NBA All-Star Blake Griffin Stars As A Wild West Lawman, A Gladiator And A Fighter Pilot In New Ad Campaign For Kia's Best-Selling Optima Sedan

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- NBA All-Star Blake Griffin and his comedic talents are back in a starring role in a series of new television commercials for Kia's best-selling Optima midsize sedan. Continuing the signature, satirical comedy of previous efforts, Griffin is cast in the lead role for several big-budget action movies set in the Old West, ancient Rome and an aircraft carrier in the series of three 60-and 30-second spots. Much to the concern of his directors, Griffin begins improvising and replaces his scripted mode of transport – be it horse, chariot or fighter jet – arriving instead in the Kia Optima, and making each movie better if he does so say himself.  The first spot, "Showdown," begins airing online today and on television on Christmas day during NBA programming with the others debuting throughout the NBA season.

"As a global brand ambassador, this marks Blake's fourth campaign for our best-selling Optima and he keeps getting better and better," said Tim Chaney, vice president of marketing communications, KMA.  "The Optima has been Kia's most popular vehicle since the time when our partnership with Blake began, and he has helped us foster connections with basketball fans across the country, increase awareness and enhance our brand image."

Created by David&Goliath, Kia's advertising agency of record, the Griffin spots can be viewed as they roll out on all of Kia's social and digital platforms, including YouTube.com/Kia and Kia.com.  In addition to the spots, an exclusive virtual staring contest with Blake Griffin will launch on the recently redesigned Tumblr page, blinkgriffin.com.

Griffin Advertising Background
Blake Griffin's comedic talents and deadpan delivery have made a connection with Optima buyers and basketball fans over the past two NBA seasons.  Kia's partnership with Griffin was born in 2011 following his famous dunk over an Optima to win the Sprite® Slam Dunk Competition.  As a global Kia brand ambassador, Griffin has helped grow the brand's presence in both basketball and pop culture through national marketing campaigns, commercials and social media.  During the 2012-2013 NBA season, Kia's ad campaign featured Griffin offering helpful suggestions to younger versions of himself as Kia's available UVO voice-activated infotainment system¹ took his futuristic Optima on a time-traveling musical journey through the mid-1990s and early 2000s.  In the 2013-2014 NBA season, Griffin and funnyman Jack McBrayer became a crime-fighting dynamic duo in "The Griffin Force" to try to save the world one Kia Optima at a time.

Dynamic and Sporty 2015 Optima SXL
The popular Optima – Kia's sales leader in the U.S. – is an eye-catching sedan that is available in two powerful Theta II powerplants featuring gasoline direct injection (GDI) technology:  a 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder or an optional 2.0-liter GDI turbo engine.  A 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain is also available. 

The cabin of the 2015 Optima, features upscale and high-tech amenities.  The optional SXL trim brings Optima to another level of sporty refinement, adding unique 18-inch chrome wheels, new LED fog lights, red brake calipers, an electronic parking brake, chrome accented side sills, and premium Nappa leather-trimmed seats.  The Optima SXL is built at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia*, in West Point, Georgia, and is offered at a starting MSRP of $35,500².

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and surpassed the 500,000 annual sales mark for the second consecutive year in 2013 following the launch of seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles.   KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900³ flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle⁴, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia's U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.

*The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

¹ Warning: Driving while distracted can result in a loss of vehicle control that may lead to an accident, severe personal injury and death. Use of any equipment which takes the driver's focus away from the safe operation of a vehicle should never be used during vehicle operation.
² MSRP excludes destination and handling, taxes, title, license fees, options and retailer charges. Actual prices set by retailer and may vary.
³ 2015 K900 V8 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.
⁴ 2015 Soul EV in select markets with limited availability.

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SOURCE Kia Motors America

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