Launching during today’s Super Bowl is Kia’s ‘One Epic Ride’ ad for the new Kia Optima, which they’re touting as ‘not your average mid-size sedan.’ People from various eras, including the police and villains, try to steal the car for themselves. But the ad itself is only a part of a larger campaign that gives viewers the chance to unlock clues that could lead them to win an Optima. The brand’s creative and PR agency sent this across:
In the days leading up to the Super Bowl this week, gamers must use their wits and discover clues hidden within various media channels, including 15-second TV spots, print ads and social media postings, to answer the series of four questions. The fifth question will be released following the airing of Kia’s Super Bowl spot on Sunday. Upon answering all five questions correctly, a final challenging puzzle game will be revealed and the first five participants to solve the final puzzle before 11:59 p.m. ET on February 7 will win an all-new 2011 Kia Optima.
I think it’s interesting that ad agencies (the one behind this, David & Goliath, is a small independent shop) are increasingly bringing game mechanics into their processes, in an attempt to foster what I like to a call a sticky brand. Even more interesting is that this multi-channel approach is almost a given now. There’s also another approach of course – that of brands adding value to people’s lives (via branded utilities and so on), but I’ll leave that philosophical discussion for another day.
One Size Fits One 