Kia Motors America Inc. selected Yahoo Inc. as a digital partner to deliver the latest ads for the 2016 Sorento CUV.
The promotions include “The Getaway Guide,” a six-episode video series that encourages viewers to take the vehicle on various weekend getaways, such as foraging for food, zip-lining or rock climbing.
The two- to five-minute videos are posted on Yahoo Screen, an on-demand streaming service for TV shows, movies and new media, such as webisodes.
“This is the first time Kia has partnered with Yahoo for custom video content and is an excellent opportunity to connect with action-adventure-minded consumers by showcasing the refined and capable 2016 Sorento,” Tim Chaney, Kia’s vice president of marketing communications, said in a news release.
Kia will also run articles sponsored by the brand on Yahoo properties and similar posts on Tumblr. It also will share video content through Yahoo Splash Ads on Yahoo’s digital magazines, including Yahoo Food, Yahoo Health and Yahoo Travel.
The effort builds on Kia’s “The Perfect Getaway” campaign that kicked off in January. Advertising agency of record David & Goliath created the campaign, which incorporates TV, cinema and social media advertising.
PacSun Turns Neon
Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. was one of the sponsors of this year’s Neon Carnival, a late-night dance festival on the landing strip at the Desert Resorts Regional Airport in the community of Thermal in Riverside County.
The invite-only event, which was held during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in nearby Indio but wasn’t affiliated with it, featured a giant Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and carnival games where attendees had a chance to win $100 gift cards to a PacSun store. DJ A-Trak entertained “a refined list of celebrities, influencers and festival attendees,” including actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
The Anaheim-based retailer also heavily promoted the “festival look” from its Gypsy Warrior Collection on Instagram and Facebook during the two weekends of Coachella. Other OC-based retailers also had social a presence at the festival, including Vans Inc. in Cypress and Tavik, O’ Neill Clothing USA and Tilly’s Inc. in Irvine.
Huntington Beach-based InnoceanUSA brought to Coachella its newest client, NRG Energy Inc., a power company in Houston with a market value of about $10.7 billion and a marketing budget of $195 million. NRG was one of 13 main festival sponsors and provided charging stations to those who drove electric vehicles to the event, as well as solar-powered charging stations for mobile devices. The company was also behind a 3-D light show, “an immersive collision of art and energy to upbeat music,” and NRG Campsite Re:New, a “sustainable” lounge that offered campers a place to cool off.
Deal With Adidas
The Original Swimwear Co. in Costa Mesa has taken over as adidas AG’s swimwear licensee and distributor for the U.S. from Cypress-based Manhattan Beachwear LLC.
The company will “focus on building the competitive and athletic swim business in the U.S. as well as service all other current channels of distribution,” according to adidas.
The announcement appears to follow a recent move by Bre Neidt, who left her position as designer for adidas swimwear at Manhattan Beachwear and joined TOSC in January to work in a similar role. At Manhattan Beachwear, her duties included developing performance and women’s fashion lines from trend research to final production and working with Adidas North America and Adidas International to make sure product lines are all using the same direction and are adhering to brand guidelines, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Bits & Pieces
Jim Moriarty has stepped down from his role as chief executive of the San Clemente-based Surfrider Foundation to join the 72andSunny agency in Los Angeles. His new job is to help brands present their “social good” efforts in a genuine way. … Bolt Public Relations in Irvine hired Dori Stroll as account director and Lena Lotsey as social media director. … Juan Faura joined Casanova Pendrill in Costa Mesa as vice president and director of strategic planning.
