Can Kia transcend beyond its price-point marketing?

 

Arguably—and even with no new cars to present—Kia’s presser at last week’s L.A. show was the best in a long day’s worth of corporate droning on.

 

For starters, Kia promised 15 salient points in a media-friendly 15 minutes, getting us all up-to-date on the tsunami of new models, the progress of its recently-opened U.S. plant, various awards its Optima sedan is picking up this year, that a pair of Optima SX models are entering the U.S. World Challenge race series next year to take on Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro in addition to the new Rio 5-Door B-Spec racer will be made available to teams to compete in a variety of series, from World Challenge to GRAND-AM to SCCA and NASA events, plus more—whew!

 

Then, they trotted out locked-out National Basketball Association star Blake Griffin, about the only player worth watching on the sometimes-unwatchable Los Angeles Clippers team, who became famous for winning the 2011 N.B.A. all-star game dunking contest by jumping over an Optima, above.

 

Griffin then watched himself in a series of new Kia TV ads, projected on the stand’s giant screens.

 

Up until now, you’re probably saying So what?

 

But watch the ads, top and below.

 

Instead of barking out zero-per cent financing or five-year warranties, the Griffin/Kia ads are subtly funny. And the baller’s performance is surprisingly quirky and confident. (You’ll find his thigh lunges while he feeds a deer, in the spot below, either creepy or hilarious.)

 

But the point is this: Kia—once the quaint automaker that sold on bottom-feeder pricing and the ability to stretch your monthly payments to five years because of their class-leading warranty—is getting some attitude. 

 

But have you, the new car buyer, caught up with Kia’s confidence?

 

Or do you think the brand still needs to sell cars based on price alone?

 

Comments

[Mark]

From my experience, people now respect Kia's offerings as legitimate quality vehicles, but while they might be above selling on price alone, their biggest selling point now is still tied to the cost, in the value of what you get for your money. They're kind of in a boat along with Hyundai now in giving a pretty good package for the price, rather than just being 'the cheapest possible option'.

In the luxury labels you might get people paying a premium for, well, nothing, really. A reputation, I guess, an image, or a spacious backseat, but in the basic segment, value will win the day. Price will always be a key selling point for Kia, but I definitely think that they've risen above selling on price alone, to the relatively informed buyer.

[Chuck]

They aren't that cheap anymore. I was looking to buy the Sportage crossover, and they start with $26,000 and go over $35,000.

[Cash for cars]

Believe it or not, but Kia have been making a better car than they did before. But they are stuck in their own shadow by pushing a cheap car for so many years