After a short break in which Kia Motors decided to skip the Super Bowl LV “ad parade” to instead expand its charitable actions in support of America’s youth, the carmaker returns to the Big Game with a super-cute spot, through which the brand shows that its efforts to do good continue. The ad, developed with the help of David&Goliath agency, is part of an integrated marketing campaign promoting its all-new, all-electric Kia EV6, as is being chased by an awwdorable, four-legged robotic friend.
Via the “Robo Dog” ad, the brand’s 13th Super Bowl spot, the automaker not only showcases the innovation of its first “dedicated battery electric vehicle” (i.e. their first electric-only car) but also explores the bond between humans and animals, hoping to encourage people to provide shelter animals a place they can call home. In delivering its message, Kia introduces the audience to a plug-in, wide-eyed electric doggo, waiting for someone to notice its presence on an electronics store’s shelf.
The spot opens with the puppy staring out the window and seeing another dog, a “real” one, getting a lot of attention from a passerby. Despite being an electric dog, the same attention-seeking behavior other dogs have run through its wires. Finding a companion and a shelter to charge its battery with affection would mean the world to it, as this signals the end of our hero’s search for its forever home.
At the sight of a man who drives away after having unplugged his Kia EV6 from a charging station and wanting to live a life fully charged, the dog finds a perfect chance to “escape” from the store and (literally) chase its dream. While Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” plays in the background, we see the puppy running after the man in the EV6, hoping that they will eventually meet.
A series of obstacles pop up in its way, making it lose some of its power. When the dog is about to finally meet the object of its affection, it runs completely out of juice. Luckily, thanks to the car’s onboard power station feature, the robo puppy not only gets to recharge its battery but also finds a perfect companion for the rest of its life.
“The EV6 marks the beginning of Kia as a sustainable mobility solutions provider and is the next step in our shift to electrification,” explains Russell Wager, Vice President of Marketing, Kia America. “To introduce over 100 million viewers to the Kia EV6, we wanted to juxtapose the future with the emotions we all know and understand today — the love that can be shared between a human and an animal.”
The campaign also includes a partnership with the Petfinder Foundation, through which Kia seeks to help shelter animals find a home. This collaboration marks the latest initiative under the automaker’s “Accelerate The Good Program.” “At Kia, we continue to give back to the communities in which we work and live,” continues Wager. “We looked at issues that needed attention and found that during the pandemic, many animals were adopted only to sadly be returned later, so we wanted to help.”
Besides broadcast, print, OOH, and social media components, the brand communicates with animal lovers through a couple of interactive elements: the “Robo Dogmented Reality” web experience and a “Turn Around Dance.” The AR adventure invites users to scan a QR code and bring the lovely Kia doggo inside their houses, allowing them to get a virtual glimpse of what it feels like to have a pet.
The dance marks Kia’s first-ever TikTok integration, enabling users to dance with Robo Dog to Bonnie Tyler’s song. Every time the users hear the “turn around” part, the dog turns, with the public invited to do the same. To share the fun and heartwarming message, the brand gathered five TikTok creators in its team, hoping to inspire people to find a faithful companion in a shelter animal.
“We are proud to partner with Kia America for their Super Bowl campaign,” concludes Toni Morgan, Executive Director, Petfinder Foundation. “Countless animals need loving and forever homes and we hope to place many of them over the coming weeks. The human-animal bond is vitally important and can bring years of happiness, comfort, and companionship to both the animal and owner.”
Credits:
Client: Kia America
Agency: David&Goliath