Kia Suggests a Summer of Road Tripping Now That We're Not Flying Anywhere

As lockdown restrictions continue to lift, Kia answers the call of the open road in a nostalgia-driven push from David&Goliath.

Dubbed “Let’s Road Trip,” a new 60-second spot uses found footage of family car excursions to remind viewers of the fun they’ve had and signal good times to come.

“Remember how we’d just get in our cars and drive?” the narration begins. “It didn’t even matter where to. Well, it’s time to reclaim the road trip. All it takes is a loose plan and a solid set of wheels.”

Positioning road trips as a release from months of self-isolation, the spot also subtly taps into anxieties about air travel in the age of Covid-19. “It might be a while before we’ll see America from 35,000 feet,” the voiceover says. “But the view from six feet is even better.”

“C’mon on, America,” the ad concludes, “let’s pick up where we left off. Let’s road trip.”

The campaign arrives as Kia’s domestic sales dipped 13 percent in the first five month of 2020; most automakers have experienced similar decelerations of late.

Of course, the virus is still out there, and travel of any sort entails some elevated risk. That said, Kia “felt there would still be a way to balance safety with our need for peace of mind and desire for freedom,” says D&G founder and creative chairman David Angelo. “After all, we need a sense of calm and respite in order to continue to optimally function.”

The target audience is “anyone longing for hope, possibility and perhaps simpler times while still remaining safe,” Angelo says.

While developing the work, “we remembered, as kids, how road trips played such an integral part in our lives growing up,” he says. “Back then, a road trip was not only the most affordable solution, but it was a ticket to freedom, adventure and family bonding. When I was a kid, coming from a family of nine, we couldn’t afford to take family trips on a plane. One summer, my dad put a mattress in his truck, and we all slept in the back as he drove all night, just to get to Disneyland.”

“The more we talked about our road trips, the more inspired we were to get the message out there,” Angelo says. “Then, coincidentally, our client mentioned he was taking his family on weekend road trips. And that’s what prompted the idea.”

Angelo believes the pitch is in tune with the new normal.

“Our cars have become more than just a way to get from point A to B,” he says. “I’ve seen people celebrate graduations and birthdays in cars, even weddings. It’s become a part of our culture.”

When consumers watch the commercial, “our hope is that it inspires them to see that there are ways to still safely enjoy summer under quarantine,” Angelo says. “They can seize the moment and go out for an adventure, even if it is just for the day. The simplest experiences can bring the greatest joy, even during the toughest times.”

CREDITS

Client: Kia

Agency: David&Goliath
David Angelo Founder & Creative Chairman
Yumi Prentice President
Laura Forman Chief Strategy Officer
Mark Koelfgen Executive Creative Director/Copywriter
Frauke Tiemann Group Creative Director/Art Director
John O’Hea Group Creative Director/Art Director 
Steve Clarke Group Creative Director/Copywriter 
Chris Pouy Creative Director/Copywriter
Bernice Chao Associate Creative Director/Art Director
Sarah Mosseller Associate Creative Director/Copywriter
Sara Becker Freelance Associate Creative Director/Copywriter
Chris Davis Senior Copywriter (social)
Lisa Donato Art Director (social)
Paul Albanese Managing Director, Broadcast Production
Karen Jean Executive Producer
Christopher Coleman Executive Producer
Natasha Royzina Director of Business Affairs
Yenia Paez Senior Business Affairs Manager
Marlon Pineda Business Affairs Manager
Amy Santana Associate Business Affairs Manager
Donesh Olyaie Group Strategy Director
Jasmine Spraglin Senior Strategist
Beka Tesfaye Junior Strategist
Jeff Cannata Communications Planning Director
Natalie Gomez Associate Communications Planning Director
Taylor Grant Analytics Director
Elisa Atwood Senior Print Producer
Genie Lara Associate Director of Project Management
Donna Alexander Senior Project Manager
Paul Stephens Senior Project Manager
Anna Carnochan Junior Project Manager
Jeff Moohr Managing Director
Candace Logan Account Director
Christine Phillips Management Supervisor
Jillian Littleton Assistant Account Executive
Sarahi Meza Account Coordinator
Peter Bassett Managing Director, Integrated Production & Technology Services
Justine Kleeman Executive Digital Producer
Jessica Sosa Associate Digital Producer
Meagan Steinkamp Digital Designer
Kurtis Mirick Digital Designer
Sarah Masket Management Supervisor, Digital
Britney Bencomo Assistant Account Executive, Digital

Production Company:
Existing Footage

Editorial Company: Spinach, LA 
Adam Bright Editor/Managing Director
Jay Lee Assistant Editor
Jonathan Carpio Executive Producer
Patricia Gushikuma Post Producer

Color Correction Company: A52 Color
Daniel de Vue Colorist
Thatcher Peterson Executive Producer
Jenny Bright Producer

VFX Company: A52 VFX
Urs Furrer VFX Supervisor
Jesse Monsour, Hugh Seville, Adam Flynn, Dan Ellis, Kevin Stokes 2D VFX Artists
Andrew Rosenberger Producer
Patrick Nugent & Kim Christensen Executive Producers
Jennifer Sofio Hall Managing Director

Mix: Margarita Mix Santa Monica
Nathan Dubin Mixer
Brian Frank Operations Manager
Whitney Morris Executive Producer

Music: Associated Production Music
“Round The Campfire”
Rick Cassman & Samuel Harry Cassman Composers