Kia’s latest campaign aims to connect with young drivers through their love of fashion and music. The “Move Different” work promotes the brand’s new vehicle, the Kia K4.

Supported by Innocean, which led creative and media, the campaign includes online video, connected TV, digital channels, social media, as well as OOH and DOOH ads. Innocean VP of creative director Bill Newbery tells MiC that compared to previous campaigns, the budget for digital and connected TV was “significantly higher” than TV, as their goal is to reach a younger demographic in an established and competitive industry.

In partnership with a music director and producer, as well as a fashion photographer, Kia created four videos that showcase the new car, along with messages that encourage consumers to be different and original in a world full of conformity. One of the videos, for example, invites consumers to “stand out and be defiantly original,” while showing a handful of mannequins dressed in similar clothing. All videos are accompanied by the song New Gold by Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown.

According to Newberry, the idea was to break free from the mold of conventional automotive ads, which typically emphasizes the features of new models. He adds that the target audience for Kia’s K4 is eager for experiences and products that help them express their originality and creativity. By focusing on what resonates with them in its creative, Kia believes it can forge a strong connection with those consumers.

The target is adults between 25 and 49 years old, “a demographic [that] we need to appeal to gain credibility and take market share from established and behemoth competitive brands in the segment,” Newbery says.

Newbery notes that the campaign is a new chapter in Kia’s ongoing brand repositioning. Since 2021, when Kia launched a new identity with the tagline “Movement that inspires,” the automaker has sought to position itself as a more aspirational, modern and innovative brand. “That’s why, with the K4 launch, we wanted highlight K4’s style and overall tech-enhanced experience,” he says.