Kia Motors renews sponsorship of CSI shows on Five

by Staff, Brand Republic 03-Jul-08, 10:40

LONDON - Kia Motors, the Korean carmaker, has renewed its sponsorship of US crime dramas on Five and Five US.

Kia will screen sponsorship idents, created by ad agency Mustoes, on a number of US crime shows including 'CSI', 'CSI: Miami', 'CSI: New York', as well as navy crime drama 'NCIS' and 'Law & Order'.

The deal also will also include Kia branding appear on Demand Five, the channel's online video-on-demand service.

The deal was negotiated by Sean Mellows, the head of TV at Manning Gottlieb OMD, and Rachael Wheeler, sponsorship controller at Five.

It was renewed after a positive first quarter for the carmaker, which claims that UK sales have risen 22% over the first quarter of 2008 compared with the same period last year.

Simon Hetherington, marketing director of Kia Motors, said: "In order to reposition Kia from a value brand to a design-led quality brand, we created a campaign around the line 'designed to change your mind' and made the Pro_cee'd the hero.

"They have been an incredible success with recognition, brand attribution and message comprehension all up."