• by Tanya Gazdik , July 13, 2025

Kia America is leaning into the summer vibe, with an effort showing how the 2026 Kia Sportage is roadtrip-ready.

A two-part nationwide creative campaign, “Keep the Adventure Going," is set to the tune of Steve Miller Band’s “Rock’n Me.” 

The first episode follows a young man in a Sportage X-Pro as he drives through various weather conditions and over multiple terrains, with the progress of his cross-country road trip charted by the location on his ever-changing T-shirt. 

Making a stop in Texas, the driver meets his match – literally – when he spots a woman wearing the same T-shirt. Hinting of things to come, the tagline “Keep the Adventure Going” appears before the spot cuts to the happy couple, now seated side by side in the Sportage, wearing his-and-hers “Virginia is for Lovers” T-shirts.   

Picking up where the first let off, we next see the couple now driving a Sportage HEV with a turbo hybrid powertrain, continuing their adventure and celebrating life’s milestones along the way. 

Integrated creative agency David&Goliath led ideation and production for the campaign.

The 2026 Sportage is the perfect co-pilot for any adventure, says Ben Purcell, chief creative officer, David&Goliath. 

"This campaign is a love letter to the great American road trip, infused with heart, energy, and spontaneity along the way,” Purcell tells Marketing Daily. “With the Steve Miller Band’s ‘Rock’n Me' setting the soundtrack and a story that evolves across multiple episodes, we leaned into a cinematic, music-fueled narrative that reflects the vehicle’s versatility and the emotion behind every mile. It’s all about the magic that happens when you say yes to the journey."

Sportage is Kia’s longest-running nameplate for a reason, because it is the perfect SUV for every driver regardless of life stage, says Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America. 

“With its class-leading interior space, advanced driver assistance features, a tech-forward cabin and available electrified powertrains, Sportage is built for anything people might encounter on the road of life,” Wager says in a release. 

In addition to the two 30-second broadcast spots making their debut in July, the campaign includes 15-second shorts, digital, print and out-of-home components as well as paid social media, including social skins and banners ads across a variety of platforms including TikTok, Pinterest, Meta, Reddit and Snapchat.

The campaign was a “total team effort” across the agency from start to finish, Purcell says. 

“We had a lot of fun doing it, especially our Head of Design Michael Molinaro and his team, who designed the T-shirts for just about every state across the country,” Purcell says.