and all objectives were achieved.”
Kia’s ad agency, Los Angeles-based davidandgoliath, created TV and print ads communicating the test-drive offer. P-O-P displays with Rings characters at dealers supported. Test drivers were asked to call a toll-free number to register for the redemption. Callers answered questions related to their dealership experience and received a DVD or VHS by mail. The offer had a 70% redemption rate with an average of more than 1,100 certificates redeemed per day.
An enticing incentive was crucial for Kia at a time when its competitors were preaching similar 0% financing and cash-back offers.
“When you are asking someone to get in their car and change their habits and truly engage in something, that speaks volumes and is testament for tying in with the right property,” says Sarah O’Leary, VP-strategic development for EastWest Creative, which created the promotion for Kia.
Feedback from the TV spots was especially strong. “More than half of our redeemers indicated that they became aware of the promotion based on our TV ad,” Chaney says.
SUPPORTING CAST
NEW LINE HOME ENTERTAINMENT: Lance Still
KIA MOTORS AMERICA: Tim Chaney
EASTWEST CREATIVE: Sarah O’Leary
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