• Kia continues time-honored partnership with Australian Open since 2002, bridging fans of tennis and Kia together as sole major partner
• Kia to provide 130 popular vehicles for an efficient, comfortable and safe tournament operation for players, match officials and VIPs
• Kia to present new logo and brand message to global tennis fans via diverse digital contents and onsite activations

Kia Corporation yesterday celebrated its twentieth anniversary of partnership with the Australian Open, a prestigious Grand Slam event of the Asia-Pacific region.

As the exclusive major partner of the event Down Under at Melbourne Park in Victoria, Kia on February 7 held an official vehicle handover ceremony and new logo showcase, where Australian tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios and Australian wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott made an appearance.

Kia presented a fleet of 130 vehicles to tournament officials, comprising the Carnival minivan, Sorento SUV and Niro Hybrid SUV. The popular vehicles will transport players, match officials and VIPs in comfort and safety to every nook and cranny of the expansive tournament venue.

“As a dedicated sponsor of the Australian Open over the last 20 years, Kia has inspired millions of fans of the prestigious Grand Slam event that is ever-growing in its popularity and significance in the world of tennis. We are truly honoured and proud to be part of this most innovative and long-standing partnership connecting the worlds of sport and mobility,” said Artur Martins, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Brand & Customer Experience Division at Kia Corporation.

“We look forward to contributing once again to a successful tournament by creating live and engaging experiences with tennis fans. We hope that viewers around the world will find unrivalled joy and inspiration from the Open to rise above the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, considerable changes will be made to the running of the event, including strict social distancing measures and limitations on the number of spectators at each match site.

Kia’s new logo and brand slogan, “Movement that inspires,” both of which were announced at the onset of 2021, were showcased at the Grand Slam Oval area on February 7, and will be highlighted in diverse formats via an array of digital channels, onsite activations and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Weibo throughout the tournament.

The company’s newly stylized logo will be visible through virtual signage projections (virtual computerized projection of imagery, i.e. the Kia logo, in places like the surface of the tennis court or on the net where visibility is high for maximum exposure to audience) on televised broadcasts worldwide except in Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. The new logo will also be seen over the duration of the tournament on brand banners, flags and official vehicles, reflecting Kia’s exclusive major partnership role.

In terms of marketing, a range of interesting activities have been planned online to add to the excitement and joy of the Australian Open. One key activation is the “Make Your Move” digital campaign, where fans can play virtual tennis games with Kia Global Brand Ambassador Rafael Nadal inside a digital space available on social media platforms.

Another attractive feature of Kia’s marketing is the “Kia-Morphia,” a 12-metre-wide by 2.6-metre-high LED digital cube display located in the Grand Slam Oval area, which will present Kia’s new logo, brand slogan and eco-friendly product line-up through its projection of smooth, undulating imagery.

To ensure the safety of the participants attending the Open, Kia will provide reusable masks imprinted with the logos of Kia and Rafael Nadal Foundation. Furthermore, Kia will team up with tennis racquet equipment and clothing company Babolat, another long-time sponsor of Nadal, for a partnership that will display the new Kia logo on the Spanish tennis legend’s equipment bag throughout the tournament iteration.

The new Kia brand was announced last month alongside the company’s new brand message and future strategies. Supported by the new brand slogan, “Movement that inspires,” Kia has shared its plans for transcending its manufacturing-based business model to become a purveyor of customer-centric sustainable mobility solutions.

The new corporate logo signifies Kia’s bold transformation as a clean mobility company beyond an automaker, as well as its new brand purpose to become an icon of change and innovation.