Christopher Walken Has Sock Puppet Hands in Kia's Super Bowl Ad
The Actor Emerges From the 'Walken Closet'
Editor's Pick
A few days ago Kia released a teaser for its Super Bowl spot showing Christopher Walken in a "Walken Closet." Now we know what he was doing in there -- trying to convince a boring, beige-suit-and-sock-wearing man to add some "pizzazz" to his life.
In an extended version of the ad released today, Mr. Walken uses sock puppet theater to pitch the KiaOptima sedan. In his right hand he wears a colorful sock that devours a beige sock in his other hand before comparing the Optima to "the world's most exciting pair of socks."
The ad -- which will run as a 60-second spot in the game -- is by David&Goliath and directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen of MJZ.
"No one is cooler or as instantly recognizable as Christopher Walken, and on advertising's biggest stage Kia is out to show the world the all-new Optima delivers a level of refinement and sophistication unlike anything else in the midsize segment," Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and executive VP for Kia MotorsAmerica, said in a statement.
As part of the campaign, Kia partnered with sock marketer Stance and Influential, which is described as a "mobile-first influencer platform." Influential used IBMWatson's Personality Insights API to identify so-called social media influencers based on factors like how their personalities fit the Kia brand personality, according to a Kia statement. In recent weeks, 100 of these influencers were given a pair of colorful Stance socks. They were "encouraged to share how they 'add pizzazz' to their lives on their social media channels," Kia stated. The content was integrated into Kia's Tumblr page.
The article also appears on Adage.com.
Credits
- Date
- Feb 02, 2016
- Brand :
- Kia
- Client :
- Kia
- Agency :
- David & Goliath
- Founder and Chairman :
- David Angelo
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Colin Jeffery
- Chief Digital Officer :
- Mike Geiger
- President :
- Brian Dunbar
- Chief Strategy Officer :
- Seema Miller
- Creative Director :
- John OHea
- Creative Director :
- Brandon Davis
- Art Director :
- Shaun Wright
- Art Director :
- Mike Cornell
- Copywriter :
- Joe Shaner
- Copywriter :
- Andy Sciamanna
- Senior Art Director :
- Bernice Chao
- Senior Art Director :
- Matt Koulermos
- Senior Designer :
- Katherine Ahn
- Director, Creative Services :
- Frannie Rhodes
- Senior Project Manager :
- Kemit Ray
- Director, Broadcast Production :
- Paul Albanese
- Executive Broadcast Producer :
- Christopher Coleman
- Director, Art Production :
- Andrea Mariash
- Senior Print Production Manager :
- Elisa Atwood
- Digital Producer :
- Justine Kleeman
- Managing Director :
- Jeff Moohr
- Account Director :
- Gordon Gray
- Account Executive :
- Annelise Lorenzo
- Account Director :
- Jeanann Grubbs
- Account Supervisor :
- Sarah Kirsch
- Planning Director :
- Andrew Lynch
- Senior Planner :
- Ed Gibson
- Senior Digital Strategist :
- Rachel Fletcher
- Business Affairs Director :
- Rodney Pizarro
- Business Affairs Manager :
- Camara Price
- Production Information Manager :
- Russ Wortman
- Production Information Manager :
- Mark McNaul
- Production Company :
- MJZ
- Director :
- Matthijs Van Heijningen
- Director, Photography :
- Joost Van Gelder
- President :
- David Zander
- Senior Executive Producer :
- Eriks Krumins
- Producer :
- Donald Taylor
- Editorial Company :
- Cut + Run
- Editor :
- Steve Gandolfi
- Assistant Editor :
- Sean Fazende
- Managing Director :
- Michelle Eskin
- Executive Producer :
- Carr Schilling
- Head of Production :
- Amburr Farls
- Visual Effects :
- MPC
- Visual Effects Creative Director :
- Paul OShea
- Senior Visual Effects Producer :
- Karen Anderson
- Visual Effects Producer :
- Abisayo Abejare
- Visual Effects Senior Compositor :
- Mark Holden
- Grade :
- MPC LA
- Color Executive Producer :
- Meghan Lang
- Color Associate Producer :
- Rebecca Boorsma
- Colorist :
- Ricky Gausis
- Music and Sound Design :
- Stimmng
- Composer :
- Cyrus Melchor
- Sound Designer :
- Gus Koven
- Creative Director :
- Rory Doggett
- Executive Producer :
- Ceinwyn Clark
- Mix :
- Margarita Mix
- Sound Engineer :
- Nathan Dubin
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