New Kia Soul Hamster Campaign Continues With Launch Of "In My Mind" Music Video Challenge; "Bringing Down The House" Makes TV Debut Tonight During MTV Video Music Awards

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kia's music-loving hamsters energized movie audiences over the holiday weekend, and now they are making their way to the digital screen with the launch of a new user-generated content contest as the "Bringing Down the House" spot begins airing on TV during tonight's MTV Video Music Awards.  The fourth installment of the award-winning ad campaign is set to "In My Mind" (Axwell remix), and the Kia Soul "In My Mind" Music Video Challenge on YouTube encourages imaginative users to interpret the electronic dance music song's lyrics in their own unique way and create a corresponding music video for the opportunity to win a new 2013 Kia Soul and other prizes.  

Contestants are encouraged to create a 90-second music video that synchronizes the "In My Mind" track to their visuals.  Videos can be uploaded to www.youtube.com/kia through September 26 and users can share their production via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to help garner votes that will account for 49 percent of the final score.  Six (three potential winners, and three alternates) finalist videos will be selected in mid-October, and a panel of celebrity judges, including Far East Movement, Paul Hunter and Mickey Finnegan, will select the winning entries.

"Music has played a starring role in each of the Soul hamster spots, and the mash-up and remixing trends that inspired 'Bringing Down the House' lends itself to tapping the imaginations of fans of the spot and aspiring music video directors to allow them to express their creativity," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, Kia Motors America.

About "Bringing Down the House"
Created by David&Goliath, Kia's advertising agency of record, the new 60-second spot fuses old and new worlds by placing a spotlight on the emergence of electronic dance music, which has quickly found its way into the mainstream with some of today's biggest musical acts incorporating classical sounds and instrumentation into their arrangements.

"Bringing Down the House" starts with all the grandeur and scale of an epic Hollywood period film as ballet dancers, an opera singer and a slightly odd-looking conductor take the stage in 1799.  As soaring music and vocals fill the air, the audience is stunned when the conductor is revealed to be a music-loving hamster in disguise.  With the cast and audience looking on in shock, a futuristic Kia Soul rises through the stage floor and a hamster DJ spins this summer's electronic concert anthem, "In My Mind" remixed by Axwell – a member of the DJ trio, Swedish House Mafia.  It doesn't take long before the sight of dancing hamsters decked out in colorful "Hamstar" clothing causes even the crustiest of the upper-crust crowd to lose their inhibitions.  With the entire opera house on their feet and moving to the music, the hamsters make a memorable exit as their Soul travels through hyperspace with a hamster winking and waving its paw in the interstellar wind.

About the 2013 Kia Soul
With fun-to-drive performance and out-of-the-box styling, the 2013 Soul delivers impressive horsepower and fuel efficiency of up to 27/35 miles per gallon (mpg) city/highway[1], along with a long list of standard comfort and convenience features, including Bluetooth^®[2] wireless technology with steering wheel-mounted controls, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and a chrome-accented grille.  Soul 2.4-liter I-4 equipped with the ECO Package also offers the fuel-saving ISG technology, which turns off the engine when the vehicle is not in motion, such as at a stop light or in traffic.  The award-winning Kia Soul has been named as this year's No. 1 vehicle on the coveted "10 Best Back-to-School Cars in 2012" list by Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, as well as honored as class best by two J.D. Power and Associates Studies:  IQS and APEAL.

Kia's Unprecedented Growth
Kia Motors is one of the world's fastest moving global automotive brands; from 2009-2011 Kia launched more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other automaker, and under the guidance of chief design officer Peter Schreyer earned a reputation as an industry leader in automotive styling.  Kia Motors America's full line of fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive cars and CUVs has earned critical acclaim and dramatically increased consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand.  In 2011, KMA recorded its 17th consecutive year of market share growth, thanks in part to the largest increase of any major brand in perceived quality[3] and the industry's highest brand loyalty ranking[4].  Kia's U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and builds two of the company's best-selling vehicles in the U.S. – the Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedan*.  Kia's value and technology-laden lineup also includes the Sportage compact CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Optima Hybrid, Forte compact sedan, Forte 5-door compact hatchback, Forte Koup two-door coupe, Rio and Rio 5-door sub-compacts and 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 755 dealers throughout the United States and serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA. In 2011, KMA recorded its best-ever annual sales total and became one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S[5]. 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 - www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

* 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.

[1] EPA estimated mileage for 2013 Soul with 1.6L I-4 manual transmission, 1.6L I-4 automatic transmission and 2.0L I-4 automatic transmission with ISG. Actual mileage will vary.

[2] The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Kia is under license. Other trademarks and tradenames are those of their respective owners. A compatible Bluetooth® wireless technology enabled cell phone is required to use Bluetooth® wireless technology.

[3]  Source: Automotive Lease Guide Spring 2011 Perceived Quality Study.

[4] Source: Experian Automotive Q2 2011 market analysis.

[5]  Based on 5-year cumulative growth between 12-month retail sales for periods ending July 2007 and July 2012 of all U.S. automotive brands.

SOURCE Kia Motors America