Kia appoints OMD to handle global media

Ian Darby, Campaign 22-Jan-08, 10:05

LONDON - Kia Motors has appointed OMD to handle media planning and buying on its global corporate account.

The appointment, which does not affect separate media buying arrangements in local markets, will see OMD work on global activity across Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

OMD will be responsible for overall media strategy on corporate campaigns, such as its sponsorship of the Euro 2008 football tournament, as well as the buying.

OMD won the account after a pitch against the incumbent Vizeum and ZenithOptimedia. The account will be run out of Germany by a unit called K360 Media, which has been created specifically for Kia.

Nikki Mendonca, the president of OMD in the EMEA region, said: "We look forward to leveraging new opportunities such as Kia's sports marketing where we help to maximise their involvement in Euro 2008."

The move follows the recent appointment of Initiative in the US to handle Kia's local planning and buying alongside the Hyundai brand.

Separately, Kia is holding a creative pitch to find a pan-European agency to develop a campaign for its C'eed hatchback model.