Kia has a couple of cars it's pitching to younger people. What better place to do that than at the multi-stage Roman circus-style summer music happenings that have in recent years become the "s@#t", as it were. There are a bunch of these now, and you know what they are, even if you happen to be an aged Boomer, and call them "Bonarooma," "Coach Luggage,” or "JollyLollypaloozajalopy".
Automakers with a vehicle they want to sell to young people are at a lot of them. One is Kia, which has been at the Moving Vans Tour -- I mean the Vans Warped Tour -- for a sixth year, including this one, as "Official Vehicle."
At the tour, which hits 39 U.S. cities, the brand gets both main stages (Kia Soul Stage and Kia Forte Stage), has its Soul Lounge on site, and its own show theme, "Rock and Roll. Punk and Soul." People can escape the mosh pit if they have a Kia VIP pass to a branded riser above the crowd.
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In addition to having a DJ, and fun stuff at its "lounge," it will have its own acoustic music. For the first time, there's a photography element, "Share their Soul," where people who shoot photos get them posted on Kia's Instagram site.
"Every year that we have done this we have evolved our social elements to keep up with technology," says Kathryn Cima, manager of events and promotions at Kia Motors America. She tells Marketing Daily that the Instagram component is paired with Facebook and Twitter elements. "It's much more evolved, and there's a much higher level of digital engagement."
She says that, as was the case last year, Kia has the two vehicles posing near the stages. "They are woven into the experience; we don't shove a message down their throats. And [with experiences and music events at its lounge], "we have almost become a destination."