Watch Kia’s emotional Super Bowl ad about a granddaughter and her grandpa

In Kia’s Super Bowl ad, the automaker’s electric EV9 powers a sentimental moment between a grandpa and his granddaughter. The 60-second ad from David&Goliath begins by showing a 10-year-old figure skater performing in a packed arena. Her dad looks on as she nails her routine, only to be saddened by an empty seat normally filled by her grandpa. But her spirits are lifted after her dad drives her to her grandfather’s mountain home. The ailing man looks on from a wheelchair inside the house as she performs her routine outside on a frozen pond, helped by the EV9’s onboard power station that electrifies a string of lights and speakers that pump out music. He scores it a perfect 10 by scribbing the number on a frosted window. Text at the end of the ad—“electric like you’ve never seen”—is meant to plug the versatility of the EV9, a three-row crossover that recently went on sale. Its so-called bi-directional charging capabilities allow it to serve as an energy storage device that can pass on energy to “households, the grid or buildings when needed,” according to a vehicle fact sheet.The spot is backed by “Wish I Was Here,” released in 2014 by Cat Power and Coldplay. The ad, which was made public today, will air in the fourth quarter. John Hillcoat of Serial Pictures is the director. Super Bowl commercials Tracking the latest brand and agency plans Enter here The commercial’s star is a girl named Abigail who is a real figure skater attending a performing arts school in Toronto. She was selected after a nationwide search across 26 cities in the U.S. and Canada, according to Kia and David&Goliath, which notes that “our young actress didn’t know this was a Super Bowl commercial until after we finished filming the spot.” The skating routine was choreographed by Elizabeth Putnam, a Canadian and former competitive figure skater. Kia shot the ad at a house in Whistler, Canada, building an ice rink in the backyard equipped with a cooling system. “We wanted to lean into that message by illuminating what’s possible when power meets functionality meets inspiration,” David Angelo, founder and creative chairman of David&Goliath, said in a statement. “Our goal is to inspire the world’s biggest audience with a Super Bowl experience that evokes that emotion felt when creating something incredible from power; with the hope it motivates them to bring their own power to life.” Kia will attempt to spread the message on social media with a TikTok integration that will ask people to attempt to earn a “perfect 10” from the grandpa in the spot by posting a video of some sort of routine such as pretending to ice skate in their living room, for instance. A clip from the ad showing the grandpa writing the “10” will be used for the integration, which includes a partnership with eight influencers. The brand will also use TikTok’s “shake surprise” feature that will urge users to shake their phones, initiating a scene depicting a flurry of snow that will then lead them to Kia.com.

Watch Kia’s emotional Super Bowl ad about a granddaughter and her grandpa

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