The UK arm of Kia Motors has teamed up with VCCPme to create a unique interactive publicity stunt to promote the first, fully electric Kia car; the Kia Soul EV. The stunt works on the campaign tagline, “The Power To Surprise,” and took place in a small, local petrol station in North London. Regular customers were delighted to turn up on the day of the stunt (of which they had no prior knowledge) and discover they would be charged only £2.80 for a full tank of petrol. A fraction of the price they would normally pay.
The stunt works on the campaign tagline, “The Power To Surprise”
The stunt aims to focus on the fact that a full charge of the new Soul EV costs just that much, and focuses on the reactions of the petrol stations customers as they realise just how much money they've saved. The footage of the customer's reactions was captured by Go-Pro cameras hidden around the station, with an actor playing the cashier explaining why they were receiving such a dramatic discount and the difference to their wallets (not to mention the environment) that going electric can make.
The stunt serves to bring attention to a new online hub
The reactions range from pleasantly surprised, to completely puzzled, but needless to say, nobody is particularly unhappy with the revelation. Indeed, once word spread of the stunt, cars were soon queuing up and down the street, eager to fill their tanks for less than the price of a pint of lager! The video also highlights the fact that a full charge of the Soul EV would last for over 130 miles, which (to put it in perspective) would quite comfortably be able to take you from the centre of Birmingham to the centre of London.
The New Kia Soul EV in 'The Electric Takeover' - Kia Motors UK
The stunt serves to bring attention to a new online hub that contains all the information one could possibly desire, as well as the “Soul EV Challenge” app, which makes the benefits of going electric even clearer by allowing users to enter the type of car they drive and plan a route. An on-screen graphic then shows drivers how far they would be able to get in their current car for £2.80, before showing them how far the same amount will get them with the Soul EV. In my test, my own car (a Vauxhall Corsa) could only take me 67% of the way from Birmingham to London on £2.80 worth of petrol, whereas the EV with a full charge could potentially take me the entire way!
The campaign also features a “£2.80 TWITTERGRAM” competition
The VCCP campaign also features a social media element with a competition called “The £2.80 TWITTERGRAM,” which encourages users to post a photo of everyday items that cost £2.80 with #KIA2POUND80 for the chance to win a free tank of petrol. The site also includes a list of items that compare in price to a full EV charge (a cup, a toothbrush and a bottle of shampoo, for example) and a link to a map that finds your nearest electric car charging station.
The site also includes a list of items that compare in price to a full EV charge
The campaign launched on Tuesday (2 December) and is a unique and daring integrated effort, which underlines the fact that a future where electric cars become the rule, rather than the exception, is just around the corner, and will benefit us all.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK. Having read up on it, he is now genuinely considering splurging out on an electric car.
