Kia’s #CarryYourDream Promotes Euro 2016 Match Ball Carrier Competition

A spearhead international TV commercial for Kia’s ‘Carry Your Dream’ campaign introduces the latest version of the UEFA car sponsor’s ‘official match ball carrier’ competition for Euro 2016.

The core spot – The Story Of One Dream – launched in early April and its narrative follows the story of football loving kid Kirill, who’s 2012 experience was a life-changer as his ‘dream became a wonderful reality’.

The ad fronts the car partner’s ‘Euro 2016 Kia Official Match Ball Carrier Competition’ – which is open to children aged between 10 and14 and sees each participating market offer a child the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet their heroes, carry the official match ball and lead out the teams in a Euro 2016 game.

The film work was followed by local market creative not only across European markets, but also in other football mad markets despite their national teams not being eligible to take part in this summer’s upcoming competition hosted by France.

For example, Kia Motors Ireland is offering the winner a chance to carry the official match ball when Ireland play Belgium in Bordeax on 18 June,

The TV work is supported by social assets and content – typically carrying the campaign’s twin hashtags #KiaOMBC and #CarryYourDream – all of which aimed to drive parent/child interest in the new Euro 2016 ball carrier competition and steer them to visit the local market Kia Facebook page to learn more about the application process.

Applicants are encouraged to share ‘your child’s memorable soccer story’ with the brand on its Facebook Event Page and to illustrate each entrants story with either still photos or a videos to be in with a chance to be a Kia OMBC at Euro 2016.

The prizes include travel, accommodation and tickets for the Ball Carrier along with a parent or guardian.

The campaign spans countries participating in Euro 2016 such as Italy,

and Russia,

as well as some not playing in the tournament – like Mexico.

The initiative varies slightly from market to market: for instance, in the UK it is running in tandem with a tabloid media partnership with The Sun as it offers a chance for a child to lead the England team out on the pitch for England vs Wales on 16 June and England vs Slovakia on 20 June.

Comment

This iteration n of the ball carrier campaign continues an approach Kia ran at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 and the car brand’s global EUROTOP Partnership deal with UEFA began in 2006 and runs through to 2017.

Slightly confusingly, whilst Kia runs the ball carrier kids initiative, it is sister car company Hyundai that takes the role of the central UEFA Euro 2016 automotive partner.

Both brands operate within the parent Hyundai–Kia Automotive Group

For Kia, this UEFA partnership is just one of its major sports properties in a portfolio that also includes its status as a FIFA Partner, a Copa America partner (see case study) and the Official Automotive Partner, as well as being the major sponsor of the Australian Open tennis tournament since 2002 (see case study), and of the NBA (see case study).

It also has several major sports athlete ambassadors too – including Rafael Nadal (see case study) and LeBron James (see case study).

Links

Kia YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/KiaBUZZ

Kia Google +:

https://plus.google.com/u/1/+KiaMotorsWorldwide/p

Kia Worldwide Website:

http://www.kia.com/worldwide/main.do

Euro 2016:

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/

Euro 2016 Twitter:

https://twitter.com/@UEFAEURO

@UEFAEURO