Kia Motors America Announces Plans For Social Media-Fueled Live Music And Comedy Event As Part Of Exclusive Partnership With The YouTube Music Awards

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In a new kind of awards show powered by fans, Kia Motors and YouTube have partnered to bring some of the biggest names in music to enthusiasts around the world.  The inaugural YouTube Music Awards (#YTMA), Presented by Kia, is a global event culminating in a live show on New York City's Pier 36 on Sunday, Nov. 3, where people worldwide will have access to concerts staged around the world.  The show will start at 6 p.m.  ET and can be accessed at www.youtube.com/musicawards.  Starting at 5 a.m. ET before the awards ceremony, streamed[1] concert events held at global venues from Seoul and Moscow to London and Brazil will commence.  Performances and collaborations between a variety of artists, from some of the biggest names in music, including Arcade Fire, to a collection of the most-viewed YouTube stars, including Lindsey Stirling, will take place.  Fans can vote on their favorite artists in six categories by visiting www.youtube.com/musicawards right up until the start of the show.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131031/LA07939)

Serving as a pre-show lead-up to the YouTube Music Awards, Kia will host a social media-fueled, pop-up music and comedy concert in New York on November 2 that will be live-streamed on YouTube and celebrates the interplay between fans and popular YouTube personalities.  "Soul Live" is presented by the all-new 2014 Kia Soul and features some of YouTube's biggest talents, including KRNFX + Mike Song and DJ Green Lantern.  The live stream will begin on Saturday, November 2, at 7 p.m. ET at www.youtube.com/kiasoul.

"As a Presenting Sponsor of the YouTube Music Awards, Kia has the opportunity to tap into the world's largest online music destination and a new media property that aligns well with our brand's youthful spirit as well as our marketing pillars of music, pop culture and connected life," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of marketing & communications, Kia Motors America.  "The first-ever YouTube Music Awards will be a truly unique music experience, and our activities around the sponsorship, including the 'Soul-Live' event, are designed to engage and entertain music-loving audiences across the globe."

Customized 2014 YouTube Kia Soul
As a literal extension of the YTMA partnership, Kia has transformed a 2014 Soul urban passenger vehicle into a mobile video recording booth and multi-screen YouTube player.  Designed by Lux Motorworks under the direction of Harris Publications and RIDES Magazine, key customization elements include a matte white and red exterior paint job with red accents, a wireless keyboard embedded in the rear center armrest, a webcam for high-definition video recording, 10 WiFi-enabled iPad^®[2] Minis in the rear cargo area and a Mac Mini^®2 with high-speed WiFi Hot Spot for instant uploads and streaming.

Kia:  One of the World's Fastest Moving Global Automotive Brands
Kia Motors America is one of only three auto brands to increase U.S. sales in each of the past four years, and in 2012 the company surpassed the 500,000 unit mark for the first time.  With a full line of fun-to-drive cars and CUVs, Kia is advancing value to new levels of sophistication by combining European-influenced styling - under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer - with cutting-edge technologies, premium amenities, affordable pricing and one of the lowest costs of ownership in the industry.  Kia recently moved up in the exclusive ranking of Interbrand's "Top 100 Best Global Brands" after joining the list for the first time last year, and the company is poised to continue its momentum with seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles scheduled to arrive in showrooms in 2013.  Over the past decade Kia Motors has invested more than $1.4 billion in the U.S., including the company's first U.S. assembly plant in West Point, Georgia - Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia - which is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs. 

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX Trims and certain LX Trims only) and GDI Turbo are built in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts. 
The success of the U.S.-built* Optima and Sorento in two of the industry's largest segments has fueled Kia's rapid growth and is complemented by Kia's comprehensive lineup which includes the Cadenza flagship sedan, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima Hybrid, the Forte sedan, Forte5, and Forte Koup compacts, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and the Sedona minivan.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 765 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA.  In 2012, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and gained U.S. market share for the 18th consecutive year.  Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, advanced safety features and new technologies.

Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its website Рwww.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 http://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

[1] Select locations are live-streamed.
[2] iPad® and Mac Mini® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.

SOURCE Kia Motors America