KIA AMERICA DROPS LATEST DIGITAL COLLECTIBLE AS PART OF "LEGENDS OF THE DRIVEWAY" CAMPAIGN FOR THE NEW TELLURIDE

• Legends of the Driveway NFT collection was developed to raise funds for MobilizeGreen on Giving Tuesday
• Kia America's latest NFT collection features artwork inspired by "Legends of the Driveway" ad campaign and a chance to win a trip to the NBA All-Star game

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia America is continuing its foray into web3, which incorporates concepts such as decentralization, blockchain technologies, and token-based economics, with its "Legends of the Driveway" NFT collection in light of "Giving Tuesday" on November 29. The project is designed to help drive fundraising for MobilizeGreen, a national nonprofit that has engaged more than 2,500 young people of color in paid "green" and STEM-focused career-pathway internships in collaboration with government agency partners since 2014.

Powered by the Sweet platform, collectors can begin minting "Legends of the Driveway" starting November 29, for $49.99 per collectible. In addition to the collectible, each token doubles as a sweepstakes entry for a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime weekend trip to the 2023 NBA All-Star game¹. The collection features a combination of more than a half dozen traits in each of the 2,023 collectibles, designed as a three-dimensional depiction of a house, driveway and hoop perfect for display as a social media banner.

In the creative campaign, Kia reflects on the place many basketball fans and players first fall in love with the game: the driveway. No matter who you are, where you come from, or how old you are, basketball played on driveways, in the schoolyard, or in parks are character and skill building moments so many can relate to and it's where we can also find the Kia Telluride X-Pro and its legendary performance status.

"Pickup basketball games, whether they take place in a local park, in school yards or a neighbor's driveway, are where many pro-basketball legends got their start," said Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America. "Kia wanted to celebrate these enormously talented players as they are the inspiration for many young people dreaming of making their own way to the pros."

In the :30 broadcast spot "Legends of the Driveway", developed by Kia's creative agency of record, David&Goliath, the creative opens with a series of hoops from an assortment of different homes and driveways. "H-O-R-S-E game winners with their eyes closed," "dunks over yesterday's newspaper," and "free throws from the crack of the concrete" are just some lines inspirationally voiced over scenes of ballers of all ages and fan bases, shooting hoops from their driveways. The spot closes with the taglines "Here's to the Legends of the Driveway" as we see a young father and his two kids shoot their best shots.

"Young people of color must be at the table, leading the effort to solve environmental challenges in their communities if we are going to create a more just and equitable planet. That starts with early career opportunities, like the ones available through The Virtual Intern. We are grateful to Kia for supporting our students as they begin their paths to leadership," said Leah Allen, President and CEO of MobilizeGreen.

This isn't Kia's first foray into web3 and digital collectibles. In February, Kia  launched the Robo Dog Collection on the Sweet platform, which featured the 'Robo-Dog' from Kia's Big Game ad spot as a digital collectible with proceeds going to the Petfinder Foundation to help shelter animals find forever homes. And in July, Kia America launched an ad campaign for the 2023 Kia Soul that included a 30-second spot featuring a QR code, powered by Sweet's NFT technology enabling viewers to scan and claim a unique Kia Soul NFT. Every viewer who scanned the televised QR code had a chance to pull a rare Kia-branded DASK NFT.

This new collection from Kia America will be minted on the carbon-neutral Polygon blockchain and sold on the Sweet marketplace. Legends of the Driveway collectibles are all housed in the purchaser's Sweet wallet and any time a collectible is re-sold on the secondary market, an additional 90-percent of the purchase price will benefit the nonprofit MobilizeGreen.

"This third release displays Kia's desire to continue to build in web3, increasing campaign engagement and building new audiences while giving back to charity," said Tom Mizzone, Founder and CEO, Sweet. "With each NFT collection, Kia America is leveraging its strengths and partnerships along with well-executed marketing campaigns to drive toward mass adoption of digital collectibles."

Kia America – about us

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electrified vehicles sold through a network of over 750 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.

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.

* The K5, Sportage, Sorento, and Telluride (excludes HEV and PHEV models) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

About Sweet

New York-based Sweet is a highly flexible, Non-Fungible Token (NFT) platform and marketplace used by top creators, sports, entertainment, and consumer brands worldwide. Sweet delivers immersive NFT programs driving revenue, consumer engagement, and gamified experiences reaching both sophisticated and novice NFT collectors in ways never before possible. For more information, please visit https://sweet.io/.

About MobilizeGreen

MobilizeGreen is committed to bringing about change so young people of color can solve the challenges faced by their communities and create a more just and equitable planet for all. In order to address the "diversity leadership gap" in green, MobilizeGreen is on a mission to help develop young people of color into future environmental and green sector leaders. By eliminating barriers and providing access to career opportunities, MobilizeGreen connects emerging professionals to the hands-on work experience, soft skills training, and professional development needed to successfully launch their careers. Through this strategy, we believe underrepresented youth and communities of color will be equipped to tackle climate change and other environmental issues head-on, promoting a sustainable future for their communities.

SOURCE Kia America