Kia’s SUV Maneuvers May Not Stand Up

Advertiser: Kia Motors America

Agency: Goldberg Moser O’Neill, San Francisco

Challenge: Find new ways to convince consumers that Kia’s inexpensive Sportage sport-utility vehicles are durable.

The Ads: Two humorous TV ads show Sportages maneuvering over bumpy terrain, implying they can stand up to the demands of everyday use. In one spot, for example, two female drivers--one in a Sportage--jump curbs, barrel through water-filled potholes and collide with shopping carts as they race to occupy a coveted parking space. A narrator provides a play-by-play account of the competition, thus giving it the air of a sporting event.

Comment: The spots, especially the ad set in the parking lot, are playful and entertaining. And they make a case for handling and durability. But consumers may not find them convincing--the government reported last week that a Kia Sportage flipped over during side-impact crash tests. Kia called the rollover “an anomaly,” and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it didn’t know if Sportages had a greater tendency to flip than other SUVs. $$